Behaviour of short-finned pilot whales Globicephala macrorhynchus (Gray, 1846) (Mammalia: Cetartiodactyla: Delphinidae) in the Southeastern Arabian Sea

Behaviour of short-finned pilot whales Globicephala macrorhynchus (Gray, 1846) (Mammalia: Cetartiodactyla: Delphinidae) in the Southeastern Arabian Se

Renewed research focus on cephalopod resources in the Southern Ocean

Investigations of Southern Ocean cephalopods began with the pioneering expedition of HMS Challenger (Hoyle,1886) and Valdivia expedition conducted by Germany (Odhner, 1923). After the 1970s, there has been considerable research effort in cephalopod taxonomy and abundance all over the world. However, very little is known about the abundance and biodiversity of cephalopods in the Southern Ocean sector. Southern Ocean cephalopod fauna is distinctive, with high levels of endemism in the squid and play an important role, linking the abundant mesopelagic fish and crustaceans with higher predators such as albatross, seals and whales. Although not yet commercially exploited species of the family Ommastrephidae have high potential (Collins and Rodhouse, 2006)

Unusual landings of the deep-sea lobster, Palinustus waguensis in Sakthikulangara Fisheries Harbour

Unusual landing of Deepsea lobster Palinustus waguensis was observed at Sakthikulangara Fisheries Harbour at Kollam on 15.01.2019 along with the catch of deep-sea shrimps. An estimated catch of 100 kg of P.waguensis was landed in multiday shrimp trawls operated at a depth of 200-250 m, during the first two weeks of January 2019. Since the inception of deepsea shrimp landings, this species was observed in stray numbers and this is the first time a landing of this magnitude was observed. The lobster was sold in local market @ 150-200 ₹ per kg for domestic consumers. Distribution of this species is reported in the Indo-west pacific region (India, Thailand, Philippines, Japan) at a depth range of 100 to 180 m. The lobsters randomly sampled ranged from 81 to 154 mm each in total length and having 15.3 to75.7 grams weigh

Record sized Alepes vari and Nematalosa nasus

The herring scad, Alepes vari is a common pelagic fish species in the family carangidae. The species is the largest fish of the scad genus Alepes and maximum length so far recorded all over the world oceans is 560 mm TL (Froese & Pauly, FishBase 2016, http://www.fishbase.org.). During a regular field visit, an unusually large specimen of A. vari was recorded from Kalamukku Landing Centre, Kerala on 25th May, 2016. This was a male individual measuring 600 mm in total length (TL) and weighing 1.6 kg (Fig. 1)and was caught by hook and line. Young ones occasionally occur in pelagic trawls and larger ones rarely occur in gill net and hook and line catches

केरल के मुहानों मेें स्टेकनेट मात्स्यिकी

केरल के मुहानों मेें स्टेकनेट मात्स्यिक

Reproduction in the deep-sea penaeoid shrimp Aristeus alcocki Ramadan, 1938 (Decapoda: Penaeoidea: Aristeidae) from southwestern India

The Arabian red shrimp, Aristeus alcocki Ramadan, 1938, is one of the targets of commercial trawlers operating since 2000 along the Indian coasts at depths of 200–850 m. We report for the first time on the reproductive biology, insemination frequency, ovarian maturation, gonadosomatic index (GSI), size at maturity, and fecundity of A. alcocki investigated macroscopically and validated histologically using monthly trawl samples from the southwestern coast of India. Females have an open thelycum with five gonad developmental stages (I to V) and two stages (I and II) in males. A total of 4,170 specimens were examined and 68.6% of the females had been inseminated (carapace length (CL) 22.0–53.0 mm), predominantly during January to May. Females in stage I (immature) measured on average CL 25.5 ± 0.87 mm, those in stages IV and V (mature) CL 41.5 ± 0.62 mm. Immature males were smaller, mean CL 20.5 ± 0.5 mm. Size at first sexual maturity for females was estimated as CL 35.07 mm (total length (TL) 120–170 mm) and the inseminated specimens (CL50is) were mature at CL 31.45 mm using a non-linear method. The smallest mature female was CL 35 mm, whereas the size at maturity (CL50ms) of males was estimated as CL 19.6 mm (TL 75–96 mm). We also report synchronous oocyte development and continuous spawning activity with a peak during January to April. Information on the reproduction of this deep-water shrimp will help fishery managers estimate the stock sustainability and develop resource management measures

A brief note on portunid crab, Charybdis (Goniohellenus) omanensis septentrionalis from southwest coast of India

Crustacean Fisheries Division of ICAR-CMFRI, has recently taken up a two year programme on experimental trawling using fishing vessel F.V. Silver Pompano. Samples were collected from different bathymetric stations off Kochi and Alappuzha during fortnightly intervals. Samples in the last fortnight of August 2016, collected at a depth of 65m off Alappuzha, included a good number of Charybdis (Goniohellenus) smithii along with fishes and other crustaceans. While segregating the samples of swarming crab C. (G.) smithii, approximately 5 kg of small sized Charybdis sp. was also collected. This species was not included in the earlier samplings of the programme as well as in the commercial fishery landings. Hence detailed studies were carried out and found the species is C.(G.) omanensis septentrionalis, a new record in the Indian seas

Scope for light assisted fishing in Southeastern Arabian Sea

Scope for light assisted fishing in Southeastern Arabian Se

Paralarva of the sharpear enope squid Ancistrocheirus lesueurii (Oegopsida: Ancistrocheiridae) in the southeastern Arabian Sea

First morphological description of an early stage paralarva of the sharpear enope squid Ancistrocheirus lesueurii from southeastern Arabian Sea is presented. The paralarva was collected at dusk by using surface tows of zooplankton nets in February 2012. The presence of paralarva A. lesueurii indicates that this species completes its life cycle in this sea. A comparison of the arm formula of paralarva and adult stages shows a major change in the formula during metamorphosis to adult

Occurrence of plastic debris in the stomach of yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares) from the Arabian Sea: A cause for concern

The ingestion of plastic debris is the result of huge and continuous release of this pervasive type of pollutant into the marine environment. Marine plastic debris significantly affects marine wild life and biodiversity. The present study reports the ingestion of plastic debris by yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares) from the southeastern Arabian Sea