Sagitta asymmetry in the striped snakehead, Channa striata (Anabantiformes, Channidae), collected from the River Ganga and two of its tributaries, India

Abstract

The current study is the first to investigate morphological asymmetry in three otolith features—including length, width and weight—of the striped snakehead, Channa striata (Bloch, 1793), collected from the Ganga River and its two tributaries in India. Among the three otolith characteristics examined, the width exhibited the highest level of asymmetry. Otolith width was greatest in specimens from the Yamuna River (96.42), followed by those from the Ganga River (92.52), and was lowest in specimens from the Gomti River (72.52). Additionally, the study found that the asymmetry value increased with the total length of the fish across the three locations. Potential explanations for the observed asymmetry in these morphological traits are discussed, particularly in relation to variations in growth influenced by ecological factors, including pollutants present in the waters of the three rivers studied.