CHAPTER I SYSTEMATIC STUDY OF FISHES INTRODUCTION Fish can be defined as a group of cold-blooded, aquatic, gnathostomsous vertebrates, which breathe by means of brachial gills and locomotion is carried out by mean of fins (Hiware, et al., 2015). Economically fishes constitute a very important group of animals and provide a rich source of food, liver oil and a number of other by-products, like fish meal, fish manure, ising glass etc (Khanna and Singh, 2005). Fishes are not only source of food for human being and other animals, but also rich in proteins and vitamins especially vitamin A (retinol) thus they are source of animal protein (Wakil, et al., 2014). Growth of body parts is proportional to the growth of the total length, so morphometric measurements of fish and study of statistical relationship among them are essential for taxonomic study of a species (Tandon, et al., 1993). Although fishes exhibit some common characters, most of which are related to their permanently aquatic mode of life. A wide distribution of fishes into a variety of habitats has resulted in numerous adaptations in their morphology, physiology, and behavior (Khanna and Singh, 2005). Teleost fishes show great variations of body forms, fins, scales and other characters of body this variation is of great taxonomic values, particularly at the lower taxonomic unit (Hiware, et al., 2015). Morphological characters have been commonly used in fisheries biology to measure discreteness and relationship among various taxonomic categories (Turan, 1999). Morphometric characters such as total length, standard length, length of head, length of snout, postorbital length of head, length of caudal peduncle, height of body, head depth, head width, interorbital width, diameter of eye, predorsal length, length of upper jaw, length of lower jaw. Meristic characters are scales and fins, fin rays, anal fin, branchiostegal rays, caudal fin, dorsal fin, pectoral fin, pelvic fin or ventral fin etc (Hiware, et al., 2015). 11
Coloration in fishes is due to the presence of various kinds of pigments in the integuments, for example chromatophores and iridocytes (Hiware, et al., 2015). In this chapter description of morphological characters of two teleost fishes have been given in support of other chapters. Information on the external morphology of fishes can be found in many standard references. 12
MATERIALS AND METHODS The major carps Catla catla and Labeo rohita were collected from Kaigaon Toka, Aurangabad district (M.S) India. Fishes were caught with the help of cast net. Fishes were identified on the spot by external morphological characters such as body shape, colour, head size, mouth shape, eye, lip structure, lateral line and fin colour Sarder, et al., (2011). The samples were preserved in 10% formalin so that the specimen maintains its original shape. These fishes were transported in plastic containers to the fishery research laboratory, Department of Zoology, Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Marathwada University, Aurangabad. Fishes were identified upto the species level by its natural colour, pattern of scales, fins, mouth pattern, identification marks like black spot, Bloch on operculum, paired and unpaired fins and body parts using standard literature by Datta Mushi and Shrivastava (1988); Talwar and Jhingran (1991); Francis Day vol I and II (1989); Jayaram (1981 and 1999); Jyoti and Arti Sharma (2006) Dhanukar et al., (2011); Datta and Datta-Mushi (1996); Rajbanshi (1996). 13
RESULTS Catla catla Catla catla is commonly known as catla, Tampra. Local names of Catla fish in India are bhakur, boassa, chepti, katla, tambra (Hindi, marathi), botcha (Telgu), katla, thoppu meen (Tamil), katla (Kannada), Karnatka, katla (Malyalam), pla kra ho (Bengali), thambra (Gujarati). Colour of the body is grayish on the dorsal side and silvery on the lateral and ventral side. Fins are blackish in colour. Pectoral, ventral and anal fins have orange tings at the base. Body is deep, compressed, stout and scales are present except on mouth and head. Eyes are in front half of head with three orbital margins, large and visible from below the head, dorsal profile more convex than that of ventral. Mouth is wide, upturned with prominent protruding lower jaw. Snout bluntly rounded. Some pores are visible on the snout. Lips are thick, unfringed. Lower lip has continuous and free posterior margin. Lower jaw with a movable articulation at symphysis without a prominent process. The head is large and broad. Length of head ranges from 4.1 cms to 4.7 cms and height of body from 3 cms to 3.5 cms in total length. Barbells are absent. Dorsal fin is long commences slightly in advance of the ventral fin, it is inserted above the tip of pectoral fin with 1-19 rays. Pectoral fin is located slightly behind the ventral fin. Caudal fin is forked. Simple rays non-osseous. Fin formula of Catla catla is D.18 (3/15); P.19 (1/18); V.9 (1/8); A.8 (3/5); C.19; L.I. 40-42; L.tr.7.5-5, (Gupta and Gupta, 2006). Body with conspicuously large cycloid scales. Scales are of moderate size lateral line is complete with 40-43 scales and commences from the upper margin of the gill cover. Red spot is present on each scale. The fish is fleshy and noted for its delicacy and valued very high in the market. It is one of the most productive food fish in India. It is one of the fastest growing fish in the country it grows up to 182 cm in total length. 14
