EGGS, LARVAE AND JUVENILES OF THE INDIAN SPRAT, SARDINELLA JUSSIEU (LACEPEDE)

Abstract

Sardinella jussieu = Sardinella gibbosa (Bleeker), popularly known as the
Indian sprat, is one of the commercially important sardines occurring in
Indian coastal waters. No adequate information is available hitherto on
the early development of this fish although work- was in progress on some
aspects of its fishery and biology (Devanesan, 1932; Chacko, 194(5, 1950;
Sekharan, 1955, 1959; Ganapati and Rao, %1957; Dharmamba, 1959;
Bennet, 1961; Dutt, 1961). While examining the plankton collected off
Cannanore, south-west coast of India (surface hauls from the 6-fathom station
sampled by a | metre net of fine organdie cloth), during January-May
1964, a search for the eggs and larvae of S. jussieu was made because partly
and fully spawned specimens appeared in large numbers in the local catches
of both indigenous crafts and mechanised vessels.