Experimental culture of the Pharaoh’s cuttlefish <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">Sepia pharaonis</i>, Ehrenberg 1831, under closed circulation systems

841-846Though majority of research findings suggest recirculation systems (RS), the present work was experimented with a closed circulation system (CCS). Successful growth rates were evident up to 130 days where the average dorsal mantle length (DML) was 84 mm and weight 61.43 gms. Effect of salinity on the pralarva at various levels displayed 100% survival rate in the range of 30-34 ppt. Though brine shrimp (Artemia parthenogenetica) was the preferred prey for the first 10 days of culture, Paralarva fed with mysids had better growth rates from 10th day onwards. Higher survival rate was noted (78%) for Paralarva fed with mysids. The juveniles were trained to accept frozen mysids after 21 days while flesh of fish (<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">Johnius dussumieri) was introduced from 40th day onwards. In par with the cultures from recirculating systems, closed systems are effective for culture of the Pharaoh’s cuttlefish. Though growth rates tend to be on a negligible lower level, it is evident that these cephalopods can be raised without much of an investment under the CCS

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Not AvailableThe current study was carried out to document molluscs that are caught in lobster nets (Singhi valai), an indigenous gear operated by fishers in the Gulf of Mannar to harvest lobsters, crabs and fishes. This net is operated in depths up to 15 m from the traditional country craft, Vallam' . A total of 73 species of marine molluscs from class Bivalvia (32 species belonging to 4 families) and Gastropoda (41 species belonging to 27 families) have been documented. Vulsella vulsella was dominant (1235%) among bivalves Avhereas Lambis lambis was dominant (143%) among the gastropods. The family Veneridae in bivalves (29%) and the family Strombidae in gastropods (17%) contributed the highest among the documented molluscs.Not Availabl