Estimation of genetic parameters for growth traits in cultured clam Meretrix meretrix (Bivalvia: Veneridae) using the Bayesian method based on Gibbs sampling

The aim of this study was to estimate the genetic parameters of the growth performance of clam Meretrix meretrix. As part of the breeding programme, 25 full‐sib families nested within eight half‐sib families were produced, planted out and tested to assess the heritability of the total body weight (TW), shell length (SL), shell height (SH) and shell width (SW) at different growth stages. Method of analysis was implemented using the Bayesian method based on the Multiple Trait using Gibbs Sampling under Animal Model program, which was used to estimate the (co)variance components of the traits and conduct genetic analysis. A total of 25 full‐sib families, each with 30–35 individuals within family, were used for the analysis. Significant positive genetic and phenotypic correlations between SL, SW, SH and TW with each other were observed. The growth traits showed high‐magnitude heritabilities, with values ranging from 0.64 to 0.85, which indicates that these traits should respond to selection and therefore should be included in genetic improvement programmes.     

凡纳滨对虾生长性状遗传参数的估计

采用平衡巢式设计方法和人工授精技术,每个雄体配3个雌体,构建了18个父系半同胞家系和54个母系全同胞家系.分别测定了每个母系生长到5月龄60个全同胞个体的体质量、全长、体长、头胸甲长、头胸甲宽、头胸甲高、第一腹节背高、第三腹节背高和第一腹节背宽9个生长性状,应用数量遗传学原理,采用方差和协方差分析的方法,估算了5月龄凡纳滨对虾生长性状的遗传力及各性状间的遗传相关及表型相关.结果表明,利用父系半同胞组内相关法估计的遗传力是凡纳滨对虾各生长性状遗传力的无偏估计值.其中,体质量、全长、体长、头胸甲长、头胸甲宽、头胸甲高、第一腹节背高、第三腹节背高和第一腹节背宽狭义遗传力的估计值分别为0.460、0.392、0.303、0.234、0.251、0.330、0.282、0.321和0.356,属于中高等遗传力范围,显示出较高的选择育种潜力.基于父系半同胞遗传协方差组分及表型协方差分别估计的各性状间的遗传相关及表型相关表明,各个性状间均表现出高的正相关,其中遗传相关在0.750 ～0.976,体质量—全长的遗传相关为最大(0.976),全长—第三腹节背高的遗传相关为最小(0.750),表型相关为0.507～0.947,体质量—全长为最大(0.947),第一腹节背高—头胸甲高为最小(0.507).经t检验,各性状间遗传相关及表型相关均达到极显著水平,表明以任意一个生长性状为参数进行选育,均可达到改良凡纳滨对虾生长情况的效果.     

铜仁锦江日本沼虾形态性状对体重的回归分析

随机抽取贵州铜仁锦江河段的日本沼虾(Macrobrachium nipponense)46尾(雌雄各50%),对其体长、头胸甲长、胸高、胸宽、尾长、额剑上刺数、额剑下刺数和体重等16个性状进行测量。采用逐步回归法分析体重与形态性状的关系。结果表明,日本沼虾群体的3个性状、雌性群体的1个性状、雄性群体的2性状与体重的相关系数达到了极显著水平(P0.01)或显著水平(P0.05),是影响体重的主要指标;影响雄性群体体重的主要形态性状为头胸甲长和头胸甲高,影响雌性群体体重的主要形态性状为体长,建立的最优多元回归方程也显著不同,Y=-3.368+0.114X2-0.009X4+0.172X11,Y♀=-1.921+0.086X2,Y♂=-3.178+0.120X3+0.243X5(Y为体重,X2为体长,X3为头胸甲长,X4为头胸甲宽,X5为头胸甲高,X11尾肢宽外);逐步回归法分析为日本沼虾的选种和育种提供理想的测度指标与参考模型。     

Estimates of heritability and genetic correlations for growth‐related traits in the tiger prawn Penaeus monodon

Heritabilities and genetic and phenotypic correlations were estimated for body weight (BW), body length (BL), carapace length (CL), carapace width (CW) and carapace height (CH) of the Penaeus monodon from measurements on progeny at 6 months of age resulting from a nested mating design. Estimation was made on data from 41 full‐sib and 10 half‐sib families. The estimated heritabilities for these traits were 0.13–0.24, and the significantly phenotypic and genetic correlations were 0.81–0.94 and 0.88–1.00, respectively. The present results indicate that genetic improvement through selective breeding conducted on P. monodon might be feasible and would be an efficient method to obtain a positive response to selection.     