Catla catla commercial farming in freshwater pond is very profitable as this fish is sturdy and grow very fast by eating surface feed. Catla catla is also a game fish, it is used as sport fish. 15
Kingdom Animalia (Linnaeus, 1758) Order Cypriniformes Phylum Chordata (Bateson, 1885) Family Sub-phylum Vertebrata (Cuvier, 1812 ) Genus Class Pisces Species Sub-class Name Actinopterygii (Ray finned fishes) Common / English: - Katla/ Catla Major Carp. Scientific name New name Cyprinidae (Minnows & carp) Catla (Hamilton & Buchanan, 1849) catla (Hamilton, 1822) Catla catla (Hamilton, 1822) Status Common, (Yadav, 2006). First-Record Habit Diagnostic characters Fin formula Distribution 1822. Cyprinus catla Hamilton Buchanan. Fish Ganges pp. 287, 318, pl.13 fig. 81. Herbivorous Upper lip absent. Lower lip moderately thick. Lower jaw with a movable articulation at the symphysis but without a prominent knob no barbles. Dorsal fin is long inserted above tip of pectoral fin with 17-19 rays and without any spine, (Jayaram, 1981). D.18 (3/15); P.19 (1/18); V.9 (1/8); A.8 (3/5); C.19; L.I. 40-42; L.tr.7.5-5, (Gupta and Gupta, 2006). India- Throughout India, (Kapoor, Dayal and Ponniah 2002). Abroad Pakistan, Nepal and Bangladesh, (Kapoor, Dayal and Ponniah 2002). Categories Reference: Ubarhande, (2010). Food fish 16
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Labeo rohita The Indian carp Labeo rohita also called as rohu, tambda massa (Marathi), bhobhari (Hindi), dumra (Punjabi), rahu (Bengali), rohi (Oriya), row (Manipuri). It is native to India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Pakistan and Myanmar. The body is bluish black along the back becoming reddish black along the sides and silvery beneath. Scales are with buff, orange or reddish center and dark margin. Fins are black. Length of head ranges from 4.5 cms - 5 cms and the height of body from 4 cms- 4.5 cms in total length. Eyes are red in colour, large and without eyelids. Body is laterally compressed, moderately elongated, fusiform and abdomen is rounded. Back is bent and slopping down both towards the tail and head. Dorsal profile is more concave than abdomen. The inner orbital space is flat. Mouth small and inferior, lips thick and fringed, each lip with a distinct inner fold, snout obtuse depressed and projecting beyond mouth. Only one pair of short and thin maxillary barbells is present, but in other species of Labeo barbells are not present. A large dorsal fin is present in the middle of the body. Caudal fin is deeply forked. A small and homocercal tail is present. Spinous rays are absent in pectoral fins. Fin formula of Labeo rohita is D.16 (3/13); P.17; V.9; A.7 (2/5); C.19; L.I. 40; L.tr 7 ½. Barbels 1 pair, (Datta Munshi and Srivastava, 1988). The lateral line is complete with 40-42 scales, while 20 scales around the caudal fin. It is one of the most valuable, popular food fishes of India, its flesh is delicious. It is relished very much as food, rich in protein content and is suitable for pond culture. It is often used as a game fish in Bangladesh but wildly used in other countries. This species command a good market price and consumer demand. It grows upto a length of 200 cm, it is estimated excellent as food and great economic importance. 18
Kingdom Animalia (Linnaeus, 1758) Order Cypriniformes Phylum Chordata (Bateson, 1885) Family Sub- Phylum Vertebrata (Cuvier, 1812 ) Genus Class Pisces Species Sub- Class Name Actinopterygii (Ray finned fishes) Common / English: - Rohu /Roho labeo. Scientific name New name Status Common, Yadav, (2006). Cyprinidae (Minnows & carp) Labeo (Boulenger, 1912 ) rohita (Hamilton, 1822 ) Labeo rohita (Hamilton, 1822 ) First- Record Habit 1822, Cyprinus rohita, Hamilton Buchanan, Fish Ganges, pp. 301, pl.36, fig.85. Herbivorous Diagnostic characters Fin formula Distribution Dorsal fin rays 14 to 16, pectoral fins as long as head, excluding snout. Body ablong. Mouth terminal narrow, (Jayaram, 1999). D.16 (3/13); P.17; V.9; A.7 (2/5); C.19; L.I. 40; L.tr 7 ½. Barbels 1 pair, (Datta Munshi and Srivastava, 1988). India- Freshwater of Punjab, U.P, Bihar, W.B,Orrisa, Maharashtra, Assam, M.P. Narmada, Mahanadi and Tapi rivers, (Kapoor, Dayal and Ponniah, 2002). Abroad Pakistan, Myanmar, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri lanka, U.S.S.A.R, Japan, Philipinnes and Malaysia, (Kapoor, Dayal and Ponniah, 2002). Categories Reference: Ubarhande, (2010). Food fish 19
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