Studies on the maturation and spawning of the fishes of the family Leiognathidae from the seas around India

Abstract

The paper deals with the maturation, spawning habits, spawning seasons and fecundity of 17 species of leiognathids from the seas around India. Most of the species appear to spawn over a prolonged period (L. fasciatus, L. jonesi, L. bindus, L. daura, L. leuciscus, L. blochii, L. brevirostris, L. berbis, L. lineolatus, S. ruconius, S. insidiator, G. minuta and G. achlamys); a few spawn continuously over a short period (L. equulus and L. smithursti); L. splendens spawns in batches in quick succession over a short period; and L. dussumieri spawns twice in a year for a short time in two distinct periods. Four species L. fasciatus, L. bindus, L. daura and L. berbis spawn fractionally. Except for L. brevirostris, which spawns almost throughout the year, the species spawn mostly during M&rch-April and November-December periods. Fecundity was found to increase with length at a higher rate in G. minuta, L. bindus and S. insidiator: at a lower rate in L. berbis, L. brevirostris, L. daura and 5. ruconius. But it was found to decrease with length in L. leuciscus and L. splendens. The pooled equation was found to be Y = 0.00745 X indicating that in leiognathids fecundity on length is a cubic relationship.