三疣梭子蟹“中宁1号”的形态性状增长规律

以1~6月龄三疣梭子蟹"中宁1号"为材料,采用Logistic、Gompertz和von Bertalanffy3种模型分别拟合了体质量、体长、全甲宽、甲宽、体高、大螯长节长、大螯不动指长及第一步足长节长共8个形态性状的生长特征,旨在寻找各性状的最佳生长模型,并对其增长规律进行研究。结果表明:三疣梭子蟹体质量性状生长过程以Logistic生长模型(R2=0.999)的拟合效果最佳;除体质量外的其它7个性状则均以von Bertalanffy生长模型(R2为0.990~0.994)拟合效果最好;各性状模型经ANOVA检验后均具有统计学意义(P0.01)。根据各性状的最佳生长模型得出各性状的极限值分别为体质量231.44 g、体长84.45 mm、全甲宽164.44 mm、甲宽128.47 mm、体高43.69 mm、大螯长节长59.96 mm、大螯不动指长90.89 mm、第一步足长节长37.20 mm。体质量的快速生长区间及拐点分别为2.14~3.91月龄及3.02月龄;其它7个性状快速生长区间的始速点为0月龄,终速点为2.05~2.35月龄,拐点在1月龄左右。各性状间的生长速率、生长加速率、相对增长率与绝对增长率存在一定差异。总之,体质量性状生长过程符合"慢-快-慢"的特征,其它性状则表现为"快-慢"的特征。以上结果可为三疣梭子蟹"中宁1号"选择育种及养殖生产提供参考依据。     

Genetic parameters for growth‐related traits and survival with age in the Kuruma shrimp Marsupenaeus japonicus

Genetic parameters were estimated for growth‐related traits and survival of the Kuruma shrimp Marsupenaeus japonicus based on 66 families, including 30 paternal half‐sib families, which were obtained using artificial insemination of two females by each male. The variance components for growth‐related trait and survival were estimated using a single‐trait animal model and a sir‐dam model, respectively, and genetic parameters were estimated using the restricted maximum likelihood method. The coefficients of variation for growth‐related traits such as body length (BL), abdominal length (AL), and body weight (BW) were 9.36%–22.44%, 10.61%–21.92%, and 26.47%–58.33%, respectively, at different ages (45, 75, 105, 135, and 165 days). The corresponding heritability estimates for each growth trait were 0.1545–0.1951, 0.1672–0.1905, and 0.1596–0.1934, respectively, all of which were found to be at moderate levels and increased with age. The heritability of survival on day 165 was low (0.003). The genetic correlations among growth traits were positive and high (0.7316–0.9896) at the different ages, suggesting that selection to improve any single growth trait will cause positive responses in other growth traits examined in M. japonicus. The genetic correlations between growth traits and survival were also positive but low (0.005–0.087), which indicated that only selecting for growth traits may not cause a positive correlated response in the survival of the core population. According to the above results, we suggested that growth and survival traits should be taken as improving targets of breeding in M. japonicus. These results provided reference data for selective breeding and multitrait selection of M. japonicus.     

湖北地区温棚养殖与稻田养殖克氏原螯虾生长特性研究

2018年12月—2019年3月间,定期从温棚养殖和稻田养殖的克氏原螯虾中采集599尾样本,测量克氏原螯虾的体质量(y)、全长(x1)、头胸甲长(x2)、头胸甲宽(x3)、腹节总长(x4)、第一腹节长(x5)、第一腹节宽(x6)、尾节长(x7)、第六腹节长(x8)、第六腹节宽(x9)和螯长(x10),探明温棚养殖幼虾与...     

