Biological observations on the pufferfishes of south Konkan coast with special reference to the net-damaging species <i>Lagocephalus spadiceus</i> (Osteichthyes, Tetraodontidae)

426-432Initial observations on destruction of fishing gear by pufferfishes, along the south Konkan Coast, Maharashtra, India indicated that out of the 7 species inhabiting the region 4 occur in fairly good numbers, but only Lagocephalus spadiceus (Richardson, 1845) causes large-scale damage. Biological studies were, therefore, conducted in order to understand the possible reasons which induce only certain species to damage the nets. While net-damaging species are essentially meat or flesh eaters, the non-damaging forms predominantly feed on hard molluscan shells. Both sexes of L. spadiceus exhibited almost similar growth rate and are homogenously destributed for major part of the year, excepting post-monsoon breeding season. It matures at around 9 cm size and breeds twice in a year-once during February-March with smaller to (9 to 15 cm) females and again from September to November with larger (11 to 28 cm) females. The two breeding seasons coincide with the peak net damaging periods

On the taxonomic status of the Indian kiddi prawn Parapenaeopsis stylifera (H. Milne Edwards, 1837)

367-372Extensive analysis of Parapenaeopsis stylifera based on material collected near the type locality (north west coast of India) has shown that both P. coromandelica, P. stylifera coromandelica (from east coast of India) and P. stylifera cohinensis (from south west coast of India) should be treated merely as its junior synonyms. All the remaining species of genus Parapenaeopsis differ from this genotype in several respects, thereby warranting an independent generic or subgeneric status for themselves

Morphometric studies on the seed of penaeid prawns of Ratnagiri Coast (Maharashtra, west coast of India)

378-388Twenty one morphometric ratios belonging to 7 size-groups were worked out in the seed of 11 species viz Penaeus (Penaeus) monodon, P. (P.) semisulcatus, P. (Fenneropenaeus) merguiensis, P. (F.) indicus, P. (Marsupenaeus) japonicus, Metapenaeopsis sp., Metapenaeus dobsoni, M. monoceros, M. affinis, M. moyebi and Parapenaeopsis cornuta. The analysis of results shows that conspicuous changes occur at 10, 14, 22, 32, 40 and 50 mm sizes in almost all species. The genus Metapenaeopsis differed from the other genera by its shortest postorbital distance of epigastric tooth while P. (F.) merguiensis can be easily identified by its extremely long and slender rostrum. Splitting of the genus Penaeus into subgenera is found to be perfectly valid and the necessity of providing separate generic status to Metapenaeus dobsoni is justifiable

Proposed taxonomic revision of some important penaeid prawn genera (Crustacea: Decapoda) of Konkan coast (west coast of India)

Volume: 94Start Page: 496End Page: 51