International Journal of Marine Science 2016, Vol.6, No.37, 1-5
4
and lead for these individuals to decrease their ability to integrate with the environment that they living in
(Lychakov and Rebane, 2005). Such consequences are results of the bilateral asymmetry in otolith mass.
The variations in the dimensions of the otolith of
C. sordidus
and
H. harid
, can affect the capability of the young
individuals to locate and settle down in their suitable habitats (Gagliano and McCormick, 2004; Gagliano et al.,
2007). Due to the asymmetry observed, settlement of larvae might be affected. Since the species in question are
among the commercial species in Egypt, such studies are considered relevant to the ecology of these species in
order to assess their stock in the area.
Due to unavailable data on the correlation between different environmental pollutions and the morphology of the
two species dealt with in the present study to evaluate asymmetry along a pollution gradient, or from fish taken
from impacted vs control (non-impacted) sites, it is not possible at this stage to have precise indication on the
significance of this phenomenon. However, based on previous studies in this field, it is possible to suggest a
correlation between environmental stress due to pollution and asymmetry in the morphology of this species. Such
environmental factors are present in the waters of Hurghada, Red Sea coast of Egypt (Mansour et al., 2000;
Mansour et al, 2005; Madkour et al., 2006; Madkour and Dar, 2007; Madkour et al., 2008, Mansour et al., 2011).
The environmental causes might be natural events, and several factors are known to produce nutritional
deficiencies such as various pathogens and various population phenomena (Bengtsson and Hindberg, 1985), and it
is highly possible that these factors may be in action in Oman Sea as they seem to be common in the aquatic
environment.
Several authors have shown a relationship between the coefficient of asymmetry and fish length (Al- Hassan et al.,
1990; Al- Hassan and Hassan, 1994; Al- Hassan and Shwafi, 1997; Jawad, 2001, 2013) where there was a trend of
increase in the asymmetry value with the increase in fish length. The otolith morphological characters studied
were identical and gave zero value for the asymmetry coefficient in several length groups studied. The results also
show a trend of increase of otolith length and width asymmetry value with fish length.
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