,.e;4o2/2 .. STUDIES ON THE LARVAE OF A FEW DEMERSAL FISHES OF THE SOUTH WEST COAST OF INDIA BY M. P. DILEEP. THESIS SUBMITTED TO THE COCHIN UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY DECEMBER 1989. DECLARATION I hereby declare that the thesis entitled Studies on the larvae of a few demersal fishes of the south west coast of India has not previously formed the basis of the award of -r ,3 . fig“ " I similar title or E a i Cochin 16. December, 1989. CERTIFICATE This is to certify that this thesis is an authentic record of the work carried out by Mr. M.P. Dileep under my supervision at the UNDP/FAO/Pelagic Fishery Project, and School of Marine Sciences, Cochin University of Science <3: Technology and that no part thereof has been presented for any other degree in any University. c- """"‘ :­ Prof. (Dr.) C.V. Kurian Emeritus Scientist and Former Professor and Head of the Department of Marine Sciences December,Cochin 16, 1989. University (Supervising of CochinTeacher) ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I am greatly indebted to Prof. (Dr.) C.V. Kurian, D.Sc., Retired Professor and Head of the Department of Marine Sciences, University of Cochin, for his guidance, criticisms and discussions without which this work would not have been possible. I am grateful to Dr. K.C. George, Scientist, CMFRI for the help and encouragement given during the study. My thanks are due to the authorities of UNDP/FAO/Pelagic Fishery Project Cochin, for making available the materials and laboratory facilities for the work and also to Cochin University of Science and Technology for providing me a Junior Research Fellowship. STUDIES ON THE LARVAE OF A FEW DEMERSAL FISHES OF THE SOUTH WEST COAST OF INDIA CONTENTS INTRODUCTION Page No. 1.1 Importance of ichthyoplankton studies 1.2 Quantitative approach on ichthyoplankton studies 1.3 Ichthyoplankton studies of marine fishes in Indian waters 1.4 Present status of studies on the larvae of flat fishes, Lizard fishes and Bombay duck 1.5 Importance and objectives of the present study 1.6 Fishery of flat fishes, lizard fishes and Bombay duck with a list of fishes belonging to the order Pleuronectiformes and Myctophi— formes with special referernce to South West Coast of India. 1.7 The Species studied 21 MATERIALS AND METHODS 2.1 Area of collection 23 2.2 Vessels and gear 23 2.3 Materials 24 2.4 Methods 25 LARVAL STUDIES 3.1 Descriptions of larval stages 40 3.1.1. Pseudorhombus arsius (Hamilton,1822) 40 3.1.2. Psettina profunda (Weber 1913) 50 3.1.3. Engyprosopon grandisquamis (Temminck <Sc Schlegel, 1846) 61 3.1.4. Engyprosopon cocosensis (Bleeker 1855) 71 3.1.5. Bothus ovalis (Regan, 1908) 83 3.1.6. Grammtobothus polyophthalmus (Bleeker, 1866) 93 Laeops guentheri Alcock, 1890 107 Laecps macrophthalmus (Alcock, 1889) 118 Cynoglossus macrostomus Norman 1928 127 3.1.10. Paraplagusia bilineata (Bloch 1784) 134 3.1.11. Aseraggodus cyaneus (Alcock, 1890) 143 3.1.12. Saurida undosquamis (Richardson, 1848) 153 3.1.13. Synodus variegatus (Lacepe'de 1803) 162 3.1.14. Trachinocephalus myops 169 3.1.15. Harpadon nehereus (Hamilton 1822) 177 . TOPOGRAPHY AND HYDROGRAPHY OF THE SOUTH WEST COAST OF INDIA 184 . DISTRIBUTION AND ABUNDANCE OF LARVAE 5.1. Larvae of flat fishes 186 5.1.1. Seasonal distribution and abundance 186 5.1.2. Effect of hydrographic features on the larval distribution 190 5.1.3. Spacial distribution and abundance 191 5.1.4. Horizontal distribution and abundance 195 5.1.5. Vertical distribution and abundance 199 5.2. Larvae of Lizard fishes 209 5.2.1. Seasonal distribution and abundance 209 5.2.2. Effect of hydrographic features on the larval distribution 210 5.2.3. Spacial distribution and abundance 211 5.2.4. Horizontal distribution and abundance 214 5.2.5. Vertical distribution and abundance 214 5.3. Larvae of Bombay duck 225 5.3.1. Seasonal distribution and abundance 225 5.3.2. Effect of hydrographic features on the distribution 225 5.3.3. Spacial distribution and abundance 225 5.3.4. Horizontal distribution and abundance 226 5.3.5. Vertical distribution and abundance 226 6. DISCUSSION 228 7. SUMMARY 2#8 8. REFERENCES 256 LIST OF FIGURES Fig. I. Area of sampling. Fig. 2. Developmental stages of E._ arsius Fig. 3. Developmental stages of _P; profunda Fig. 4. Developmental stages of grandisquamis Fig. 5. Developmental stages of E cocosensis Fig. 6. Developmental stages of §_ ovalis Fig. 7. Developmental stages of polyophthalmus Fig. 8. Developmental stages of £1 guentheri Fig. 9. Developmental stages of £._._ macrophthalmus Fig. 10. Developmental stages of _g._ macrostomus Fig. 11. Developmental stages of _lP_. bilineata Fig. 12. Developmental stages of A cyaneus Fig. 13. Developmental stages of undosquamis Fig. 14. Developmental stages of _S; variegatus Fig. 15. Developmental stages of _T_~-£_“_X2P_5 Fig. 16. Developmental stages of nehereus Fig. 17. Distrirbution