REPRODUCTIVE BIOLOGY OF THE FILAMENT BARB PUNTIUS FILAMENTOSUS (VALENCIENNES, 1844) POPULATION IN MEENACHIL RIVER, KERALA
*K. S. Anila Kumary and Jyothilakshmi M. S.
ABSTRACT
Aspects of reproductive biology such as maturity, sex ratio, gonadosomatic index and ova diameter studies were conducted for two seasons in the Filament Barb Puntius filamentosus from the Meenachil River, Kerala. The observed sex ratio (over all) was 1male:1.01female with higher proportion of males in the smaller size groups and higher proportion of females in larger size groups. The gonadosomatic index values fluctuated from 0.23 to 9.99 and the GSI of females was higher than that of males. GSI values (mean) were found maximum during the post monsoon season (3.20) compared to the premonsoon value (1.83). The fecundity increased with increasing length and weight. Fecundity of the fish was found in range from 177 (pre monsoon) to 6990 (post monsoon), the average being 2397. Relative fecundity (mean) for each gram of female fish was 93 eggs and each gram ovary consists of 3929 eggs prior to spawning. Egg size varied seasonally and the egg diameters ranged from 0.62 mm to 0.96 mm. Egg size correlated negatively with the number of eggs in the ovary.
Keywords: Puntius filamentosus, Meenachil River, Size at first maturity, Fecundity, GSI.
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