The present paper reports five ornamental triggerfishes (Tetraodontiformes: Balistidae) for the first time from the coastal waters of West Bengal. The five species namely, Balistapus undulatus (Park, 1797) Balistoides viridescens (Bloch &amp; Schneider, 1801), Canthidermis maculata (Bloch, 1786), Odonus niger (Ruppell, 1836) and Sufflamen fraenatum (Latreille, 1804) are reported here for the first time from West Bengal coast with detailed morphometry

Mohapatra, Anil

Ray, Dipanjan

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Indian Journal of Geo Marine Sciences Vol. 49 (01), January 2020, pp. 102-107       New record of five ornamental triggerfishes (Tetraodontiformes: Balistidae)  from West Bengal coast, India  Dipanjan Ray1 & Anil Mohapatra2* 1Bajkul Milani Mahavidyalaya, Kismat Bajkul, Purba Medinipur & West Bengal, India.  2Estuarine Biology Regional Centre, Zoological Survey of India, Gopalpur-on-Sea, Ganjam, Odisha, India-761002. [*E-mail: anil2k7@gmail.com] Received 20 June 2018; revised 20 September 2018 The present paper reports five ornamental triggerfishes (Tetraodontiformes: Balistidae) for the first time from the coastal waters of West Bengal. The five species namely, Balistapus undulatus (Park, 1797) Balistoides viridescens (Bloch & Schneider, 1801), Canthidermis maculata (Bloch, 1786), Odonus niger (Ruppell, 1836) and Sufflamen fraenatum (Latreille, 1804) are reported here for the first time from West Bengal coast with detailed morphometry. [Keywords: Balistidae, East coast of India, First report, Fish]  Introduction The live ornamental fauna trading is a multimillion dollar industry globally, worth an estimated US $ 200-300 millions annually and operating throughout the tropics1. The internal and export trade for the ornamental fish are estimated at US $ 3.26 million and US $ 0.38 million in India2. From Indian coast about 454 species of marine ornamental fishes are listed3 as having trading potentiality. Among them, members of family Balistidae are considered as good ornamental fishes due to their unique shape, colourful body and  as they thrive well in aquarium4-5. The family Balistidae comprises of 42 species under 12 genera worldwide6.During local surveys along Digha coast of West Bengal, India, the authors collected several Balistid fishes and subsequently they were identified  as Abalistes stellatus Lacepede, 1798), Balistapus undulatus (Park, 1797), Balistoides viridescens (Bloch & Schneider, 1801), Canthidermis maculata (Bloch, 1786), Odonus niger (Ruppell, 1836), and Sufflamen fraenatum (Latreille, 1804). After literature review7-12, it was observed that except Abalistes stellatus (Lacepede, 1798), the other five species were not reported from West Bengal coast. Hence, the present paper reports five fishes from the family Balistidae for the first time from  Bay of Bengal coast.  Methodology The specimens were collected from Digha Mohana, West Bengal, India. The fishes were collected mainly by the trawl nets at different times between the years 2010 to 2013. Photographs of the species were taken in fresh condition before preservation. All measurements were made by digital calipers with an accuracy of 0.1 mm. Specimens are deposited in Marine Aquarium and Regional Center, Zoological Survey of India museum with 10 % formaldehyde solution. Identification of the species was done following Matsuura13-14; Sahayak et al.15; and Padmavathi et al. 201716. Abbreviations used are  as follows: D – Dorsal fin; A – Anal fin;  P – Pectoral fin; LL – lateral line scales. The details of morphometric measurements in standard length are given in Table 1.  Results The following five species are reported for the first time from West Bengal of India. These species are having a great value in ornamental live fish trading, thus are important from socioeconomic point of view for the greater benefit of the local fishermen.   1. Balistapus undulatus (Park, 1797): Orange-lined triggerfish Balistes undulates Mungo Park, 1797, Trans. Linn. Soc., London., 3 : 37. Balistapus undulatus: Smith & Heemstra, 1986, Smith's Sea Fishes, p. 877, pI. 136. Material examined: MARC/ZSI/F2100; 1 ex.  SL: 175; 12/06/2011; collected from Digha Mohona  (Fig. 1).  RAY & MOHAPATRA: NEW RECORD OF FIVE ORNAMENTAL TRIGGERFISHES   103Characters: D III+27; A 23; P 12; LL 39. Body compressed and deep, covered with plate like scales in regular rows. Scales larger, in the surroundings above the base of pectoral fin and behind the gill opening; scales on compressed caudal peduncle with two longitudinal spines projecting towards anterior end. Terminal mouth, with pointed teeth, and larger teeth is the middle pair in both jaws. Groove absent in front of eyes. Caudal fin rounded.  