Work

Spatial growth variability of the marble goby (Oxyeleotris marmorata) in tropical inland waters

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Variation in growth and demographic structure across habitats is a crucial determinant of the sustainable management of tropical inland fisheries. However, information on habitat-related variation in growth and demographic structure across contrasting freshwater ecosystems remains limited. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate population ecology of Oxyeleotris marmorata across three contrasting freshwater ecosystems in South Kalimantan, Indonesia. The three ecosystems included Riam Kanan Reservoir, Martapura River, and Barito River, which represented distinct lentic–lotic environments. A total of 1800 individuals were analyzed from December 2024 to May 2025 to evaluate morphometric patterns, age structure, and reproductive balance in relation to environmental conditions. Length–weight relationship (LWR), Von Bertalanffy Growth Function (VBGF) modelling, and multivariate analyses (MANOVA, PCA, and CCA) were applied to integrate biological and environmental datasets. The results showed that there were clear spatial differences in growth and population structure. Riam Kanan population showed the highest growth (K = 0.45), a wider size range (120–490 mm TL), and more age cohorts, showing stable recruitment. Meanwhile, fish from Martapura and Barito had slower growth (K ≈ 0.056–0.06), smaller size (≤316 mm TL), and fewer cohorts. Sex-specific growth analysis showed that females reached larger asymptotic sizes (445 mm) despite lower growth rates. Growth was positively associated with dissolved oxygen and water transparency, but negatively affected by turbidity and flow velocity. These results indicated that growth variability in O. marmorata was driven by habitat-mediated eco-physiological mechanisms and energy allocation trade-offs, showing the importance of environmental filtering and life-history plasticity for ecosystem-based fisheries management and habitat-specific conservation strategies.

Source: The Egyptian Journal of Aquatic Research

DOI: 10.1016/j.ejar.2026.07.005

Authors: Hadiratul Kudsiah, Muhammad Idris Syam, Muhammad Ahsin Rifa'i, Awalina Satya, Yusuf Wibisono

Institutions: Hasanuddin University, Mulawarman University, Lambung Mangkurat University, National Research and Innovation Agency, Universitas Mulia

Language: English

Topic: Fish Biology and Ecology Studies

Subfield: Aquatic Science

Field: Agricultural and Biological Sciences

Domain: Life Sciences

SDG: Life below water

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $1,200