Journal of the Marine Biological Association of India

A morphometric comparison of the Malabar Sole Cynoglossus semifasciatus Day from different centres of the west coast of India.

Volume 24 Issue 1&2

B. K. Chakrapani and G. Seshappa

Abstract

Samples of Cynoglossus semifasciatus collected from Malpe, Mangalore, Cannanore and Calicut at various times during the period January 1980 to January 1981, and from Cochin Harbour during January 1982 are studied statistically for regional variations in the relationships of selected morphometric measurements. Regressions of ten dimensions over the standard length were computed and subjected to Co-Variance analysis to study interregional differences.

The values of the regression coefficient b, showed some fluctuations. The study showed that the stocks of the fish at Calicut and Cannanore were more closely aligned than those of Malpe and Mangalore which seemed to keep their different identities to some extent; Cochin samples indicated a somewhat closer relationship with Calicut and Cannanore than with Mangalore and Malpe.

Total length, snout length, total head length and head length to opercular angle as well as the measurements involving the snout, expressed in terms of their regressions on the standard length, seemed to be more dependable characters among those studied, for a raciation study in the species.

It is concluded that the stocks of Malabar sole along the Malabar and South Kanara coasts tended to be rather homogeneous.

Date : 30-12-1982