LENGTH-WEIGHT RELATIONSHIP, AND CONDITION FACTOR IN MAYDELLIATHELPHUSA MASONIANA AND HIMALAYAPOTAMON EMPHYSETUM INHABITING STREAMS OF J & K, INDIA.

Abstract

A total of 782 individuals of Maydelliathelphusa masoniana and 389 in Himalayapotamon emphysetum were analyzed for weight vs cw (carapace width) relationship. The mean CW of males was recorded to be 2.3±0.52 cm to 6.3±0.63 cm and 2.2±0.32 cm to 5.1±0.18 cm, whereas in females, it varied from 2.2±0.14 cm to 5.3±0.14 cm and 2.1±0.13 cm to 4.6±0.12 cm in M. masoniana and H. emphysetum, respectively. The mean weight of males was recorded to be 16.4±4.2 to 142±6.3 g and 15.2±3.2 to 100.4±6.5g, while in females, it varied from 14.3±4.3 to 96.2±5.4g and 14.2±6.3 to 80.6±7.2g, respectively. Males of both the species were therefore, significantly heavier than females (p < 0.05). Mean condition factor (K) varied from to 0.066±0.0026 in males and 0.0368±0.0032 to 0.0583+0.0025 in females of M. masoniana whereas that of H. emphysetum it varied from 0.0324±0.0028 to 0.0602+0.0022 in males and between 0.0324±0.0018 and 0.0536±0.0023 in females. The relative condition factor (Kn) varied from 0.78±0.10 to 1.08±0.20 in males and 0.64±0.12 to 0.98±0.16 in females of M. masoniana while 0.62±0.14 to 1.02±0.14 in males and 0.58± 12 to 0.92±0.26 in females of H. emphysetum.