草鱼幼鱼生长性状和肌肉成分的遗传参数估计

为了研究草鱼幼鱼阶段生长性状和肌肉成分的遗传改良潜力。随机采集288尾人工繁育的4月龄草鱼幼鱼,基于12对微卫星标记,鉴定出来自16个家系（8个母本,9个父本）的273尾个体,各家系、母本和父本对应子代贡献率存在极显著差异（P<0.01）。对草鱼3个生长性状（体质量、体长和肥满度）和2个肌肉成分指标（粗蛋白含量和粗脂肪含量）比较发现,3个生长性状和粗蛋白含量在家系和母系半同胞间存在显著差异（P<0.05）,而3个生长性状和2个肌肉成分指标在父系半同胞间差异均不显著（P>0.05）。基于动物模型和限制性最大似然法,草鱼4月龄体质量、体长、肥满度、粗蛋白含量和粗脂肪含量的遗传力估值分别为0.34、0.33、0.17、0.17和0.20,其中3个生长性状遗传力估值统计检验显著（P<0.05）。遗传相关分析显示,体质量与体长之间呈极显著的高度正相关（0.82, P<0.01）,肥满度与体质量和2个肌肉成分之间存在显著的正相关（0.17-0.29, P<0.05）。研究表明,草鱼4月龄生长性状具有较高的选育潜力,并可通过体长选择实现对体质量的遗传改良;推测在草鱼生长改良过程中,可能会伴随肥满度和粗脂肪含量的变化,这应当引起重视。     

Estimation of genetic parameters for growth traits of Japanese flounder <Emphasis Type="Italic">Paralichthys olivaceus</Emphasis> using an animal model

To estimate genetic parameters of growth traits in Japanese flounder Paralichthys olivaceus, full-sib and half-sib families were produced in three consecutive years at the Beidaihe Central Experiment Station in China. Each year 8–28 families were produced. The body weight, body length and body depth at 180, 240, and 360 days of age were measured for 5,224 individuals. Four animal models were used to examine the phenotypic variation of growth traits and were compared using the likelihood ratio test. The results showed that estimates for additive genetic effect heritabilities varied greatly depending on the model, trait and age. The maternal effect had a significant impact on phenotypic variation only for body depth at 180 days of age, which explained 49% of the phenotypic variance. The ratio of full-sib effect to phenotypic variation ranged from 0.09 to 0.22. Growth traits all exhibited low heritability (0.13–0.39), indicating that there is the potential for family selection breeding for these traits in Japanese flounder. Using the full model with the fixed, full-sib family, additive and maternal genetic effects, genetic correlations among the three traits for fish of the same age were estimated to be more than 0.80. Generally, the genetic correlations gradually increased as age increased.     

池塘养殖三疣梭子蟹的生长规律

为探讨池塘养殖三疣梭子蟹的生长规律和雌雄差异，本研究对1～6月龄池塘养殖三疣梭子蟹各生长指标进行了比较分析，并采用Logistic模型分别拟合三疣梭子蟹的体重(BW)、体长(BL)、体高(BH)、全甲宽(FCW)、甲宽(CW)、大螯长节长(MLC)、大螯不动指长(FFLC)、第一步足长节长(MLFP)等8个形态性状的生长特征。结果显示，三疣梭子蟹雌性和雄性的生长存在差异，早期雄性生长较快，后期雌性生长较快，而雌雄混合分析介于二者之间。三疣梭子蟹各生长性状的Logistic模型拟合结果显示，除雌性MLC和MLFP以及雌雄混合分析的MLFP之外，其余性状R²均达到0.990以上；雌性和雄性体质量的极限生长值分别为290.27和195.91g，快速生长区间分别为2.74～5.10月龄和2.33～4.14月龄，拐点分别为3.92和3.24月龄。研究表明，三疣梭子蟹的生长过程均符合“慢-快-慢”的特征，雄性比雌性更早进入快速生长期，但是快速生长期的持续时间不及雌性。本研究对三疣梭子蟹不同生长指标的规律特征，以及各指标在混合养殖条件下雌性和雄性的优势阶段进行了研究，为实现三疣...     

