Length-Weight Relationships of Two Syngnathid Species from the Mar Piccolo of Taranto, Southern Italian Coast

In this study, the length-weight relationships of two pipefish, Syngnathus abaster and Syngnathus typhle from the Mar Piccolo of Taranto, on the Italian coast of the Ionian Sea (central Mediterranean) are presented. A total of 256 specimens of two different Syngnathidae species were weighed and measured. The values of the exponent <tex xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">$b$</tex> in the length-weight regressions <tex xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">$({W}={aL}^{\mathrm{b}})$</tex> ranged between 2.57 (S. abaster) and 2.79 (S. typhle). The linear regressions of the length-weight relationships were significant for both species. A negative allometry of weight versus length was observed in both S. abaster and S. typhle.