SEASONAL AND SEXUAL VARIATION OF THE LENGTH-WEIGHT RELATIONSHIP IN SCORPAENA BRASILIENSIS CUVIER, 1829 (SCORPAENIFORMES: SCORPAENIDAE)

Abstract

A total of 326 specimens of Scorpaena brasiliensis were analyzed, collected between 2019 and 2025 on the Southeast-South coast of Brazil by trawl-net. Individuals were measured (LT and PT), sexed, and analyzed using weight-length regression (potential function), ANCOVA, ANOVA, Kruskal-Wallis, t-test, and Mann-Whitney. The species showed no seasonal variation in the weight-length relationship or in the isolated means of weight and length, regardless of sex, although a difference in the weight-length relationship was recorded between the sexes. It showed positive allometric growth, with the greatest lengths and weights recorded in the autumn