On some interesting and new records of marine fishes from India

Abstract

While examining the fish landings by shore seines and trawl nets at various fishing centres along the Palk Bay and Gulf of Mannar in the vicinity of Mandapam the author came across several specimens of Drepane longimana (Bloch and Schneider) which is little known and Drepane punctata (Linnaeus) which was recognised as the only valid species of the genus Drepane, A study of these specimens has shown that these two species are distinct as shown by some authors (vide Text). A brief comparative account of these two species is given in this paper, along with a few remarks and key to distinguish the two species. The author has also been able to collect specimens of Platycephalus isacanthus Cuvier from the above catches, and a single specimen of Stethojulis interrupta (Bleeker) from the inshore waters of Gulf of Mannar caught in dragnet, whose occurrence, in Indian seas, is so far not known. Brief descriptions of these two species are also given in this paper.