Journal of Tropical Oceanography ›› 2016, Vol. 35 ›› Issue (6): 82-88.doi: 10.11978/2016011CSTR: 32234.14.2016011

• Marine Biology • Previous Articles     Next Articles

A study on morphological variations and discrimination of medium and dwarf forms of purple flying squid Sthenoteuthis oualaniensis in the southern South China Sea

ZHU Kai1, 2, WANG Xuehui1, ZHANG Peng1, DU Feiyan1, QIU Yongsong1   

  1. 1. South China Sea Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Key Laboratory of Fishery Ecology and Environment, Guangdong Province, Guangzhou 510300, China;
    2. Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China
  • Received:2016-01-29 Revised:2016-03-20 Online:2016-11-30 Published:2016-12-15
  • Contact: WANG Xuehui. E-mail: wxhscs@163.com
  • Supported by:
    Science and Technology Planning Project of Guangdong Province (2014A020217011); National Key Technology

Abstract: From 3435 specimens of purple flying squid Sthenoteuthis oualaniensis collected in 2012 and 2013 in the southern South China Sea, mantle length (ML) and other seven morphological indicators were measured. The morphological variations among the squid species were assessed using population classification, principal component analysis and stepwise discriminant functions. Results showed that medium and dwarf forms have different ML distribution. The non-overlapping ranges of ML are 59~78 mm and 126~225 mm for medium and dwarf forms in female individuals, respectively, which contain 45% of medium form and 10% of dwarf form. The non-overlapping ranges of ML are 56~80 mm and 95~151 mm for medium and dwarf forms in male individuals, respectively, which contain 98% of medium form and 58% of dwarf form. Significant differences in all the ratios of the seven morphological indicators to ML between the medium and dwarf forms of males and females were found by tests of significance (p<0.05). Significant differences between males and females in AL1 (Arm Length-I)/ML, FL (Fin Length)/ML, and FW (Fin Width)/ML were identified in the dwarf form (p<0.05), while significant differences between males and females in AL1/ML, AL2/ML, AL3/ML, TL (Tentacle Length)/ML, FL/ML, and FW/ML were found in the medium form (p<0.05). The analysis of coefficients of difference (C.D) indicated that the morphological variations between the medium and dwarf forms generally were within species (C.D were less than 1.28 except for FW/ML of males), but the FW/ML variations between the medium and dwarf forms of males attained a level of difference between subspecies (C.D=1.45). Principal component analysis indicated that the second principal component represents the growing differences among the wrists and fins, and the third principal component represents the growing differences among the wrists. The discriminant functions based on the morphological ratios have the identification accuracy of 85.9% and 92.9%, respectively, for the two forms of females and males, which can provide a reference for classification of squid species.

Key words: Sthenoteuthis oualaniensis, morphology, population classification, South China Sea