大通湖中华绒螯蟹1龄幼蟹形态指标及质量参数研究

中华绒螯蟹（Eriocheir sinensis）的苗种质量对养殖成功与否及产量具有十分重要的作用;形态参数是遗传和外界环境共同作用的结果,也是判定中华绒螯蟹品质的重要指标之一。为探究中华绒螯蟹1龄幼蟹形态特征及相关质量参数的关系, 选取湖南省大通湖1龄幼蟹275只,其中雌蟹141只、雄蟹134只,逐个测定头胸甲长、头胸甲宽、体高、体重等指标,称量体肉、腿肉、螯肉、肝胰腺等可食用部分的湿重和干重以及体壳、腿壳、螯壳等不可食用部分的湿重和干重,计算各基本形态指标的平均数、标准差及变异系数、各部位含水率及占总体重比例、肥满度等指标;使用独立样本T-检验比较雌雄差异,利用Pearson对各参数进行相关分析,并通过逐步回归法建立体重与形态指标回归模型。结果表明,不同性别中华绒螯蟹的头胸甲长、头胸甲宽、体高、肥满度均无显著差异（P>0.05）,雄性体重较雌性大（P<0.05）,其中雌蟹体重为（8.543±2.555）g,雄蟹体重为（9.304±2.977）g。雌蟹和雄蟹可食用部分含水率及其占总干重的比例均无显著差异（P>0.05）。1龄中华绒螯蟹的头胸甲长(X1)、头胸甲宽(X2)、体高(X3)与体重(Y)的最优多元线性回归方程为Y= -15.763 + 3.118X1 + 4.634X2 + 3.897X3（R2=0.926）,体重与头胸甲长、头胸甲宽、体高显著相关。本研究可为中华绒螯蟹养殖产量估算、品质鉴定提供参考。     

罗氏沼虾养殖群体表型性状间的相关性及类群差异分析

为研究罗氏沼虾(Macrobrachium rosenbergii)养殖群体表型性状间的相互关系及不同类群间的性状差异,本研究对人工养殖的罗氏沼虾雌、雄及“老头虾”3个类群共490个个体的体重、体长、全长等12个表型性状进行了相关分析、形态性状对体重影响的通径分析等。结果表明, 3个类群除上、下额刺数2个可数性状外,其他9个可量形态性状与体重都呈极显著的正相关(P<0.01);影响体重的关键形态性状在3个类群中各不相同,但体长、头胸甲长、第二步足长在3个类群中均是影响体重的关键指标;分别建立了各类群体重与关键形态性状的多元回归方程。聚类分析和主成分分析结果表明,雌、雄2个类群表型上更为相似,“老头虾”与雌性个体的差异最大。腹部轮廓特征(包括腹长、腹宽、腹高)、全长、体长及第二步足长对3个类群的差异贡献较大。雌性个体腹部发达,“老头虾”则第二步足尤为发达。本研究结果可为罗氏沼虾的选择育种、基础生物学及行业标准的制定提供数据资料。     

长江流域10个不同水域克氏原螯虾野生群体形态差异分析

运用T检验和3种多元统计方法对长江流域10个不同水域克氏原螯虾(Procambarus clarkii)野生群体的形态差异进行分析。T检验结果表明,体重、头胸甲长、宽和腹节总长是引起雌雄形态差异的主要因素。聚类分析显示,江苏高邮和江苏洪泽2个克氏原螯虾群体之间的形态差异最小;重庆忠县、江西湖口、湖北荆州和湖北洪湖群体与江苏高邮、江苏洪泽、上海崇明和四川宜宾群体形态差异较大。主成分分析结果显示,10个不同水域克氏原螯虾群体4个主成分的累积贡献率为84.003%,其中第1和第2主成分是克氏原螯虾的腹节因子,贡献率最大;10个不同水域的克氏原螯虾的形态差异主要集中在腹节上。判别分析中,雌性综合判别率为64.7%,雄性综合判别率为65.6%,判别率较低。变异系数检验分析结果表明,10个不同水域克氏原螯虾群体产生了一定程度的形态差异,但这些差异并没有使它们分化到亚种水平。     

