Journal of the Marine Biological Association of India

Catch and biology of Alepocephalus bicolor (Alcock, 1891) from the southwest coast of India

Volume 49 Issue 2

A.V. Deepu, Divya V. Haridas and B. Madhusoodana Kurup*

Abstract

Data on catch,length-weight relationship and biology of Aepocephalus bicolor (Alcock, 1891) off southwest coast of India were collected from trawl surveys. Catch was obtained from 520 to 822 m depths, between 08⁰ and 12⁰ N lat. and 76⁰ and 74⁰ E long. The length-weight relationship is expressed as W= 0.4236 L1.29. Feeding intensity was found to be very low. Shrimps, squids and myctophids were the food items identified in the diet. Length-related chi-square analysis revealed no significant difference from the ideal sex ratio. The spawning is during November.

Date : 22-07-2008