Colour: Body brown with diagonal curved orange lines on head and body; areas around caudal peduncular spines black; a diagonal band with narrow blue and orange stripe surrounding the mouth and below pectoral fin region. The soft dorsal fin rays, anal and pectoral fin rays are orange. The colour of the caudal fin is orange. Distribution: Widely distributed along the tropical Indo-West Pacific, from East Africa, including the Red Sea13. In Indian coast, Balistapus undulatus was reported along Andaman and Nicobar Island17, Lakshadweep18, Maharashtra19, Tamil Nadu20. Present study reports this species for the first time from West Bengal, north eastern Indian coast.  2. Balistoides viridescens (Bloch & Schneider, 1801): Titan triggerfish Balistes viridescens: Bloch & Schneider, 1801, Syst. Ichth, p. 477. Balistoides viridescens: Smith & Heemstra, 1986, Smith's Sea Fishes, p. 878, pI. 136. Material examined: F1966; 1 ex. SL: 285; 12/11/2010; collected from: Digha Mohona (Fig. 2). Characters: D III+25; A 24; P 14; LL 32. Body deep and compressed, covered by plate like scales in regular rows; scales absent around lips. Larger scales surrounding in above base of pectoral fin and behind the gill opening; 4 rows of small spines present on caudal peduncle. Mouth was terminal with pointed teeth having the central pairs the largest in both jaws. Groove present in front of eyes. Caudal fin rounded; caudal peduncle compressed.  Table 1 — Morphometric measurements of fishes of family Balistidae collected from West Bengal In Percentage of SL Character Balistapus undulatus SL: 175 mm Balistoides viridescens SL:285 mm Canthidermis maculataSL:201 mm Odonus niger SL: 135 Sufflamen fraenatumSL: 260 mm HL 33.14 36.14 29.85 33.33 31.54 BD 45.71 56.14 47.26 51.85 53.85 EYE 6.29 6.32 5.47 5.93 4.62 Snout 22.86 29.47 19.90 26.67 23.08 IOS 10.29 15.79 18.41 11.11 8.46    Fig. 1 — Balistapus undulatus (Park, 1797)  INDIAN J. MAR. SCI., VOL. 49, NO. 01, JANUARY 2020    104Colour: Body yellow in colour but paler in posterior part. Centre of the scales greenish brown.  A broad black zone with yellow spots extending from dorsal part of the head to pectoral base; a broad black band along a pale line runs from above the mouth to half way of cheek; base and margin of soft dorsal fin, anal and caudal fins are with broad black borders.  Distribution: Widely distributed along the  tropical Indo-West Pacific13. From the Indian  waters Balistoides viridescens was reported from Andaman and Nicobar Island17; Lakshadweep18 and Tamil Nadu20. Present study reports this species for the first time from West Bengal waters.  3. Canthidermis maculata (Bloch, 1786): Rough triggerfish Balistes maculatus : Bloch, 1786, Nat. Ausl and Fische., 2 : 25. Canthidemis maculatus: Rao et al., 1992,  J. Andaman Sci. Assoc., 8(2): 115. Material examined: F2303; 1 ex. SL: 201; 16/04/2013; collected from: Digha Mohona (Fig. 3).   Fig. 2 — Balistoides viridescens (Bloch & Schneider, 1801)    Fig. 3 — Canthidermis maculata (Bloch, 1786) RAY & MOHAPATRA: NEW RECORD OF FIVE ORNAMENTAL TRIGGERFISHES   105Characters: D III+24; A22; P 14; LL59. Body was elongated, deep and compressed, dorsal and ventral profile equally concave. Smaller scales present along the body ridges, above pectoral-fin base and just behind the gill opening. Mouth was terminal and teeth rectangular with conical edge. A deep groove was present in front of eye and below the nostril. Caudal peduncle was compressed and devoid of spine. Dorsal and anal fin were angular; and caudal fin double emarginated.  Colour: Body dark bluish with white spots, spots are more in ventral side; dorsal and anal fin with grey spots. Distribution: Wide spread in all tropical and subtropical Ocean except Mediterranean6. Along Indian coast, this species is reported from  Andaman and Nicobar Island17, Kerala21, Chennai, Tamil Nadu22; Gulf of Mannar23; Visakhapatnam and Andhra Pradesh16. Present study reports this species first time from the coast of West Bengal.  4. Odonus niger (Ruppell, 1836): Redtooth triggerfish Xenodon niger: Ruppel, 1836, Neue Wirbelthierezu der Fauna von Abyssiniengehörig. Fische des  Rothen Meeres. Siegmund Schmerber, Frankfurt am Main., 1-28.  