Pufferfish fishery along the Kerala coast and biology of the smooth-backed puffer, Lagocephalus inermis (Temminck & Schlegel 1850)

The puffer fish fishery along the Kerala coast with some biological aspects of the dominant and less studied species, Lagocephalus inermis is described from Cochin, Kerala. The annual average puffer fish landing in Kerala during 2012-2016 ranged between 188 t in 2016 to 747 t in 2013, with an average annual landing of 400 t. Peak landing was observed during post-monsoon season. The length of L. inermis ranged from 85 to 415 mm with a mean size of 275 mm. Males dominated throughout the study period (1:0.84), with the sex ratio not significantly different from the expected value. The spawning activity was found to be higher during the pre�monsoon period. The present study found that these species are essentially carnivores preying on a wide variety of small pelagic fishes, crustaceans and molluscs. The significance of the emergence of puffer fishes in the coastal waters of Kerala is discussed in this pape

Cerium molybdenum oxides for environmentally benign pigments

A new class of environmentally benign yellow rare earth pigments as alternatives to lead, cadmium and chromium pigments is presented. These pigments are based on cerium molybdenum oxides corresponding to the structural formulae NaCe<SUB>0.5</SUB>(MoO<SUB>4</SUB>) and Ce(MoO<SUB>4</SUB>)<SUB>2</SUB>. The coloring properties of the compositions prepared by varying the Ce:Mo ratio in the presence and absence of phosphates have been evaluated. The reflectance spectra and photoacoustic spectra indicate the absorption in visible and ultraviolet regions under 500 nm, which could originate from the O<SUB>2p</SUB>-Ce<SUB>4f</SUB> and the O<SUB>2p</SUB>-Mo<SUB>3d</SUB> double charge transfer transitions, and as a result the pigments show yellow color. In the presence of a phosphate, the products are homogeneous and crystalline at temperatures of 700 °C itself and exist as multiphasic with white colored CePO<SUB>4</SUB> being present in association with cerium molybdenum oxide. Further, the particle size of the cerium molybdenum oxide sample was lower in the presence of phosphate (116 nm)

Mo-Doped Cerium Gadolinium Oxide as Environmentally Sustainable Yellow Pigments

Mo-doped Gd₁Ce_1–<i>x</i>O_3.5+<i>Y</i> (where <i>x</i> ranged from 0 to 0.3) oxides were synthesized as inorganic yellow pigments, which are benign and sustainable. The pigments exhibited good yellow color, with the yellowness value using the CIELAB 1976 system being around 39. In comparison to the existing reports on benign yellow pigments, which have been synthesized using high temperature calcination routes, this pigment has been synthesized through a low temperature sol–gel calcination route. The process also provided for a higher degree of size and shape control, leading to a bandgap of 2.82–2.52 eV. Size reduction to the nano level through the process provided a bottom up approach, where the presence of mineralizers enabled higher mass tone (<i>b</i>* value of around 80) at lower covering thickness. NIR solar reflectance, a measure of the ability of the pigment to contribute to energy savings by reflecting heat generating radiations of sunlight, was as high as 91%. The absence of toxic metal ions coupled with excellent chemical and thermal stabilities makes the developed pigment ideal for coloring plastics meant for children’s toys and ceramic surfaces that would come into immediate contact with human skin, such as bathroom tiles

Record of a Xanthid Crab Euxanthus exsculptus (Herbst, 1790) (Decapoda, Brachyura, Xanthidae) Recovered from the Gut of Humpback Red Snapper, Lutjanus gibbus from the Southwest Coast of India

This study reports the occurrence of xanthid crabs obtained from the gut of a commercially important species, humpback red snapper, Lutjanus gibbus sampled from coastal waters off Cochin, India. The recovered xanthid crabs were identified up to species level using standard literature and found out to be male specimens of Euxanthus exsculptus (Herbst 1790). The crabs had smooth and swollen bumps on the wide sub-hexagonal carapace, 12.90 mm length and in 19.02 mm width. This is the first report of the occurrence of E. exsculptus from the gut of Lutjanus gibbus caught off Kochi coast, India. Details of the diagnostic characteristics of this crab species are presented in this paper

Assessing the sustainability of threadfin bream fishery along South-eastern coast of the Arabian Sea: A comprehensive analysis of climate change impact and fishing frontiers

The study aimed to assess the cumulative impact of climate change and sustainable fishing levels on the long-term sustainability of threadfin breams, a demersal species inhabiting along south-eastern coast of the Arabian Sea (SEAS). We utilized the dataset derived from the commercial fisheries in the SEAS region and addressed the influence of dynamics in fishing and environmental factors. The threadfin breams stock status was estimated by analyzing the fluctuations in Catch Per Unit Effort and by employing methods, viz. the Monte Carlo Catch- Maximum Sustainable Yield and Bayesian Schaefer Model. The investigation found that the catch rate of threadfin breams declined as fishing intensity increased in terms of effectiveness of advanced fishing methods. This empirical inquiry leveraged the Generalized Additive Model to assess the impact of environmental parameters on the fish stock. The analysis unveils a notable positive influence on this fish group, signifying a substantial response to increased precipitation. In contrast, deviations in Sea Surface Temperature, Sea Surface Salinity, ocean isothermal layer depth, and surface currents revealed adverse effects surpassing the optimal threshold. The targeted stock of threadfin breams exhibits a medium level of resilience, as indicated by the existing data, the investigation concludes that optimizing fishing practices could aid in replenishing the stock, fostering future sustainability. This conclusion holds true even in the face of potential negative influences from environmental parameters to a certain extent. Overall, the study provides important insights into the impact of climate change and sustainable fishing practices on the sustainability of a demersal resource in the SEAS and emphasizes the innovative ways to manage fishery resources in a manner that is ecologically sustainable and yet economically viable and socially acceptable