Rec. zool. Surv. India: Vol. 121(2)/307–309, 2021 ISSN (Online) : 2581-8686 DOI: 10.26515/rzsi/v121/i2/2021/153366 ISSN (Print) : 0375-1511 Short Communication First record of Pseudamia gelatinosa Smith, 1956 (: ) from Gulf of Mannar, Southeast coast of India

Mrinal Kumar Das*, R. Rajendar Kumar and P. Padmanaban Marine Biology Regional Centre, Zoological Survey of India, Chennai – 600028, Tamil Nadu, India; Email: [email protected]

Abstract A cardinal fish, Pseudamia gelatinosa Smith, 1956 (Perciformes: Apogonidae) is recorded for the first time from the Gulf of Mannar, south-east coast of India based on a single specimen collected from Mandapam fish landing centre, Gulf of Mannar, Tamil Nadu. This report adds a new record to ichthyofaunal list of the Gulf of Mannar and the east coast of India.

Keywords: Cardinal Fish, East Coast, First Report, Mandapam, Pseudamiinae

Introduction Material and Methods Family Apogonidae is one of the numerically dominant A specimen of gelatinous cardinalfish was collected reef fish families, cryptic during daylight and active at from Mandapam fish landing centre (09°6’37.9992’’ night, and these fishes are mostly shallow water inhabitants N; 79°09’03.9996’’ E) from fish by catches landed by of tropical and subtropical marine environments, but few Trawlers operating in the Gulf of Mannar ecosystem, are found in brackish and freshwater habitats (Nelson, Tamil Nadu, India on 23rd September, 2019. The specimen 2006). Apogonidae is the most speciose family with about was photographed and preserved in 10% formalin for 381 species worldwide (Fricke et al., 2020a). The family further study. Counts and measurements follow Hubbs Apogonidae is divided into four subfamilies; & Lagler (1949). Measurements were taken by a digital (34 genera), Pseudamiinae (1 , Pseudamia), calliper (Mitutoyo) to the nearest 0.1 millimetres. Fin Paxtoninae (1 genus, Poxton) and Amioidinae (2 genera, rays and scales were counted with the aid of a stereo Amioides and Holapogon) (Mabuchi et al., 2014). In Indian zoom microscope (Leica). The specimen was identified waters, the family is represented by 63 species belonging following the literature of Randall et al. (1985). The to 19 genera (Gopi & Mishra, 2015). From the Gulf of identified specimen was registered and deposited in Mannar Biosphere Reserve, 43 species of Apogonids have Marine Biology Regional Centre, Zoological Survey of been recorded (Joshi et al., 2016). Mogalekar et al (2018) India, Chennai with Reg. No. MBRC/ZSI/F 2100. The recorded 57 species of cardinal fishes from Tamil Nadu, morphometric characters are provided in Table 1. India. About eight species of the genus Pseudamia are valid worldwide (Fricke et al., 2020b), of which only one Results species (Pseudamia gelatinosa Smith, 1956) was reported Taxonomic Account from Minicoy Island, Lakshadweep (Jones & Kumaran, Order PERCIFORMES 1964). There is no report of this genus from other Family APOGONIDAE localities of India. The present paper reports P. gelatinosa Genus Pseudamia Bleeker, 1865 for the first time from the Gulf of Mannar, as well as from the east coast of India.

* Author for correspondence

Article Received on: 26.06.2020 Accepted on: 24.09.2020 First record of Pseudamia gelatinosa Smith, 1956 (Perciformes: Apogonidae) from Gulf of Mannar...

Pseudamia gelationsa Smith, 1956 Table 1. Morphometric measurements of Pseudamia 1956. Pseudamia gelatinosa Smith, Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist., (12)8: 690, P1. 18, gelatinosa from Gulf of Mannar, Tamil Nadu A. (type locality: Aldabra islands, Western Indian Ocean). (MBRC/ZSI/F 2100).