日本沼虾五群体形态性状对体质量的通径分析

为筛选出影响日本沼虾体质量的主要形态性状,以便确定人工选育的理想测定指标,以太湖、鄱阳湖、白洋淀、微山湖及淀山湖的野生日本沼虾为研究对象,随机选取各群体90尾虾测定19个形态指标,采用简单相关分析和通径分析等多元回归分析方法分析各群体对体质量作用较为突出的形态性状,并进行聚类分析。通径分析结果显示,太湖群体体长、头胸甲宽、第二步足长、头胸甲高、尾扇长对体质量的通径系数达到极显著,逐步回归建立其对体质量的回归方程、回归截距及相应的回归系数分别为–9.878、0.075、0.314、0.011、0.320、0.222;鄱阳湖群体头胸甲长、尾扇长、尾节宽、头胸甲宽、头胸甲高、尾节高、体长性状对体质量的通径系数达到极显著,回归截距和相应的回归系数分别为–1.618、0.392、–0.280、0.703、0.524、–0.359、0.688、–0.061;白洋淀群体体长、头胸甲宽、第二步足长和尾扇长对体质量的通径系数达到极显著,其回归截距和相应的回归系数分别为–4.796、0.082、0.222、0.007、0.136;微山湖群体头胸甲长、腹节高、第二步足长、腹节宽对体质量的通径系数达到极显著,其回归截距和相应的回归系数分别为–7.644、0.248、0.329、0.025、0.301;淀山湖群体体长、第二步足长、头胸甲宽、尾节宽、腹节宽对体质量的通径系数达到极显著,其回归截距和相应的回归系数为–6.257、0.019、0.018、0.164、0.264、0.162。体长与头胸甲性状在不同群体中都对体质量的作用十分明显。聚类结果显示,地理位置越接近,形态上越相似。研究表明,各个地区被保留的性状与体质量的复相关系数为0.965、0.904、0.902、0.971、0.955,为影响各自群体体质量的主要自变量。     

鳜鱼生长性状遗传参数的估计

为深入了解选育过程中鳜鱼(Siniperca chuatsi)生长性状的遗传变化规律,本研究以来自湖南、江苏、广东的翘嘴鳜为基础群体,构建了21个同胞半同胞家系,利用动物模型对不同家系进行了遗传分析:鳜鱼210日龄体重、体长的遗传力为0.40、0.45,属于高遗传力;体高的遗传力为0.29,属于中遗传力。相关分析表明,鳜鱼体重?体长间的遗传相关为0.96;体长?体高间的遗传相关为0.92,体重?体高间的遗传相关为0.94,因此进一步选育采用个体选育或者个体选育与家系选择法相结合的方法都能获得较好的结果;对某一生长性状进行选育时,其他两个相关性状也会得到间接选育。经过选育鳜鱼F2群体平均体重遗传进展为7.5 g,较第一代增加7.5%,F3群体平均体重的遗传进展为9.75 g,较第二代增加9.0%。F3群体平均体长与F1比较无显著提高。F3群体平均体高的遗传进展为0.22 cm,较第一代增加9.9%。本研究旨在为提高鳜鱼育种效率提供重要参数,加速育种进程。     

不同家系中华绒螯蟹幼蟹在室外和室内的生长

2015年6月上旬,将3个家系中华绒螯蟹大眼幼体分别饲养在面积为40m2(6.50m×6.15m)的稻田围隔中,每个围隔约2500尾。2015年7月中下旬,随机从中选取各3个家系的幼蟹,放入室内300L的养殖缸(30只/缸)中对比养殖。2015年8—10月连续测量了幼蟹的头胸甲宽、头胸甲长、体质量,用多重方差分析了环境、家系及生长阶段的性状参数。试验结果表明,养殖环境对A家系幼蟹生长性状的影响不显著(P0.05),对B家系则极显著(P0.01),对C家系,除了初始的生长性状影响不显著外(P0.05),其余均存在显著影响(P0.05),表明A家系具有一定的环境适应性。家系因素对幼蟹生长性状参数均存在显著影响(P0.05),表明遗传对于幼蟹的生长具有重要作用。相关分析表明,蟹种的头胸甲宽、头胸甲长在两种养殖环境中均呈极显著正相关(P0.01),相关系数分别为0.314、0.305;体质量呈不显著正相关(r=0.146,P0.05),表明以头胸甲宽、头胸甲长为选育指标得到的后代对两种养殖环境有一定的适应性。     

Estimates of heritabilities and genetic correlations for growth and gonad traits in the sea urchin Strongylocentrotus intermedius

