Morphometrical and histological study of the digestive system in pagellus affinis (boulenger, 1888)‎

الملخص EN

-Pagellus affinis (Sparidae) Arabian Pandora is highly in commercial fish artisinal fisheries in the Gulf of Aden and northern coasts of Somalia.

Morphometrical and histological study of the digestive system of Pagellus affinis, are described based on 32 specimens (average length 164-239 mm) collected from landing site at coast of Mukalla (Gulf of Aden).

The results showed nearly equal lengths of body and alimentary canal is longer than the body cavity length represented by snout- vent length.

This can be related to the coiling aspect of the intestine.

The observed food items taken by P.

affinis allow this fish to be considered as omnivorous fish.

Histological sections were processed and studied using a light microscope.

The histological characterizations revealed that the wall of the stomach and intestine is composed of the mucosa, submucosa, muscularis and serosa.