The present study is the first attempt to study the morphological and genetic relationship of two species of family: Lutjanidae in Red Sea using meristic and morphometric characteristics as well as SDS-PAGE for muscle proteins.
Specimens of Lutjanus quinqelineatus and Lutjanus ehrenbergii (Bloch, 1790) were collected from Hurghada fishing
harbour, Egypt and immediately brought to the laboratory in an insulated ice box. The results showed that the meristic and morphometric measurements among the species of L. quinquelineaatus and L. ehrenbergii did show some variations,
however, these variations were not significantly different (p>0.05) enough to make a submission that the species were
morphologically different. In addition, L. quinquelineatus and L. ehernbergii had the same number of protein bands (20
bands). In the other hand, L. quinquelineatus and L. ehernbergii muscle proteins were separated into several bands, these
bands were differed in quantitative parameters. Electrophoretic pattern of L. quinquelineatus showed unique bands (MW.,
266.43, 215, 119.82, 30.51 and 27.8 kD) while L. ehernbergii had another unique bands (MW., 75.97, 50.81, 30.86, 30.07,
27.18 and 16.6 kD). Based on the results, the two species analyzed are more or less closely related to each other. Future
studies using biochemical-genetic markers and DNA barcoding hopefully will establish new ventures in the field of stock
management and conservation of snappers.