The relationships between fish length and otolith size of the striped snakehead, <i>Channa striata</i> (Bloch, 1793), collected from the River Ganga and its two tributaries in India

Abstract The relationship between the total length of fish and the morphometric characteristics of their otoliths (length, width, and weight) was examined in striped snakehead ( Channa striata , Bloch, 1793) specimens collected from the River Ganga and its two tributaries in India. Channa striata , a commercially valuable species in India, was the focus of this study, which aimed to analyse the statistical correlations between the fish's total and standard lengths and their corresponding otolith measurements, with the expectation that the data will contribute to future research on the species' biology, particularly its age, and growth patterns. Both linear and non‐linear regression models were applied, and the regression equations varied significantly between the three collection sites. These findings represent the first investigation into the relationship between otolith morphology and total fish length for striped snakehead from the River Ganga and its tributaries in India.