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Journal Home page : www.jeb.co.in « E-mail : [email protected] Original Research Journal of Environmental Biology TM p-ISSN: 0254-8704 e-ISSN: 2394-0379 JEB CODEN: JEBIDP DOI : http://doi.org/10.22438/jeb/41/5(SI)/MS_27 White Smoke Plagiarism Detector Just write. Reproductive biology of gray-eel catfish, Plotosus canius, in the coastal waters of Port Dickson, Peninsular Malaysia B.I. Usman1,2, S.M.N. Amin1,3*, A. Arshad1 and M.K. Abu Hena4 1Department of Aquaculture, Faculty of Agriculture Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400, UPM Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia 2Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture, Faculty of Agriculture, Bayero University, Kano-Nigeria 3FAO World Fisheries University, Pukyong National University, Nam-gu, Busan 48547, South Korea 4Faculty of Fisheries and Food Science, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, 21030 Kuala Nerus, Terengganu, Malaysia *Corresponding Author Email : [email protected] Paper received: 23.12.2019 Revised received: 21.01.2020 Accepted: 14.08.2020 Abstract Aim: The present work aimed at examining the reproductive biology of gray-eel catfish, Plotosus canius, from the coastal waters of Port Dickson, Peninsular Malaysia. Methodology: Samples were collected on a monthly basis from fishermen during the full moon between January and December, 2012. Results: The overall annual sex ratio was 1: 0.98 (males: females). The annual GSI variation indicated a long distinct breeding period from April to September; with major breeding activity between May and June. The length range of males at sexual maturity was 44 - 48 cm (mid length, 46cm) total length and that of the females was 40 - 44 cm (mid length, 42 cm) total length. Fecundity of P. canius ranged from 643 to 1140 (mean 943 ± 38.40) eggs, and had a positive and significant relationship with body length, body weight and ovary weight. Females attained sexual maturity earlier than the males. Interpretation: Knowledge on the Online Copy reproductive biology of P. canius is useful for their conservation, successful culture and breeding programs. Key words: Peninsular Malaysia, Plotosus canius, Port Dickson, Reproductive biology, Spawning season How to cite : Usman, B.I., S.M.N. Amin, A. Arshad and M.K. Abu Hena: Reproductive biology of gray-eel catfish, Plotosus canius, in the coastal waters of Port Dickson, Peninsular Malaysia. J. Environ. Biol., 41, 1339-1348 (2020). © Triveni Enterprises, Lucknow (India) Journal of Environmental Biology September 2020 Vol. 41 1339-1348 1340 B.I. Usman et al.: Reproductive biology of Plotosus canius Introduction Thailand N South China Sea 6º The gray-eel catfish, Plotosus canius, is a native species Peninsular throughout the Indo-Pacific region, including Australia, Malaysia Bangladesh, India, Papua New Guinea, Srilanka, Philippines and 4º Malaysia (Ferraris, 2007; Mohsin and Ambak, 1996). This Kedah 2º commercially important species is often sold fresh in markets Singapor (Ambak et al., 2010; Gomon, 1984; Mohsin and Ambak, 1996). T P. Pinang eregganu They serve as an important food source and income for many 101º 103º 105º local communities (Nurnadia et al., 2011). While P. canius often Perak live in coastal seas, they have also been reported to dwell in both brackish and fresh waters (Ambak et al., 2010; Mohsin and Ambak, 1996; Riede, 2004). Due to their popularity as a food fish, and ability to tolerate various water conditions, this fish has been cited as a potential aquaculture candidate (Khan et al., 2002). However, for the development of such an industry as well as Selangor implementation of effective fisheries resources management of any marine fish, there is a need to obtain basic information on their biology (Cross et al., 2014; Lawson, 2011; Mace, 1994; Negeri Muchlisin et al., 2010; Murawski et al., 2001). This can include Sembilan knowledge of their reproductive biology such as sex ratio, Malacca gonadal development and maturity, spawning season, size at Johor sexual maturity and fecundity. However, there is limited information on P. canius. Information on the reproductive biology of P. canius has not been reported from Malaysia. The majority of studies have 0 300 km only been carried out in a small number of areas where the fish is distributed (Ahmed and Haque, 2007; Khan et al., 2002; Sinha, 1981; Sinha, 1984; Sinha, 1986a; Sinha, 1986b). Although the Fig. 1 : Geographical location of the sampling station (black dot) in the status of this fish has not been evaluated by the International coastal waters of Port Dickson, Peninsular Malaysia. Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red list (IUCN, 2017), it is one of thirty-nine other fish species that are facing extinction in The samples were immediately stored in ice and transported to India (Mijkherjee et al., 2002). In Bangladesh, P. canius is listed as the laboratory at Universiti Putra Malaysia for analysis. a vulnerable fish species (IUCN Bangladesh, 2000). Consequently, their natural population has been declining, with Laboratory preparation: The fish were identified following the very low catches from the fishing communities in the coastal standard keys of Ambak et al. (2010), De Bruin et al. (1995); waters of Malaysia. This may indicate that P. canius may become Mohsin and Ambak (1996). The total and standard lengths were endangered in the near future. In general, the basic biology of P. measured to the nearest 0.1 cm using a measuring board, while canius is not well documented. No doubt, there is a clear need for the body weight was measured to the nearest 1.0 g using a top more research on P. canius, which can be important in the loading digital weighing balance (Simon TH-5000). management and conservation of this fish species. In view of the above, this study aimed at examining the reproductive biology of Sex ratio: Identifying sex solely based on external observations P. canius from the coastal waters of Port Dickson, Peninsular is not reliable in this species. Therefore, the fish were carefully Malaysia. dissected to obtain the gonads. The sex ratio (males: females) Onlinewas estimated Copy for different months and various size groups of the Materials and Methods fish. Study site and sampling: The Kg Telok region of Port Dickson Gonad examination: The condition of the gonads from both coastal waters is located off the straits of Malacca at 02º24.98ºN males and females were examined every month. The fish were latitude; 101º56.53ºE longitude (Fig. 1). Twenty to thirty-two fish dissected, the gonads removed and then weighed to the nearest samples were collected on a monthly basis during full moon from 0.01g using electronic weighing balance (Setra EL-200S). The fishermen. Sampling was done for a period of 12 months, stages of gonadal maturity from both males and females were between January and December, 2012 covering an annual cycle. established within five categories based on their morphological ¨ Journal of Environmental Biology, Special issue, September 2020¨ B.I. Usman et al.: Reproductive biology of Plotosus canius 1341 appearance (macroscopic examination) using criteria by Results and Discussion Muchlisin et al. (2010) with slight modifications. The gonadosomatic index (GSI) was calculated using an equation by Size composition: A total of 341 P. canius specimens were used Adebiyi et al. (2011). for this investigation. For males, the minimum and maximum total lengths were 22.80 cm and 62.90 cm, while for females the Gonad weight (g) minimum and maximum total lengths were 24.60 cm and 60.00 Gonadosomatic index (GSI) = x100 Fish weight (g) cm, respectively (Fig. 2). The average total length for males and females were 38.34 cm and 39.06 cm, respectively, with no statistically significant difference. (t = 0.84; p = 0.41). The body The gonads were then preserved in 5% formalin for weight of males ranged from 66.0 g to 1188.0 g, with a mean of fecundity studies. The spawning season was ascertained based 317.2 g, while the body weight of females ranged from 77.0 on the distribution of various maturity stages from males and 1028.0 g, with a mean of 337.3 g. Female P. canius were 20.1 g females during different months and GSI. heavier than the males, no significant differences were detected (t Size at sexual maturity: The percentage of fish at each gonadal = 0.90; p = 0.340). The relationship between body weight and total maturity stage was based on total length classes and was used length of P. canius was linear and positive for both males and for determining the size at first maturity and the length at which females, indicating that as the length increased, the weight also increased (Fig. 3a, b). 50% (L50) of the fish matured. The percentage of mature individuals (stages III-IV) was graphically plotted against length Sex ratio: The frequency occurrence of P. canius females (n = groups (Gomiero and Braga, 2004). 169) and males (n = 172) showed a sex ratio of 1 : 0.98 (males: Fecundity and spawning pattern: Fecundity was estimated by females) with a slight predominance of males (50.44%) in relation examining the preserved ovaries from 40 gravid females (stages to females (49.56%), which did not significantly deviate from the hypothetical ratio of 1: 1 (Chi-square test: χ2 = 17.62, df = 11, p = III and IV) by the formula given below (Gupta and Gupta, 2006): 0.91). There was a fluctuation in the monthly sex ratio, with more W (N1 + N2 + N3) females during the months of January to April, August, October F = and December. Meanwhile, more males were observed during (W1 + W2 + W3) the months of May to July, September and November (Fig. 4). The proportion of males and females in relation to various sized Where; F = Fecundity; W = Total weight of ovary; W1, W2 and W3 groups is depicted in Fig.