Biometric characteristics of the wild population of sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus (Lamarck, 1816) on the Tunisian coast

F. Sellem (1) , B. Bouhaouala-Zahar (2, 3)

1 INSTM - Institut National des Sciences et Technologies de la Mer [Salammbô]
2 LR11IPT08 - Laboratoire des Venins et Biomolécules Thérapeutiques - Laboratory of Venoms and Therapeutic Biomolecules
3 UTM - Université de Tunis El Manar

The present study was conducted to provide biometric data of the edible sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus along the Tunisian coastline where thirteen marine localities were selected randomly. A total of 653 individuals were collected and their metric and weight measurements were recorded. The size distribution of the different samples was determined and relative growth expressions were deduced. Data analysis showed that all localities' samples of the wild population were dominated by one-size class, except Port Prince and Haouaria. Interestingly, only diameter-height relationships (D-H) were different between the geographical localities. Diameter-weight relationships (D-TW and D-TWTE) revealed a significant negative growth for all the localities, with the exception of Gammarth which showed positive growth for total weight (D-TW). Moreover, the multivariable analysis revealed divergences and/or similarities between metric and weight variables. Altogether, data highlights the inter-population discrimination with respect to geographic localization and clear segregation between the northern and the eastern localities demonstrated the plasticity of the species.

Keywords: South Mediterranean; Tunisia; Sea urchin; Biometrics

Domains: Life Sciences [q-bio]

F. Sellem, B. Bouhaouala-Zahar. Biometric characteristics of the wild population of sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus (Lamarck, 1816) on the Tunisian coast. Thalassas, 2021, 37 (2), pp.659 - 669. ⟨10.1007/s41208-021-00301-8⟩. ⟨pasteur-03549277⟩