Biometric Characteristics and Condition Factor of Tropical Freshwater Atya scabra Leach, 1815 in the Bia River, South-East Region, Côte D’Ivoire

Abstract

The present study focused on 720 specimens of Atya scabra handcrafted captured in the Bia river, precisely in the localities of Aboisso and Biaka. This study was conducted to assess the adaptation and allometric of the species A. scabra in the Bia river. During the trial, data on the environmental parameters of the water were obtained using a multiparameter. As for the relative growth of the species A. scabra was determined from the individual measurements of the specimens. Then, Student's t-test allowed a comparison of allometric coefficients for the same sex in Aboisso and Biaka. Thus, the average air temperature was 26.92±1.33oC. In terms of rainfall, it fluctuated from 17.78 to 722.9 mm or an annual average of 155.96±191.21 mm. At Aboisso, the annual average temperature of water was 28.50 ± 1oC, 7.54 ± 0.1oC for the pH and 5.03 ± 0.8 for OD. For the locality of Biaka, the mean values recorded were 28.45 ± 1.9 oC, 7.39 ± 0.2, and 4.93 ± 0.9, respectively, for temperature, pH, and OD. The condition factor (k) estimated in Aboisso, ranged from 3.04 ± 0.05 to 3.29 ± 0.26 for males and from 2.85 ± 0.35 to 3.07 ± 0.12 for females of Atya scabra. As for the locality of Biaka, the estimated k values fluctuated between 3.1 ± 0.14 and 3.4 ± 0.31 for males and from 2.75 ± 0.07 to 3.10 ± 0.25 for females. The biometric study revealed a negative allometry in females and a positive allometry in males in both localities for the W/Lt and Lc/Lt relationships. Atya scabra freshwater shrimp has therefore shown a good adaptation in the Bia river. In addition, the results obtained could guide the choice of sex having economic interest in the event of possible aquaculture of this species.