Otolith Shape Analysis of Red Mullet, Mullus barbatus (Mullidae) in Turkish Waters of the Aegean, Black, and Mediterranean Seas

This study investigated the sagittal otolith morphometry of the red mullet Mullus barbatus inhabiting the Aegean, Black Sea and Mediterranean coastal waters of Turkiye. In the comparison of otolith shape of M. barbatus, elliptic Fourier and Wavelet analyses were used as well as otolith shape indices with multivariate statistical techniques. Totally, 180 specimens were examined for otolith shape analyses. Otolith shape indices, including form factor, aspect ratio, circularity, roundness, and rectangularity, have been determined. A principal component analysis and canonical discriminant analysis were carried out for the discrimination of the three M. barbatus populations. The PERMANOVA test was used to evaluate differences between populations. The overall classification success for the canonical discriminant analysis in separating red mullet in these three seas was 53.9% in elliptic Fourier analysis and 57.8% in wavelet analysis. The Aegean and Mediterranean Seas have the highest classification success rates, at 65%. Elliptic Fourier analyses (68.6%) separated the Black Sea from the Mediterranean and Aegean Seas while Wavelet analyses (69.3%) separated the Aegean Sea from the Mediterranean and Black Seas.