Material examined: MBRC/ZSI/F 2100, 1 ex., 71.33 mm Characters Measurements SL, Mandapam fish landing centre, Gulf of Mannar, Tamil Total length (mm) 88.61 Nadu, 23/ix/2019, coll. Mrinal Kumar Das. Standard length (mm) 71.33 Diagnostic characters: Body elongated the body depth In % of Standard length (SL) 4.42 times in SL; anterior nostril with a darkly pigmented Body depth at dorsal origin 22.64 membranous flap on hind edge which reaches one-half or Body width 13.78 more the distance to posterior nostril; caudal fin length Head length 35.69 3.27 times in SL. Maxillary reaching to below hind border of eye. Mouth superior; two series of teeth in jaws; a long Head depth 19.53 inwardly directed canine on each side near symphysis on Head width 13.65 upper jaw and a pair of recurved canines on either side on 1st Dorsal fin length 12.49 lower jaw, the anterior one being a little shorter than the 2nd Dorsal fin length 17.91 other. Operculum and nape scaled. First dorsal fin spines Pectoral fin length 20.18 VI and second dorsal fin with I spine and soft rays 8; Pelvic fin length 18.02 first dorsal spine shorter than second spine. Both second Anal fin length 14.80 dorsal and anal fins higher than first dorsal fin. Anal fin Caudal fin length 26.35 with II spines and 8 soft rays. Pectoral fin with 15 soft Pre Dorsal length 37.03 rays. Scales in longitudinal series 41; gill rakers 3 + 11, the Pre Pectoral length 34.65 developed rakers 1+7. Pre Pelvic length 31.37 Colour: Body translucent, the sides and ventral part of Pre Anal length 59.38 head and body with light golden to silvery iridescent Post dorsal length 54.47 sheen. Head, light brown with numerous small dark brown spots of variable size, those on operculum as large Post orbital length 18.46 as or larger than spots on body; flap on anterior nostril Length of base of anal fin 13.19 darkly pigmented; First dorsal fin slightly dusky, second Length of Caudal peduncle 31.58 dorsal, anal, and caudal fins dusky to blackish. Peritoneum Depth of Caudal peduncle 12.79 dusky with numerous black dots (Figure 1). Snout to Anal fin length 56.72 Distribution: Indo-Pacific: Red Sea and East Africa to In % of Head length (HL) French Polynesia, north to Ryukyu Islands, south to New Inter orbital width 20.50 South Wales (Australia) (Froese & Pauly, 2019). Along Pre orbital length 21.60 the Indian coast, it has been reported from Lakshadweep Eye diameter 28.65 (Jones & Kumaran, 1964). The present report forms its Nostril to snout length 13.11 first record from the Gulf of Mannar along the east coast of India. defined by Fraser (1972), contains 3 genera: Pseudamia Bleeker, 1865, Gymnapogon Regan, 1905 and Pseudamiops Discussion Smith, 1954 all of which are confined to the lndo-Pacific Cardinal fishes mostly occur in coral reefs, while some region. Randall et al. (1985) revised the lndo-Pacific species inhabit seagrass and coralline algal meadows, soft- Apogonid fish genus Pseudamia. Smith (1954) identified 6 bottom communities, estuaries and lowland freshwater specimens from Kenya and Mozambique as P. polystigma (Mabuchi et al., 2014). The subfamily Pseudaminae, as Bleeker; however after collecting an additional specimen

308 Vol 121(2) | 2021 | www.recordsofzsi.com Zoological Survey of India Mrinal Kumar Das, R. Rajendar Kumar and P. Padmanaban

Lakshadweep. The present study reports the species P. gelatinosa for the first time from the Gulf of Mannar as well as the east coast of India. The record of this species gives additional data on the cardinal fish biodiversity of India. More biodiversity studies are necessary to assess the Apogonid diversity in the east coast of India to know the actual diversity of the cardinal fishes.

Acknowledgements The authors are thankful to the Director, Zoological Survey of India and Dr Rajkumar Rajan, Scientist-E & Figure 1. Pseudamia gelatinosa Smith, 1956 (MBRC/ Officer-in-Charge, Marine Biology Regional Centre, ZSI/F 2100; 71.33 mm SL). Zoological Survey of India, Chennai, for providing the necessary facilities and permission to carry out the from Aldabra, a new species P. gelatinosa was described work. The authors would also like to express their sincere from Indian Ocean fishes (Randallet al., 1985). In Indian gratitude to Ronald Fricke, Germany, for confirmation of waters, Jones & Kumaran (1964) were the first to recognize the species. the occurrence of P. gelationosa from Minicoy Island,

References

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