and abundance of flat fish larvae Fig. 18. Distribution of flat fish larvae in relation to temperature. Fig. 19. Distribution of flat fish larvae in relation to Salinity Fig. 20. Distrirbution of flat fish larvae in relation to oxygen. Fig. 21. Horizontal distrirbution of total flat fish larvae Fig. 22. Horizontal distribution of the larvae of C. macrostomus Fig. 23. Horizontal distribution of the larvae of P. bilineata Fig. 24. Horizontal distribution of the larvae of i cxaneus Fig. 25. Horizontal distribution of the larvae of P. arsius Fig. 26. Horizontal distribution of the larvae of _E_ Erofunda Fig. 27. Horizontal distribution of the larvae of grandisquamis Fig. 28. Horizontal distribution of the larvaeof E.Cocosensis Fig. 29. Horizontal distribution of the larvae of Q ovalis Fig. 30. Horizontal distribution of the larvae of & polyophthalmus Fig. 31. Horizontal distribution of the larvae of guentheri Fig. 32. Horizontal distribution of the larvae of L. macrophthalmus Fig. 33. Distribution and abundance of lizard fish larvae Fig. 3#. Distribution of lizard fish larvae in relation to temperature and salinity Fig. 35. Distribution of lizard fish/Bombay duck larvae in relation to hydrographical parameters. Fig. 36. Horizontal distribution of total lizard fish larvae Fig. 37. Horizontal distribution of the larvae of S. undosquamis Fig. 38. Horizontal distribution of the larvae of variegatus Fig. 39. Horizontal distributionf of the larvae of mxogs Fig. #0. Distribution and abundance of Bombay duck larvae Fig. 4]. Horizontal distribution of the larvae of nehereus. LIST OF TABLES Page No. Table: Station list showing the number of plankton hauls, number of hauls with flat fish/liazard fish/Bombay duck larvae and different species obtained from different profiles from the area under study during September 1971 to December 1975. 29 Table: Showing the number of hauls and details of larvae collected from 1971 to 1975. 39 Table: Body proportions of E_ arsius larvae 49 Table: Body proportions of E profunda larvae 60 Table: Body proportions of grandisquamis larvae 70 Table: Body proportions of E cocosensis larvae 81 Table: Inter specific comparison of the slop of the various body relationships in _E_. cocosensis and §_._ grandisguamis larvae 82 Table: Body proportions of ovalis larvae 92 Table: Body proportions of polyophthalmus I06 Table: Body proportions of _L_. guentheri larva I17 Table: Body proportions of E macrophthalmus larvae I25 Table: I2. Inter specific comparison of the slop of the various body relationships in L. guentheri and l._._ macrophthalmus larvae I26 Table: 13. Body proportions of macrostomus larvae I33 Table: ILL. Body proportions of bilineata larvae 142 Table: 15. Body proportions of §_._ cyaneus larvae 152 Table: Body proportions of undosquamis larvae I61 Table: Body proportions of variegatus larvae I68 Table: Body proportions of ;T;mLops_ larvae I76 Table: Body proportions of E. nehereus larvae I83 Table: Showing the number of larvae of flat fishes obtained during different months from 1971 to 1975. 200 Table: 21. Showing the total number of flat fish larvae (species wise) obtained during different years from 1971 to 1975. 203 Table: 22. Showing the number of larvae of flat fishes obtained during different months from September 1971 to December 1975. (Pooled data of different years) 204 Table: 23. Showing the total number of flat fish larvae obtained from different profiles during the period 1971 to 1975. 205 Table: 24. Showing total number of flat fish larvae obtained from different pro­ profiles during different years from 1971 to 1975. 206 Table: 25. Showing total number of flat fish larvae obtained from different pro­ files during different months from 1971 to 1975. 207 Table: 26. Showing the day and night collections of flat fish larvae. 208 Table: 27. Showing the number of larvae of lizard fishes/Bombay duck obtained during different months from September 1971 to December 1975. 216 Table: 28. Showing total number of lizard fish larvae obtained during different years from 1971 to 1975. 219 Table: 29. Showing the number of larvae of lizard fishes/Bombay duck obtained during different months from September 1971 to December 1975. (Pooled data of different years) 220 Table: 30. Showing the total number of lizard fishes/Bombay duck larvae obtained from different profiles during the period 1971 - 1975. 221 Table: 31. Showing total number of lizard fish larvae obtained from different profiles during different years from 1971 to 1975. 222 Table: 32. Showing total number of lizard fish larvae obtained from different profiles during different months from 1971 to 1975 (Pooled data of different years) 223 Table: 33. Showing the day and night collections of lizard fish larvae. 224 Table: 34. Showing total number of Bombay duck larvae obtained from different profiles during different years from 1971 to 1975.