First record of Titan cardinal , Holapogon maximus () along the South east coast of Tamilnadu, India

*Ravichandran Saravanan, Packiaraj Vijayanand, Arumugam Murugan, Santhanam Rajagopal & Thangavel Balasubramanian

CAS in Marine Biology, Faculty of Marine Sciences, Annamalai University, Parangipettai – 608 502, Tamilnadu, India

*[E-mail: [email protected]]

Received ; revised

Titan cardinal fish, Holapogon maximus is described based on the basis of 3 specimens 154 to 190 mm SL, collected from Mudasalodai landing center, east coast of India (Lat. 110 29’N;Long. 790 46’E). This was caught from the shrimp trawl net which is operated at a depth of 25-35mt and it is distinct by having following combination of characters: 9 dorsal fin spine whereas the 8th spine is hidden into the body, 2 anal fin spine and 7 rays and 13 pectoral fin rays. [ Key words: dorsal fin, coral reefs, specimens, shrimp ]

Introduction Apogonidae (cardinalfishes) is a speciose family composed of at least 330 species (Fraser and Allen, 2010).The Indo- Pacific genus Holapogon belonging to the family Apogonidae commonly known as titan cardinal which are purely marine and this genus Holapogon is represented by a single species H. maximus which are mostly found in demersal region. Cardinalfishes form a major component of fish assemblages on coral reefs in terms of species diversity and numerical abundance (Allen, 1993) the cardinalfishes in the coromandal coast are generally inhabit on soft–bottom areas.

The titan cardinalfish was initially placed under the genus Apogon. Based on three specimens collected from the Persian Gulf by Boulenger (1888) the titan cardinalfish was named as Apogon maximus. For a long time the validity of A. maximus was questionable and was synonymized by Day (1888) and Fowler & Bean (1930). The validity of A. maximus was confirmed by redescribing its taxonomical characters, evolutionary significance and placed this fish under the monotypic genus Holapogon (Fraser, 1973).

Generally cardinal fishes are smaller in size but few species intermedius, Coranthus polyacanthus, Cheilodipterus macrodon and Holapogon maximus grow in larger sizes > 20cm (Fraser,1973). Recently, we had an opportunity to examine 3 specimens of H. maximus which were collected from shrimp trawl nets between 25 to 35 mt. The H. maximus was collected when the fishermen where targeting the shrimp, Metapenaeus monoceros in the inshore water areas operating the trawl net. Earlier H. maximus has been reported from West coast of the Indian Ocean (Said Koya et al., 2011) the present observation on the south east coast of India suggests its distribution pattern.

Materials and Methods

H. maximus (Fig. 1) were collected from Mudasalodai landing centre on 10, October 2011. The specimens were brought to the laboratory and the methods for counts and measurements were followed by (Gon and Randall, 2003). Measurements were made with a mechanical dial caliper to the nearest 0.1 mm. Standard length (SL) was measured from the mid- tip of the upper lip to the distal end of the urostyle; total length (TL) was measured from the mid- tip of the upper lip to the tip of the longest caudal fin ray. Counts were made from a radiograph. The specimens were deposited in the Museum of Centre of Advanced Study in Marine Biology, Faculty of Marine Sciences, Annamalai University, Parangipettai. Reg.No: MBRM-FOP-14A.

Results and Discussion Dorsal-fin rays VIII + I, 9 (8th spine reduced and hidden - Fig. 2); anal fin rays II, 7; pectoral fin rays 13;lateral – line (ctenoid) scales 25+3; Total gillrakers 23 (7 + 16) gill filament 17 (4 + 13), branchiostegal rays 7, LL 25 (+ 3 on caudal). Preopercular and post-temporal spine present. Pelvic bases connected by a scale (interpelvic space covered). Large mouth with villiform teeth. A small ridge running from supra maxilla to supra maxilla large. Pectoral fin nearly reaches to anal fin origin in vertical. Large cheek scales. Principal caudal fin rays 18.

Colour: The specimens are shading to pinkish grey and their bodies are doted with dark black spots. In the First dorsal fin first and second spine basal region are in black and remaining fins are yellowish in colour. Lateral line scales are large with a dark spots.

Now a day due to reduced fish catch fishing has been extended from shallow to the deeper waters of the sea which bring in more number of species of fishes and other forms to the landing centers which have been not reported earlier. The H. maximus is a demersal habitat and occur in 83.0 to 100.0 meter depth range (Fish base - 2010). The taxonomical observations of the present specimens which are collected in the Mudasalodai landing centre is quite agree with Fraser (1973) and Said Koya et al (2010) (Table 1). So far 11 species of apogonids were recorded from the Cuddalore coast (Saravanan, 2010), 12 species from Gulf of Mannar (Murugan and Namboodri, 2010) and the first record of this species gives an additional data on Apogon biodiversity in the southeast coast of India. More biodiversity studies are needed to assess the apogon diversity in south west coast and south east coast of India to known the actual diversity of the cardinal fishes.