Material examined: F2453; 1 ex. SL: 135; 16/01/2012; collected from: Digha Mohona (Fig. 4). Characters: D III+34; A28, P 15, LL 34. Body deep and compressed; scales above pectoral-fin base and just behind gill opening much enlarged, cheek scaly. A prominent groove present on snout, before eyes. Mouth upturned, chin protruding; the two upper teeth canine like and visible when mouth closed. Posterior part of the body was with seven rows of small spine. Dorsal and anal fin elevated at anterior part; and caudal fin lunate shaped with prolonged lobe.  Colour: Body bluish black; dorsal, anal and caudal fin bluish at margin; teeth red. Distribution: Widely distributed along the Indo-Pacific6. From Indian coast, this species was reported from Andaman and Nicobar Island17, Lakshadweep18, Kerala24 and Tamil Nadu25. Here, the species is reported for the first time from West Bengal coast, India.  5. Sufflamen fraenatum (Latreille, 1804): Bridled triggerfish Balistes fraenatus: Latreille, 1804, Tableau méthodique des poissons. Pp. 71-105. Balistes capistratus: Shaw, 1804, General zoology or systematic nat. hist., v. 5 (pt 1): i-v + 1-25 Material examined: F2600; 1 ex. SL: 260; 23/08/2012; collected from: Digha Mohona (Fig. 5). Characters: DIII+29; A 25; P 15, LL 53. Body deep and compressed, Scales above pectoral-fin base and just behind gill opening much enlarged deep groove present below the nostril and below eye. Upper and lower profile of head straight; mouth terminal; and small spines in longitudinal rows present on the posterior third of the body. Soft dorsal and anal fin anteriorly elevated; and caudal fin truncate.  Colour: Body light brown, upper lips with narrow light yellow bands. Distribution: Widely distributed along the  Indo-Pacific6. From Indian coastal water, this species   Fig. 4 — Odonus niger (Ruppell, 1836) INDIAN J. MAR. SCI., VOL. 49, NO. 01, JANUARY 2020    106was reported along Andaman and Nicobar Island17, Kerala24, Tuticorin25, and Andhra Pradesh26. Here, it is reported for the first time from West Bengal coast.  Discussion From Indian coastal waters, a total of 22 species of family Balsitidae, under 11 genera were reported27. Previously, only one species: Abalistes stellatus (Lacepede, 1798) of Balistidae was reported from West Bengal8. In Digha, locally triggerfishes are known as “chapta bang” and “sukor”. Triggerfishes are frequently found in Digha Mohana but due to the less market value and lack of awareness of the local fishermen these fish species are normally thrown as bycatch in the trashes and not valued at all in fish market. But these fishes are having a huge potential market value in live ornamental fish trading4,5. Balistidae fishery is also cost effective25 and beneficial for human nutrition28. During survey, it was observed that triggerfishes are found in huge quantity in northern part of east coast of India but due to lack of awareness among fishermen, and suitable infrastructure for keeping livestock selling; a huge quantity of ornamental fishes are simply thrown out as trashes. Thus, present study demands increased awareness among fishermen, trawler owner, fishing community and local public on the importance of trigger fishes as well as ornamental fishes. Also infrastructure like shore base stock facilities (FRP tank, quarantine tank, recalculating and water filtration system) in harbor or fish landing center and transportation facilities for live fish trading may be facilitated for promoting the ornamental fish industries as an alternate livelihood for the fishermen of the areas.  Acknowledgement We thank Dr. Kailash Chandra, Director, Zoological Survey of India, Kolkata for providing necessary working facilities.  References 1 Wabnitz, C., Taylor, M, Green, E. & Razak, T., From Ocean to Aquarium, UNEP-WCMC, Cambridge, UK(2003), 1-64.  2 Sundaresan, J., Ornamental fish industry. Indian  J. Mar. Sci., 40 (1): (2011), 9-10. 3 Mohapatra, A., Diversity of Marine ornamental fauna in India. In K. Chandra, Raghunathan, C., T. Mondal and  S. Dash (Ed). Current status of Marine Faunal Diversity in India, (Published by Director Zoological Survey of India, Kol.) pp. (2016),325-336. 4 Burgess, W. E., Axelrod, H. R. & Hunziker, R. 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New record of five ornamental triggerfishes (Tetraodontiformes: Balistidae) from West Bengal coast, India

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New record of five ornamental triggerfishes (Tetraodontiformes: Balistidae) from West Bengal coast, India

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