Osteology of the Indian mackerel,Rastrelliger kanagurta (Cuvier)

Abstract

Rastrelliger kanagurta (the Indian Mackerel) is a fish of great commercial importance and of wide geographical distribution in the Indo-Pacific region.The study of the biology of the mackerel has been receiving considerable attention in this region during recent years. One of the important aspects of such work is the study on raciation. While the skeletal characters are of importance in such investigations, no standard description of the skeletal system of R. kanagurta or of any allied Indian species has been available so far for reference. It was therefore necessary to undertake a detailed study of the skeletal system of R. kanqgurta as a preliminary to studies on raciation in this species. The present paper deals with the osteology of the Indian mackerel. It is proposed to publish a detailed comparative study of the osteology of the different genera and species of the family Scombridae. The descriptions of the various bones are dealt with in such a way that they may be of value as a guide, or comparison with the skeleton of other genera or species of mackerel.