First record of an anophthalmic unicorn cod, Bregmaceros mcclellandi Thompson, 1840 in dol net landings from Versova, Mumbai, Maharashtra

Abstract

Present study reports the first documented record of an anophthalmic specimen of unicorn cod, Bregmaceros mcclellandi without left eye caught by a dol net unit operated in the Arabian Sea, west coast of India and landed at Versova (Mumbai), northwest coast of India. The specimen was a mature female having 60 mm total length and 0.94 g total weight. Comparison of the morphometric and meristic characters of the anophthalmic specimen with a normal one does not show any considerable change in its size, shape or other morphological characters and meristic counts. This anomaly may be considered as congenital which has not affected the growth of the fish.