Length-weight relationships and condition factors are among the commonly used parameters to link the length of a fish to its weight. The present study was initiated to find out the growth patterns and overweight status of 15 fish species in the Loémé basin in Mayombe, Republic of Congo. In the period from February 2020 to September 2021, sampling was carried out in eight stations, following a standardised capture method using four gillnets of 10, 12, 15, and 25 mm mesh size and a hawk net of 1.90 m radius with 10 mm mesh size. Length-weight relationships were calculated according to P = aLS b and the condition factor, using K = (P/LS b )* 100. A total of 1153 specimens representing 15 species, 10 genera and 6 families were recorded. The number of specimens ranged from 10 to 214 for Chrysichthys auratus and Enteromius camptacanthus , respectively. The allometry coefficient b minimum of 2.697 for Chromidotilapiamelaniae and maximum of 3.589 for Garraornata , with a mean of 3.03 ± 0.2 is significantly not different from 3 at the 0.05 probability threshold and indicates isometric growth for almost all species, except for E. camptacanthus where b = 2.858 was statistically different from 3 at the same threshold. The positive and high values of the coefficients of determination r 2 = 0.787-0.989 of the species, obtained during this study, suggest that weight increases with size in the fish of the Loémé basin. The average condition factor varies from 0.524 ± 0.064 for G. ornata to 4.917 ± 0.440 for C. melaniae .
Lévêque, C. (1998) Biodiversity and Management of Inland Aquatic Ecosystems. Revue des Sciences de l’Eau, 11, 211-221.
Paugy, D. and Lévêque, C. (2006) Un model biologique pour les recherches sur la biodiversité. In: Lévêque, C. and Paugy, D., Eds, Les poissons des eaux continentales africaines: Diversité, écologie et utilisation par l’homme, Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, Paris, 7-10.
Mamonekene, V. and Teugels, G.G. (1993) Faune des poissons d’eaux douces de la réserve de la biosphère de Dimonika (Mayombe, Congo). Royal Museum for Central Africa, Tervuren.
Stiassny, M.L.J., Teugels, G.G. and Hopkins, C.D., (2007) Poissons d’eaux douces et saumatres de basse Guinée, ouest de l’Afrique centrale. Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, Paris, Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle, Paris, Musée Royal de l’Afrique Centrale, Tervuren.
Sullivan, J.P., Lavoué, S., Arnegard, M.E. and Hopkins, C.D. (2004) AFLPs Resolve Phylogeny and Reveal, Mitochondrial Introgression within a Species Flock of African Electric Fish (Mormyroidea: Teleostei). Evolution, 58, 825-841. https://www.jstor.org/stable/3449279 https://doi.org/10.1111/j.0014-3820.2004.tb00415.x
Ibala Zamba, A. (2010) Faune des poissons des rivières Luki et Léfini (Bassin du Congo): Diversité et écologie. Master’s Thesis, Faculté des Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven.
Mamonekene, V. and Stiassny, M.L.J. (2012) Fishes of the Du Chaillu Massif, Niari Depression, and Mayombe Massif (Republic of Congo, West-Central Africa): A List of Species Collected in Tributaries of the upper Ogowe and Middle and Upper Kouilou-Niari River Basins. Check List, 8, 1172-1183. https://doi.org/10.15560/8.6.1172
Walsh, G., Jonker, M.N. and Mamonekene, V. (2014) A Collection of Fishes from Tributaries of the Lower Kouilou, Noumbi and Smaller Coastal Basin Systems, Republic of the Congo, Lower Guinea, West-Central Africa. Check List, 10, 900-912. https://doi.org/10.15560/10.4.900
Mady-Goma Dira, I., Mikia, M., Tsoumou, A. and Vouidibio, J. (2016) Ichtyofaunal Diversity of Komo River, Tributary of Alima River, Congo Brazzaville. International Research Journal of Environment Sciences, 5, 1-9.
Morton, L.W. and Olson, K.R. (2018) The Pulses of the Mekong River Basin: Rivers and the Livelihoods of Farmers and Fishers. Journal of Environmental Protection, 9, 431-459. https://doi.org/10.4236/jep.2018.94027
Batiabo Mikembi, A.L., Ibala Zamba, A., Mamonekene, V., Poaty Ngot, H.F., Dembe Louvinguila Tenda, H. and Vouidibio, J. (2019) Diversity and Distribution of Fish Species along the Loua River, Lower Congo River Basin (Republic of the Congo, Central Africa). International Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Studies, 7, 171-176.
