Predicting Total Length of Fish in Minnesota Lakes Using Bony Structure Dimensions

Authors

Jay Holland

Document Type

Article

Abstract

This study seeks to establish a relationship between a fish’s total length to the size of various bony structures of prey fishes. Three important prey fish species in Minnesota were selected for examination in this study, including Black Crappie Pomoxis nigromaculatus, Bluegill Lepomis macrochirus, and Yellow Perch Perca flavescens. Length and weight dimensions of each fish’s otoliths, cleithra, and vertebrae were associated to total lengths of the fish they came from. In many dietary studies, the need for these relationships is strongly related to the disfigurement or degradation of prey fish in stomach samples. With accurate enough regression equations, researchers can formulate cheaper and more efficient methods to collecting data regarding piscivorous predator diets. Data collected from these species could predict the original fish’s length with a range of 92-99% confidence using the bony structure regressions. The cleithrum weight was the most useful measurement among all three species with an average of 98.3% accuracy of predicting total length. Additionally, all other relationships between total length and bony structure dimensions were highly significant (P< 0.001). Upon success, these relationships may be implemented to reconstruct the size of a fish when length data is not available.

Publication Date

2021

Comments

Faculty sponsor: Dr. Andrew Hafs, Department of Biology, Aquatic Biology Program

Recommended Citation

Holland, Jay, "Predicting Total Length of Fish in Minnesota Lakes Using Bony Structure Dimensions" (2021). Journal of Earth and Life Science. 13.
https://pines.bemidjistate.edu/j-earth-life-sci/13