Manta birostris landed at Tuticorin

On 31.03.2006 one female Manta birostris measuring 370 cm in total length 620 cm in breadth and weighing 1550 kg was caught by "singi valai" (a type of bottom set gill net) from a depth of 40 m off Tuticorin and brought to Tuticorin north landing centre

Whale shark, Rhinocodon typus (Smith) landed at Tuticorin, Gulf of Mannar

Paper is reporting the morphometric measurements of a male whale shark Rhinocodon typus measuring 4.45 m and weighing approximately 1.5 t got entangled in a nylon net at a depth of 90-100 m,operated for tuna and allied species

A note on the foetus of the hump-back dolphin from Tuticorin coast, Gulf of Mannar

On 16-2-'94 a female Hump - back dolphin Sousachinensis (Osbeck)measuring 2.235 mm and weighing 80 kg was accidently caughtin drift gillnet off Tuticorin. When the dolphin was cut openeda foetus measuring 250 mm was obteilned from i

On a large Devil ray Manta birostris landed at Tuticorin

Two of Devil ray measuring 2.17 and 2.11m in total length and 5.54 and 5.25 min breadth respectively were caught from the inshore waters of Tuticorin at a depth of 50 m by gill net operated from Tuticorin type of boat. It was identified as Mania birostis locally known as ' Kotnbu thirukai'.While the former was a female weighing 1,200 kg. The latter was a male weighing 1,150 kg. Both the specimens were auctioned for Rs. 400/- at the landing centre

Occurrence of Sun fishes along Tuticorin Coast

During the year 2005, four numbers of Mola mola were encountered along the Tuticorin Coast in Gulf of Mannar, of which three numbers landed at Thiruvaikulam, a fishing hamlet 15 kms north of Tuticorin, and one specimen landed at Kayalpatnam, another fishing village 40 km south of Tuticorin

An account on the disposal of deep sea sharks and skates at Tuticorin

Roughly 6.9 tonnes of sharks were auctioned for Rs. 97,242/- during the five months period. The elasmobranch catch comprised of 6 species of sharks such as 1. Carcharhinus sorrah (Spot tail shark), 2. Carcharhinus longimanus (Oceanic while tip shark), 3. Carcharhinus brivipinna, (Spinner shark), 4. Carcharhinus limbatus (Black tip shark), 5. Carcharhinus melanoptenis (Black tip rear shark) and 6. Sphyma lewini (Scallopped hammer head shark) and one species of Skate Rhina anchylostoma. The flesh was salted and sent to Kerala. The liver was utilized for extracting oil and the fins were dried for export

On the largest sun fish ever caught from the Indian seas

A male sun fish Masturus lanceolatus Leonard measuring 1535 mm total length and a maximum depth of 815 mm (Fig. 1) was caught at a depth of 60-90 m in the drift gill net {Paruvakd) operated off Tuticorin on 24-8-1993. This is the second record of this species from Indian coast and first record from Gulf of Mannar and also the largest size of sun fish ever recorded from Indian waters

On the occurrence of sunfish along Gulf of the Mannar

Ocean sunfishes of the family Molidae has three genera namely Ranzania, Masturus and Mola. The occurrence of some of the species like Ranzania truncata, R.typus, R.laevis, Masturus oxyuropterus, M.lanceolatus and Mola mola have been r e p o r t e d from Indian waters

Whaleshark, Rhincodon typus (Smith) landed at Tuticorin, Gulf of Mannar

On 30-7-2003 a male whale shark Rhyncodon typus measuring 4.78m and weighing approximately 1.7t was caught by a trawler operated at a depth of 70m and 28km away from the shore

On the landing of Hump-back dolphin Sousa chinensis at Tuticorin

On 24-01-1991, a dolphin measuring 227 cm in total length and 85kg in weight was landed at Tuticorin north landing centre. It was a female dolphin identified as Sousa chinensis