Investigation of asymmetry in sagitta otolith features in relation to total length in Lethrinus species from the Red Sea coast of Yemen

This study aimed to investigate the asymmetry in otolith length (OL), otolith width (OW) and otolith weight (OWe) in relation to total body length in 224 fish samples of Lethrinus borbonicus, L. letnjan and L. mahsena collected from the Red Sea coast of the Republic of Yemen. The results showed that the irregularity of OWe was greater than that of OL and OW. The degree of disproportionality in the three otolith features increased with the growth in the fish size. The likely reason for the asymmetry in the otolith parameters explored has been discussed in relation to the inconsistency in development provoked by territorial influence linked to the discrepancies in water temperature, salinity, depth, and impurities found in the southern Red Sea water system.