Some biological aspects of the Himri barbel, Barbus luteus in the intermediate reaches of the Euphrates River

<p>Growth; length-weight, standard-, fork-, and total length relationships; age composition; sex ratios; age at first maturity; and fecundity of the himri, Barbus luteus, from different sites along the middle reaches of the Euphrates River were investigated. Von Bertalanffy's growth models were L_t = 54.71 (1-e^{0.110 (t+0.163)}), W_t = 1252.833 (1-e^{0.127 (t+1.825)})^{2.454} in males, and L_t = 56.93 (1-e^{0.105 (t+0.377)}), W_t = 1395.363 (1-e^{0.107 (t-1.81)})^{2.545} in females. Isometric growth was identified from length-weight relationships. Younger age groups dominated the catches, with identifiable ages ranged from II to VII years. Sexual ratios were unbiased and did not deviate from 1:1. Most fish reached sexual maturity within the second year of age.</p>