On Ichthyoplankton of the Cochin Backwaters during spring tides

Abstract

It is known that the seed of several cultivable fishes occur in abundance in backwater areas. In order to understand the availability and distribution pattern of the ichthyoplankton of the Cochin Backwater, samples were collected regularly from a fixed station (09°58/N, 76°15/E) in Mattancherry Channel in the Cochin Backwater by operating a half a metre diameter nylon net (0.33 mm mesh size) for half an hour duration against the spring tide on full and new moon days from surface and bottom waters from June 1974 to December 1976. The ichthyoplankton at the station composed of gobids, clupeids, Ambassis sp., Cynoglossus sp., Chanos chanos, Solea elongata, Solea sp., Pseudorhombus sp., Samaris sp., Elops sp., Trypauchen vagina, Pterois sp., Stolephorus sp., Haplocheilm sp., Sphyraena sp., Siganus sp., Syngnathus sp., Scatophagus sp., Leiognathits sp., Chirocentrus sp., Balistidae, Sciaenidae and Tetrodontidae. The seasonal fluctuation of the fish larvae and other associated plankters in relation to the environmental parameters such as salinity, temperature and rainfall in the region are discussed