Dembe Louvinguila Tenda, H., Ibala Zamba, A., Goma-Tchimbakala, J., Batiabo Mikembi, L., Poaty Ngot, H.F. and Mamonekene, V. (2020) Effets saisonniers sur les relations poids-longueurs et coefficients de condition pour 16 espèces de poissons de la Lagune Mvassa, basse Guinée, République du Congo. Journal of Animal & Plant Science, 44, 7540-7552. https://doi.org/10.35759/JAnmPlSci.v44-1.1
Matunguru, J.M., Okito, G.M., Uvon, J.J., Hamulonge, G.T., Rugadya, R., Nakiyende, H., Kubiriza, G.K., Akoll, P., Mulongaibalu, M., Lina, A., Nshombo, V.M., Micha, J.C. and Ntakimazi, G. (2023) Length-Weight Relationship and Condition Factor of Bagrusbayad (Fabricius, 1775, Bagridae) from Lake Albert, DR Congo. Open Access Library Journal, 10, 1-19. https://doi.org/10.4236/oalib.1109614
Daget, J. and Stauch, A. (1968) Poissons d’eaux douces et saumâtres de la région côtière du Congo. Cahier ORSTOM, série Hydrobiologie, II, 21-50.
Ibala Zamba, A., Boungou, M., Dembe Louvinguila, T.H., Mamonekene, V., Kombo, R., Kamba, E., Boukou, G., BatiaboMikembi, L., Poaty Ngot, H.F. and Akouango, P. (2020) Anthropogenic Impacts on Fish Populations in Lake Cayo (Republic of Congo, Central Africa). Open Journal of Ecology, 10, 757-767. https://doi.org/10.4236/oje.2020.1012046
Walsh, G., Alexandre, M.P., Boukaka Mikembi, V.N., Jonker, M.N., Mamonekene, V., Henri, A.J. and Gaugris, J.Y. (2022) Fishes of the Loémé River System, Republic of the Congo, Lower Guinea, West-Central Africa. African Journal of Ecology, 60, 848-856. https://doi.org/10.1111/aje.13016
Bolognini, L., Domenichetti, F., Grati, F., Polidori, P., Scarcella, G. and Fabi, G. (2013) Weight Length Relationships for 20 Fish Species in the Adriatic Sea. Turkish Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, 13, 555-560. https://doi.org/10.4194/1303-2712-v13_3_21
Bagenal, T.B. and Tesch, A.T. (1978) Conditions and Growth Patterns in Fresh Water Habitats. Blackwell Scientific, Oxford, 75-89.
Hossain, M.Y., Mosaddequr, R.M.D., Fulanda, B., Jewel, M.A.S., Ahamed, F. and Ohtomi, J. (2012) Length-Weight and Length-Length Relationships of Five Threatened Fish 196 Species from the Jamuna (Brahmaputra River Tributary) River, Northern Bangladesh. Journal of Applied Ichthyology, 28, 275-277. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1439-0426.2011.01900.x
Froese, R. (2006) Cube Law, Condition Factor and Weight-Length Relationships: History, Meta-Analysis and Recommendations. Journal of Applied Ichthyology, 22, 241-253. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1439-0426.2006.00805.x
Froese, R., Thorson, J.T. and Reyes, R.B. (2014) A Bayesian Approach for Estimating Length-Weight Relationships in Fishes. Journal of Applied Ichthyology, 30, 78-85. https://doi.org/10.1111/jai.12299
Paugy, D. and Leveque, C. (2017) Impacts of Human Activities. In: Paugy, D., Leveque, C. and Otero, O., Eds, The Inland Waterfishes of Africa: Diversity, Ecology and Human Use, Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, Royal Museum for Central Africa, Paris, 459-478. https://doi.org/10.4000/books.irdeditions.25262
Le Cren, E.D. (1951) The Length-Weight Relationships and Seasonal Cycle in Gonad Weight and Condition in Perch (Percafluviatilis). Journal of Animal Ecology, 20, 201-219. https://doi.org/10.2307/1540
Lizama, M.A.P. and Ambrósia, A.M. (2002) Condition Factor in Nine Species of Fishof the Characidae Family in the Upper Paraná River Floodplain. Brazilian Journal of Biology, 62, 113-124. https://doi.org/10.1590/S1519-69842002000100014
Baby, F., Tharian, J., Abraham, K.M., Ramprasanth, M.R., Ali, A. and Ranghavan, R. (2011) Length-Weight Relationship and Condition Factor of an Endemic Stone Sucker, Garra gotyla stenorhynchus (Jerdon, 1849) from Two Opposite flowing Rivers in Southern Western Ghats. Journal of Threatened Taxa, 3, 1851-1855. https://doi.org/10.11609/JoTT.o2535.1851-55
Ibala Zamba, A., Vreven, E., Mamonekene, V., Musschoot, T., Poaty Ngot, H.F. and Snoeks, J. (2020) Length-Weight Relationships of 37 Freshwater Fish Species from the Lefini River, Middle Congo River Basin (Republic of the Congo). Journal of Applied Ichthyology, 36, 352-357. https://doi.org/10.1111/jai.14021
King, R.P. (1996) Length-Weight Relationships of Nigerian Freshwater Fishes. Naga, The ICLARM Quarterly, 19, 49-53. https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12348/2751
Mir, J.I., Sarkar, U.K., Dwivedi, A.K., Gusain, O.P., Pal, A. and Jena, J.K. (2012) Pattern of Intra Basin Variation in Condition Factor, Relative Condition Factor and form Factor of an Indian Major Carp, Labeo rohita (Hamilton-Buchanan 1822) in the Ganges Basin, India. European Journal of Biological Sciences, 4, 126-135.