The present study is the first estimate for the sea urchin, Strongylocentrotus intermedius, of genetic parameters for growth and gonad traits during the entire reproductive period. 2165–5764 sea urchins were sampled from 74 to 120 families at six different growth stages. Six hundred individuals were sampled from 20 randomly chosen families at harvest. Coefficients of variation for most growth and gonad traits were high (18.08–78.66%) suggesting a good variation foundation for breeding. Point estimate for heritabilities based on the sire components of variance were moderate to high for test height (0.24–0.39), test diameter (0.21–0.48) and body weight (0.16–0.49). Heritabilities of gonad wet weight, gonad index and gonad moisture at harvest were 0.17, 0.41 and 0.50 respectively (moderate or high). Gonad colour parameters, L^* (lightness) and a^* (redness) have a heritability of 0, while b^* (yellowness) and colour difference ΔE₁ and ΔE₂ have very similar heritabilities of 0.2, 0.18 and 0.21 respectively. Heritabilities of β‐carotene concentration and content were 0.89 and 0.44 respectively. The genetic correlations between the two measured traits ranged from ?0.984 to 0.999. Gonad wet weight, L^*, b^*, β‐carotene concentration and β‐carotene content had significant positive genetic correlations with all the growth traits. However, gonad index, gonad moisture and colour differences ΔE₁ and ΔE₂ had significant negative genetic correlations with growth traits. The present study indicates that growth, gonad yield and most gonad quality traits could be improved by selection with moderate to high potential. Indirect selection should be applied on gonad traits using growth traits as secondary traits. The present study provides important theoretical guidance for future selective breeding programmes for S. intermedius.     

Estimates of genetic parameters for growth-related traits of the red swamp crayfish,Procambarus clarkii

In this study, technologies of family construction and grow-out culture in the same pond were studied for red swamp crayfish. A total of 77, 110 and 78 families were constructed in 2011, 2012 and 2013, respectively. Heritability, genetic and phenotypic correlations were estimated for body weight, body length and carapace length through performance testing in progeny of 2012 at 5 and 10 months of age, resulting from a nested mating design. At 5 months of age, none of the estimated heritabilities were significant (0) based on sire components (h _s ² ) for these traits, the genotypic correlations, either; only the phenotypic correlations were significant (0.8561–0.9420). At 10 months of age, the estimated heritabilities (h _s ² ) were low for the three traits (0.1429–0.1632); the phenotypic and genetic correlations were significant, 0.8148–0.9052 and 0.9981–0.9993, respectively. It was concluded that genetic improvement through selective breeding conducted on red swamp crayfish might be feasible and would be an efficient method to obtain a positive response to selection for the 10-month-old red swamp crayfish.     

光合选育系中华绒螯蟹形态性状对体质量的影响分析

随机选取光合选育系成体中华绒螯蟹500只,雌[(95.27±14.60)g]、雄[(145.03±23.46)g]各250只,逐一测量头胸甲长(x1)、背甲后半长(x2)、体高(x3)、额宽(x4)、第1侧齿宽(x5)、第3步足长节长(x6)、第3步足前节长(x7)和第4步足指节长(x8)共8个形态学指标及其体质量(y...     

Quantitative genetic properties of four measures of deformity in yellowtail kingfish Seriola lalandi Valenciennes, 1833

The main aim of this study was to estimate the heritability for four measures of deformity and their genetic associations with growth (body weight and length), carcass (fillet weight and yield) and flesh‐quality (fillet fat content) traits in yellowtail kingfish Seriola lalandi. The observed major deformities included lower jaw, nasal erosion, deformed operculum and skinny fish on 480 individuals from 22 families at Clean Seas Tuna Ltd. They were typically recorded as binary traits (presence or absence) and were analysed separately by both threshold generalized models and standard animal mixed models. Consistency of the models was evaluated by calculating simple Pearson correlation of breeding values of full‐sib families for jaw deformity. Genetic and phenotypic correlations among traits were estimated using a multitrait linear mixed model in ASReml. Both threshold and linear mixed model analysis showed that there is additive genetic variation in the four measures of deformity, with the estimates of heritability obtained from the former (threshold) models on liability scale ranging from 0.14 to 0.66 (SE 0.32–0.56) and from the latter (linear animal and sire) models on original (observed) scale, 0.01–0.23 (SE 0.03–0.16). When the estimates on the underlying liability were transformed to the observed scale (0, 1), they were generally consistent between threshold and linear mixed models. Phenotypic correlations among deformity traits were weak (close to zero). The genetic correlations among deformity traits were not significantly different from zero. Body weight and fillet carcass showed significant positive genetic correlations with jaw deformity (0.75 and 0.95, respectively). Genetic correlation between body weight and operculum was negative (?0.51, P < 0.05). The genetic correlations' estimates of body and carcass traits with other deformity were not significant due to their relatively high standard errors. Our results showed that there are prospects for genetic selection to improve deformity in yellowtail kingfish and that measures of deformity should be included in the recording scheme, breeding objectives and selection index in practical selective breeding programmes due to the antagonistic genetic correlations of deformed jaws with body and carcass performance.