Assessment of morphological features of the Siberian sturgeon in the early stages of ontogenesis

Abstract

Background and Aim. Morphological features are evaluated in order to determine the variability of individuals. The purpose of this study was to examine the development of morphological features of the Siberian sturgeon in the early stages of ontogenesis.

Materials and Methods. To assess the morphological features, the pre-larvae and larvae of the Siberian sturgeon were used, obtained from producers who are kept in conditions of closed water supply installations at the fish farm of «OstFish» LLP. During the study, body weight, total body length, percentage ratio to total body length of such indicators as: body length to the end of the middle rays, trunk length, length of the caudal stem, maximum and minimum body height, as well as measurements of the head and yolk sac were determined.

Results. The analysis of the results of our research has shown that based on the patterns in the variability of morphological features in the early stages of development of the Siberian sturgeon, three groups of features can be distinguished. Groups whose indices tend to increase or decrease during development, and the third group of signs stabilizes or differs slightly with age. The identification of these groups at an early stage of ontogenesis will allow using the results of the work in order to improve the  technology for obtaining high-quality fish planting material (juveniles) in industrial conditions.
Conclusion. The data obtained allow us to speak about the value of the diagnostic significance of the identified groups of variability of morphological features, which can characterize species, possibly population, differences and allow us to identify hybrid forms of sturgeon in the process of development at the early stages of ontogenesis.