STUDY ON THE OTOLITH MASS ASYMMETRY IN Lutjanus bengalensis (FAMILY: LUTJANIDAE) COLLECTED FROM MUSCAT CITY ON THE SEA OF OMAN

The sagittae mass asymmetry was studied in the teleost Lutjanus bengalensis and it is calcula-ted as the difference between the mass of the right and left paired otoliths divided by average otolith mass. As in the case of other symmetrical fish species, the result of the present study showed that the absolute value of sagittae mass asymmetry (X) in L. bengalensis does not de-pend on fish length and otolith growth rate. On the other hand, the absolute value of otolith mass asymmetry is increased with the fish length. The value of sagittae mass asymmetry falls between -0.2 and +0.2.