Analyses Of Morphometric And Meristic Characterisation For Cardinalfishes (Apogonidae) In The Thoothukudi Coast, Tamil Nadu.

By : Rajeshkannan R , Jaculine Pereira. J , Karl Marx , Kiruthiga Lakshmi D , Devivaraprasad Reddy , Jawahar P.

Page No: 227-234

Abstract
A study was conducted to analyze morphometric characters and meristic counts of cardinalfishes collected from Thoothukudi coast during September 2016 to March 2017. The specimens were caught approximately 15 Nm Southeast of Thoothukudi fishing harbour, Gulf of Mannar at a depth ranged from 75 to 100 m (8°38¹127²N) and (78°12¹612²E) by trawler. A total of 90 samples of three species of apogonids (i.e. each species 30 numbers) were collected, such as Gon’s cardinalfish (Archamia bleekeri), Flower cardinalfish (Ostorhinchus fleurieu), Ostorhinchus oxina. Morphometric and meristic study is the most powerful tools for measuring discreteness of the same species. Morphometric and meristic characterization was carried out for the three species by analyzing a total of 15 morphometric and 6 meristic characteristics of the fishes. The fishes were examined for the following morphometric and meristic parameters such as Total length (TL), Forked length (FL), Standard length (SL), Head length (HL), Maximum body depth (MBD), Pectoral fin length (PcFL), Pelvic fin length (PeFL), Dorsal fin length (DL), Anal fin length (AFL), Pre Pectoral length (PPL), Pre Pelvic length (PPeL), Pre Anal length (PAL), Snout length (SnL), Head depth (HD), Eye Diameter (ED), First Dorsal fin spines, second Dorsal rays, Pectoral soft rays, Pelvic fin spiny rays, Anal fin spiny rays and Lateral-line scales.

Authors :
Rajeshkannan R, Jaculine Pereira J, Karal Marx, Kiruthiga Lakshmi D
Department of Fisheries Biotechnology, Fisheries College and Research Institute, Thoothukudi – 628008.

Devivaraprasad Reddy
Scientist (Fisheries), Y.S.R. Horticulture University, Andhra Pradesh.

Jawahar P
Department of Fisheries Biology and Research Management, Fisheries College and Research Institute, Thoothukudi – 628008.