Acknowledgement

Authors would like to thank the UGC – CPEPA for the financial support.

References

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Allen, G.R., Cardinalfishes (Apogonidae) of Madang Province, Papua New Guinea, with descriptions of three new species. Revue Francaise d’Aquariologie, 20: (1993) 9–20.

Boulenger, G.A., An account of the fishes obtained by Surgeon-Major A.S.G. Jayakar at Muscat, East coast of Arabia. Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London. 1887 pt. 4 (1888) 653–667.

Day, F., The fishes of India; being a natural history of fishes known to inhibit the seas and fresh waters of India, Burma and Ceylon, Fishes India, (1888) 779–816.

Fowler, H.W., B.A. Bean., The fishes of the family Amiidae, chandidate, Duleidae and Serranidae, obtained by the united states Bureau of Fishes steamer ‘Albatross’, in 1970 to 1910, chiefly in the philippine islands and adjacent seas. Bulletin of the united states, National Museum, 100 (10): (1930) 1-334.

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Said Koya, K.P., K.V. Akhilesh., K.K. Bineesh., A new record of Titan cardinalfish, Holapogon maximus Apogonidae) along the south-west coast of India Marine Biodiversity Records, Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom, 4(36): (2011) 1–2.

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Table. 1 Morphometric and meristic characters of Holapogon maximus (Boulenger, 1888) Measurements (mm) Present Present Present Said Said Fraser, study study study Koya Koya 1973 et al et al 2011 2011 Total length (mm) 201 251 249 230.25 237.35 Body depth 35.7 40 39.14 39.5 37.2 37–39 Body width 16.36 18.15 17.9 17.4 16.6 Head length 45.2 51.8 50. 43.3 42 42–44 Snout length 11.9 13.0 12.3 9.9 10.5 9–11 Orbit diameter 11.85 13.3 13.2 12.1 12 11–13 Interorbital length 9 10.7 10.1 8.8 8.7 8–9 Upper-jaw length 24.1 31.2 31 20.2 19.2 17–19 Caudal-peduncle depth 15 17.1 16.8 16.7 16 15–16 Caudal-peduncle length 18.3 20.6 19.5 19.5 18.6 19–20 Predorsal length 38.7 45.7 44.9 42.6 40.4 Preanal length 73 74.32 73.85 71.2 68.7 Prepelvic length 40 42.5 41.72 42.1 41 Pectoral fin base length 6.1 6.9 6.7 6 5.8 Pelvic fin base 4.5 4.6 4.6 4.6 4.4 First dorsal spine length 6.5 9.02 7.01 5.1 4.8 4–5 Second dorsal spine length 18 21.25 24.1 12.1 10–15 Third dorsal spine length 22 25.05 36.2 19.3 18.3 17–20 Fourth dorsal spine length 27 29.38 33.8 18.5 16.6 16–18 Ninth dorsal spine length 23 28.25 28.01 16.5 14.6 First dorsal ray length 36 45.3 43.4 26.4 Second dorsal ray length 38.0 48.2 44.3 26.8 Third dorsal ray length 36 44.6 45.5 24.5 Last dorsal ray length 15.3 19 19.8 14.3 Anal-fin length 35.1 45.5 42.8 24 24.3 Anal-fin base length 22.3 29.2 27.0 24.9 15.6 First anal spine length 4.8 6.1 5.3 2.3 2.9 3 Second anal spine length 20.8 23.5 21.5 13.4 11.8 12–14 First anal ray length 28.6 39.2 31.7 18 20.4 Second anal ray length 29.9 37.2 37.5 Third anal ray length 27.2 35.2 33.2 18.8 19.1 Fourth anal ray length 22.2 31.4 31.8 15.4 16.6 Last anal ray length 14.5 22 19.5 12.4 11.5 Caudal fin length 30.2 39.6 36.2 32.1 33.5 Pectoral-fin length 38.8 51.3 48.7 30.5 27.9 26–28 Pelvic spine length 20.8 25.4 27.2 12.9 13.8 Pelvic-fin length 32.1 37.1 33.2 25.5 24.4 24–28 First pelvic ray length 30.5 39.6 38.8 22.6 22.1 Fifth pelvic ray length 22.1 36.0 31.5 16 Meristic Characters Dorsal fin spine 8+1 8+1 8+1 Dorsal fin ray 9+1 9+1 9+1 Pelvic fin ray 5 5 5 Pectoral fin ray 11 11 11 Anal fin spine 1+1 1+1 1+1 Anal fin ray 8 8 8 Lateral line scale 25+3 25+3 25+3 Gill rackers ( Gill arch) 4, 4, 4, 23(7+16) 23(7+16) 23(7+16) Gill filament 4, 4, 4, 17(4+13) 17(4+13) 17(4+13) Sex Female Female Female Weight 115.5 212.2 192.02 Branchiostegal rays 7 7 7

Figure 1. Holapogon maximus (154mm SL, from Mudasalodai landing centre)

Figure 2. X-ray Photograph exposing the 8th spine