On the geographical distribution of some marine fish along the Indian coasts

Abstract

The geographicli distribution of some commercially important marine fishes along the Indian coasts is presented with reference to the results of four cruises of FORV Sagar Sampada. Pelagic species like tuna, seer fish, barracuda and sharks are distributed throughout the Indian coasts. But some other species of both demersal and semi pelagic habit namely 0: I sardine, lesser sardines, mackerel, Bombay duck, ghol (Jew fish) and Hilsa spp. have restricted distribution along these coasts. But, ofiate, mackerel has been reported from grounds on the northeast and northwest coasts of India, which are beyond the normal limits of pelagic fishery zones for mackerel, and are caught in demersal trawls. The reported occurrence of a deep sea sciaenid Atrobucca marleyi on the north west coast and unusual abundance of baJistids along with some other fishes indicated a continuity of ichthyofauna of East African coast to the Indian coast, which supports the theory of existence of a continuous and contiguous landmass between Africa and India in the prehistoric period and subsequent separation and drifting of land masses apart. Different types of distribution like continuous, discontinuous, divergent, lateral and spatial are also discussed