Description of spawning ground and egg capsules of the batoid Raja miraletus Linnaeus, 1758 in the Wadge Bank, along the south-west coast of India

Abstract

Samplings were conducted in fifteen stations in the Wadge Bank (lat. 07°07’N to 07°58’N and long. 76°55’ E to 77°54’E) along the south-west coast of India for collecting egg capsules of Raja miraletus. Among the 15 stations covered, egg capsules of R. miraletus were observed only at three stations. A total of 119 egg capsules were collected from the area (lat. 07°21’N to 07°29"N and long. 76°55’ E to 77°04’E), at the depth range of 112 -123 m indicating this area as the probable spawning ground of the species along the south-west coast of India. Only two of the egg capsules collected had embyo inside. The ratio of unhatched egg capsules to the number of empty capsules found during the survey indicates that, the terminal period of incubation may be in the month of May.