LENGTH-WEIGHT RELATIONSHIP AND FULTON’S CONDITION FACTOR OF THE COMMON OCTOPUS Octopus vulgaris IN THE MOROCCAN MEDITERRANEAN COAST

In this study, the length-weight relationship (LWR) and Fulton’s condition factor (K) of males and females of Octopus vulgaris were analyzed from June 2013 to May 2014. Among the 365 specimens sampled by industrial and traditional gear in the western coast of the Moroccan Mediterranean, the LWR for all specimens were found to be as follows: body weight (BW) = 0.557 dorsal mantle length = DML2.913 (n =365; r = 0.92), while this measurement was BW = 0.381 DML3.071 (n =191; r = 0.79) and BW = 0.811 DML2.756 (n =174; r = 0.91) for males and females, respectively. Statistically, there were significant differences in growth between males and females (p = 0.05). The values of Fulton’s condition index ranged from 44.14 to 48.03 in males and from 14.86 to 44.50 in females. The lower value of the K index in males was between June and October, while for females it was between June until September, as well as between May and April. The best condition was recorded for individuals with a length between 10 and 14 cm DML, which represents the maturation stage of the specimens. The present results provided some basic information on the LWR and K values of Octopus vulgaris in the Moroccan Mediterranean coast, which would be useful for the stock management.