Kamagate, K., Ahoutou, K., Da Costa, K.S. and Kouakou, Y. (2020) Relation Longueur-Poids et Facteur de Condition de Parailia pellucida (Boulenger, 1901), (Piscès, Schilbeidae) au lac de barrage de Taabo (Bandama, Côte d’Ivoire). International Journal of Innovation and Applied Studies, 31, 328-335.
Diamouangana, J. (1995) La Réserve de la Biosphère de Dimonika (Congo). Document de travail n°4, UNESCO, Paris.
Fricke, R., Eschmeyer, W.N. and Fong, J.D. (2022) Eschmeyer’s Catalog of Fishes: Genera/Species by Family/Subfamily. http://researcharchive.calacademy.org/research/ichthyology/catalog/SpeciesByFamily.asp
Shingleton, A.W. (2010) Allometry: The Study of Biological Scaling. Nature Education Knowledge, 3, 2.
Sokal, R.R. and Rohlf, F.J. (1987) Introduction to Biostatistics. Freeman, New York.
Lalèyè, P.A. (2006) Length-Weight and Length-Length Relationships of Fishes from the Ouémé River in Bénin (West Africa). Journal of Applied Ichthyology, 22, 330-333. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1439-0426.2006.00752.x
Konan, K.F., Ouattara, A., Ouattara, M. and Gourène, G. (2007) Weight Length Relationship of 57 Fish Species of the Coastal Rivers in South Eastern of Ivory-Coast. Ribarstvo, 65, 49-60.
Tah, L., Bi Goore, G. and Da Costa, K.S. (2012) Length-Weight Relationships for 36 Freshwater Fish Species from Two Tropical Reservoirs: Ayamé I and Buyo, Côte d’Ivoire. Revista De Biología Tropical, 60, 1847-1856. https://doi.org/10.15517/rbt.v60i4.2185
Lederoun, D., Lalèyè, P., Vreven, E. and Vandewalle, P. (2016) Length-Weight and Length-Length Relationships and Condition Factors for 30 Actinopterygian Fish from the Mono Basin (Benin and Togo, West Africa). Cybium, 40, 267-274.
Lederoun, D., Lalèyè, K.R., Boni, A.R., Amoussou, G., Vodougnon, H., Adjibogoun, H. and Lalèyè, P.A. (2018) Length-Weight and Length-Length Relationships of Some Most Abundant Species in the Fish Cathes of Lake Nokoué and Porto-Novo Lagoon (Benin, West Africa). Lakes & Reservoirs, 23, 351-357. https://doi.org/10.1111/lre.12243
Petrakis, O. and Stergiou, K.I. (1995) Weight-Length Relationships for 33 Fish Species in Greek Waters. Fisheries Research, 21, 465-469. https://doi.org/10.1016/0165-7836(94)00294-7
Calander, K.D. (1969) Handbook of Freshwater Fishery Biology. The Iowa State University Press, Ames.
Batiabo Mikembi, A.L., Ibala Zamba, A., Mamonekene, V., Dembe Louvinguila Tenda, H., Poaty Ngot, F.H. and Vouidibio, J. (2019) Relations Longueurs-poids et coefficients de condition pour 13 espèces de poissons de la rivière Dzoumouna, affluent du cours inferieur du fleuve Congo (République du Congo). Journal of Animal and Plant Sciences, 39, 6384-6393. http://www.m.elewa.org/JAPS
Yakubu, Y.I., Oluranti, B.N., Ewutanure, J. and Rilwan, U. (2016) Food Habit and Growth Pattern of Oreochromis niloticus in Wase Dam, Nigeria. Nature and Science, 14, 46-49.
Freon, P. (1976) Relations tailles-poids, facteurs de condition et indices de maturité sexuelle: Rappels bibliographiques, interprétations, remarques et applications. Centre de Recherches Océanographiques de Dakar Thiaroye, 8, 114-171.