FECUNDITY OF THE CRITICALLY THREATENED CYPRINID FISH PUNTIUS VITTATUS CAUGHT FROM THE RIVER TAMBRAPARANI, TIRUNELVELI DISTRICT
J. Michael Antony Prabhu Arachi*
ABSTRACT
It was observed from the present reprobiological studies that P.vittatus was biannual monsoon breeder and iteroparous species. It was observed that during the spawning month (November) the absolute fecundity of P.vittatus ranged 85-88 eggs in a 0.0135g ovary for a fish of 1.6mm ovary length. The maximum number of eggs per gram body weight (Relative fecundity) of P.vittatus was 152, and per gram ovary weight was 138.The males of P.vittatus matured at a smaller size of 2.5cm SL than the females 3.1– 3.5 cm SL. The highest absolute fecundity (AF) of a female fish was 88 eggs, and the mean absolute fecundity in the spawning month (November and January) was 72 eggs. The maximum average relative fecundity was 138 eggs in November. The fecundity of P.vittatus increased with the increase in body length, body weight, ovary length and ovary weight. The analyses of all these reproductive traits of P.vittatus pin-point the exact spawning season of the fish and also its reproductive capacity so as to enable one to employ this species in fish farming practice.
Keywords: Fecundity, Puntius vittatus, Absolute fecundity, Relative fecundity.
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