For the first time, saccular otolith shape and size were analysed in 254 samples of the bogue Boops boops collected from the marine stations of Bizerte and Kelibia situated in north-east Tunisia. The objectives were (1) to examine the inter- and intra-population variation in the otolith shape and size, including length (Lo), width (Wo) and area (Ao) measurements, and (2) to assess the relationship between otolith mass asymmetry (OMA) and total fish length (TL). In addition, the impact of pollution present in these two stations on the shape and size of the otolith in relation to the TL was discussed. Analyses of the otolith shape and biometric data showed a statistically significant asymmetry in the otolith shape (P < 0.0001) between the right and left sides within the population of Bizerte, as well as between the otoliths from the same right-right and left-left sides between the populations of Bizerte and Kelibia. Similarly, a significant Wo asymmetry (P < 0.05) was recorded within the population of Kelibia. Conversely, a significant symmetry was detected in Lo and Ao (P > 0.05) between the right and left sides within the populations of Bizerte and Kelibia. Moreover, the level of asymmetry of Ao was higher than that of Lo and Wo in both populations. Nevertheless, Student's t-test showed no statistically significant differences (P > 0.05) for Lo, Wo and Ao in relation to the means of TL between the three groups of the populations of Bizerte and Kelibia, although significant differences (P < 0.05) were found by using box plots. Furthermore, no statistically significant relationship (P > 0.05) was detected between OMA and TL within and between the populations of Bizerte and Kelibia. The possible cause of fluctuating asymmetry (FA) in the otolith shape and size both within and/or between populations of the two stations has been discussed in relation to the instability of development induced by environmental stress associated with the variation in water temperature, salinity, depth, feeding conditions and pollutants present in these stations.

This research attempts to systematically establish shape descriptor states through elliptic Fourier analysis (EFA) using pili (Canarium ovatum Engl.) kernel as a model. Kernel images of 53 pili accessions from the National Plant Genetic Resources Laboratory (NPGRL), University of the Philippines Los Baños were acquired using VideometerLab 3. Shape features, such as roundness, compactness and elongation, were extracted from the images. Shapes outlines were characterized using elliptic Fourier coefficients calculated from SHAPE version 1.3 software. Principal component analysis and cluster analysis were used to elucidate clusters representing the shape descriptor states. The first principal component accounts for the variation in length to width ratio; whereas, the second and third principal components explain the variation in the location of the widest portion and the truncation of the apex and base of the kernel, respectively. Cluster analysis separated the different accessions into six distinct clusters at 0.04 Euclidian distance. Six descriptor states, narrowly elliptic, elliptic, widely elliptic, ovate, obovate and lance-ovate, were characterized from the shape outlines and visualized through R's shape on r package. The discrimination between clusters was validated through MANOVA and LDA with 95% correct classification. The Fourier coefficients were also able to represent the variation observed from the physical properties of shape. The method may be used in establishing shape descriptors of all plant parts of all crop species.

The understanding of the stock structure of a species is essential to effectively manage fisheries. Otolith shape analysis has been successfully applied in stock identification using the elliptic Fourier analysis. This method was used to assess possible differences in the otolith shape of Helicolenus dactylopterus caught around the Azores, Madeira and mainland Portugal. A total of 294 individuals ranging from 23 to 29 cm in total length, equally distributed by sex and area, were analysed. The multivariate analysis of variance performed on the otolith normalized elliptic Fourier descriptors (NEFDs) revealed significant differences for both area and sex, but no interaction was found between the two factors. In the canonical discriminant analysis an overall classification success of 69.4% and 66.7% was achieved for females and males respectively. These results suggest the usefulness of otolith shape analysis for stock differentiation of bluemouth from Portuguese waters.