BIOLOGY AND POPULATIN DYNAMICS OF SAURIDA UNDOSQUAMIS (RICHARDSON) FROM MUMBAI WATERS, NORTHWEST COAST OF INDIA
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Authors
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S. G. Raje
Mumbai Research Centre of Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute, 2nd Floor,
C.I.F.E old campus, Fisheries University Road, Seven Bungalows, Versova,
Mumbai-400 061, India
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A. P. Dineshbabu
Mangalore Research Centre of Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute, P.B. No. 244,
Bolar, Mangalore – 575 001, India.
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Thakur Das
Mangalore Research Centre of Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute, P.B. No. 244,
Bolar, Mangalore – 575 001, India
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Sujit Sundaram
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B. B. Chavan
Abstract
Biological aspects and population dynamics of Saurida undosquamis are presented in this paper. Feeding intensity and average volume of food per fish in relation to different years and maturity stages were studied for males and females. The principal dietary constituents based on index of preponderance were fishes, crustaceans and molluscs. This fish is a carnivore, feeding on the subsurface and bottom living organisms. Spawning period is prolonged from August to May with intensive spawning during November-December. Chi-square analysis of the sex ratio data gave a value of 20.5, which was significant at 1% level with dominance of females. The size at 50% maturity for males was 223 mm and for females 244 mm. The length-weight relationship for male was Log W= -4.49963 + 2.71518 Log L and for females Log W = -4.99493+2.93094 Log L. L and K during 1997-1999 was 392 mm and 0.57 yr-1 respectively. It was estimated that S. undosquamis reach 170 mm (CW) at the end of first year, 267 mm (CW) at second year and 321 mm (CW) at the end of third year. Longevity of the species from the present study was estimated to be 6 years. The totally mortality coefficient (Z) was 1.88 and fishing mortality coefficient (F) was 1.28. The exploitation ration (E) 0.68 was marginally above the estimated Emax (0.64).
Keywords: Saurida undosquamis, biology, population dynamics, Mumbai.
