Length-weight relationships of six fish species from the lower reaches of the Jinsha River, southwest China

The total length-weight relationships (LWRs) were estimated for six fish species from the lower reaches of the Jinsha River, southwest China. Specimens were seasonally collected using gillnets and drift gillnets (mesh size 2 similar to 14 cm), benthic fyke nets (mesh size 1 cm), baited hooks (stationary longline) and electricfishing (36 V/12 A, depth 3 m), in six sites from 2016 to 2019. The fish length (TL = total length, standard length (SL) as well as weight (W) were determined to the nearest 0.1 cm and 0.01 g, respectively. The LWRs for Jinshaia abbreviata (Gunther, 1892) and Liobagrus marginatoides (Wu, 1930) are newly reported to FishBase. New maximum length or weight values were recorded for Pseudolaubuca engraulis (Nichols, 1925), Pseudobagrus truncatus (Regan, 1913), L. marginatoides, Abbottina obtusirostris (Wu & Wang, 1931) and Pseudobagrus pratti (Gunther, 1892). All regressions were highly significant, with the coefficients of determination r(2) > 0.950, and b values in the LWRs equations ranged from 2.399 to 3.484. For comparison and conversion, the SL-TL relationships were also estimated, with r(2) values ranging from 0.980 to 0.999.

Automated summary

This study estimated the total length-weight relationships for six fish species from the lower reaches of the Jinsha River in southwest China and recorded new maximum length or weight values. All regression equations were highly significant, indicating a close relationship between total length and weight.