Research Article

Testing the relationship between otolith morphometric and growth patterns in the deep-sea fish Chlorophthalmus agassizi Bonaparte, 1840 (North Aegean Sea): A comparison of classical and ANN approaches

Volume: 43 Number: 3 July 23, 2026
EN TR

Testing the relationship between otolith morphometric and growth patterns in the deep-sea fish Chlorophthalmus agassizi Bonaparte, 1840 (North Aegean Sea): A comparison of classical and ANN approaches

Abstract

This study evaluates whether otolith morphometric descriptors can reliably reflect growth patterns in the deep-sea fish Chlorophthalmus agassizi (Bonaparte, 1840) and assesses the additional explanatory value of artificial neural network (ANN) models compared with classical approaches. A total of 95 specimens were collected monthly between September 2006 and September 2008 by trawling at depths of 100–500 m in Saros Bay (North Aegean Sea). Mean total length and weight were 11.43±0.22 cm (range:7.2–17.1 cm) and 11.07±0.66 g (range:1.88–33.42 g), respectively. Otolith weight ranged from 0.0016 to 0.0067 g, while otolith length varied between 2.73 and 4.37 mm. Relationships among total length (TL), total weight (TW), otolith length (OL), and otolith weight (OW) were examined using both classical regression analyses and ANN-based predictions. Strong relationships were observed for TL–TW (R²=0.95), TL–OL (R²=0.90), TL–OW (R²=0.88), and OL–OW (R²=0.86), whereas the TW–OW relationship showed lower explanatory power (R²=0.65). These findings indicate that otolith morphometrics provide reliable proxies for growth patterns in C. agassizi, while ANN models offer complementary insights into potential nonlinear relationships.

Keywords

Supporting Institution

TUBİTAK

Project Number

106Y035

Ethical Statement

The study was conducted between 2006-2008. The Journal has been requesting ethical documentation for studies conducted since 2020.

Thanks

The authors would like to thank the crew of the trawl vessel Şahin Reis and all the staff who assisted with the fieldwork and the laboratory analyses. This study was carried out with financial support from TUBITAK (Project no:106Y035).

References

  1. Anastasopoulou, A., & Kapiris, K. (2008). Feeding ecology of the shortnose greeneye Chlorophthalmus agassizi Bonaparte, 1840 in the eastern Ionian Sea (eastern Mediterranean). Journal of Applied Ichthyology, 24, 170–179. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1439-0426.2007.01028.x
  2. Anastasopoulou, A., & Papaconstantinou, C. (2007). Morphometric analysis of the deep fish Chlorophthalmus agassizi in the Ionian Sea (Greece). Rapport Commission Internationale pour l’Exploration Scientifique de la Mer Méditerranée, 38.
  3. Anastasopoulou, A., Yiannopoulos, C., Megalofonou, P., & Papaconstantinou, C. (2006). Distribution and population structure of Chlorophthalmus agassizi on an unexploited fishing ground in the Greek Ionian Sea. Journal of Applied Ichthyology, 22, 521 529. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1439-0426.2006.00782.x
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  5. Başusta, A., Çalta, M., Ateşşahin, T., & Özel, F.V. (2015). Length–weight relationship of greeneye fish (Chlorophthalmus agassizi). Ege Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, 32, 209 211. https://doi.org/10.12714/egejfas.2015.32.4.06
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Details

Primary Language

English

Subjects

Fish Biology

Journal Section

Research Article

Publication Date

July 23, 2026

Submission Date

April 27, 2026

Acceptance Date

June 25, 2026

Published in Issue

Year 2026 Volume: 43 Number: 3

APA
Arslan İhsanoğlu, M., İşmen, A., Yığın, C. Ç., & Öz, M. İ. (2026). Testing the relationship between otolith morphometric and growth patterns in the deep-sea fish Chlorophthalmus agassizi Bonaparte, 1840 (North Aegean Sea): A comparison of classical and ANN approaches. Ege Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, 43(3), 273-280. https://doi.org/10.12714/egejfas.43.3.11
AMA
1.Arslan İhsanoğlu M, İşmen A, Yığın CÇ, Öz Mİ. Testing the relationship between otolith morphometric and growth patterns in the deep-sea fish Chlorophthalmus agassizi Bonaparte, 1840 (North Aegean Sea): A comparison of classical and ANN approaches. EgeJFAS. 2026;43(3):273-280. doi:10.12714/egejfas.43.3.11
Chicago
Arslan İhsanoğlu, Mukadder, Ali İşmen, Cahide Çiğdem Yığın, and Melike İdil Öz. 2026. “Testing the Relationship Between Otolith Morphometric and Growth Patterns in the Deep-Sea Fish Chlorophthalmus Agassizi Bonaparte, 1840 (North Aegean Sea): A Comparison of Classical and ANN Approaches”. Ege Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 43 (3): 273-80. https://doi.org/10.12714/egejfas.43.3.11.
EndNote
Arslan İhsanoğlu M, İşmen A, Yığın CÇ, Öz Mİ (July 1, 2026) Testing the relationship between otolith morphometric and growth patterns in the deep-sea fish Chlorophthalmus agassizi Bonaparte, 1840 (North Aegean Sea): A comparison of classical and ANN approaches. Ege Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 43 3 273–280.
IEEE
[1]M. Arslan İhsanoğlu, A. İşmen, C. Ç. Yığın, and M. İ. Öz, “Testing the relationship between otolith morphometric and growth patterns in the deep-sea fish Chlorophthalmus agassizi Bonaparte, 1840 (North Aegean Sea): A comparison of classical and ANN approaches”, EgeJFAS, vol. 43, no. 3, pp. 273–280, July 2026, doi: 10.12714/egejfas.43.3.11.
ISNAD
Arslan İhsanoğlu, Mukadder - İşmen, Ali - Yığın, Cahide Çiğdem - Öz, Melike İdil. “Testing the Relationship Between Otolith Morphometric and Growth Patterns in the Deep-Sea Fish Chlorophthalmus Agassizi Bonaparte, 1840 (North Aegean Sea): A Comparison of Classical and ANN Approaches”. Ege Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 43/3 (July 1, 2026): 273-280. https://doi.org/10.12714/egejfas.43.3.11.
JAMA
1.Arslan İhsanoğlu M, İşmen A, Yığın CÇ, Öz Mİ. Testing the relationship between otolith morphometric and growth patterns in the deep-sea fish Chlorophthalmus agassizi Bonaparte, 1840 (North Aegean Sea): A comparison of classical and ANN approaches. EgeJFAS. 2026;43:273–280.
MLA
Arslan İhsanoğlu, Mukadder, et al. “Testing the Relationship Between Otolith Morphometric and Growth Patterns in the Deep-Sea Fish Chlorophthalmus Agassizi Bonaparte, 1840 (North Aegean Sea): A Comparison of Classical and ANN Approaches”. Ege Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, vol. 43, no. 3, July 2026, pp. 273-80, doi:10.12714/egejfas.43.3.11.
Vancouver
1.Mukadder Arslan İhsanoğlu, Ali İşmen, Cahide Çiğdem Yığın, Melike İdil Öz. Testing the relationship between otolith morphometric and growth patterns in the deep-sea fish Chlorophthalmus agassizi Bonaparte, 1840 (North Aegean Sea): A comparison of classical and ANN approaches. EgeJFAS. 2026 Jul. 1;43(3):273-80. doi:10.12714/egejfas.43.3.11