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Reproductive biology and larval rearing of Hippocampus kuda, and the taxonomy of seahorses (hippocampus spp.) along the southern coast of India (TH 124)

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Title Reproductive biology and larval rearing
of Hippocampus kuda, and the taxonomy
of seahorses (hippocampus spp.) along
the southern coast of India (TH 124)
 
Creator Salin, K R
 
Subject Theses
seahorses
 
Description An organised fishery and trade of seahorses exist in the Palk Bay and Gulf of Mannar
coasts of India. Six species of seahorses namely Hippocampus borboniensis Dumeril
1870, Hippocampus spinosissimus Weber 1913, Hippocampus kuda Bleeker 1852,
Hippocampus fuscus Ruppell 1838, Hippocampus trimaculatus Leach 1814 and
Hippocampus guttulatus Cuvier 1829 were identified from the southern coast, and the total
landing at the major fishing centre, Thondi was estimated as 18.25 MT or 26,48,179
numbers of seahorses during 2001 . The volume of seahorse trade from India was
estimated as 9.75 MT of dried seahorses. A significant quantity of 1.6 MT (5,61,418
numbers) is also landed along the Quilon coast in Keraia, but it is not involved in any
organised trade. H. borboniensis was found to be the major species (27.96%) at Thondi,
followed by H. spinosissimus (22.14%). H. kuda (20.9%) , H. trimaculatus (14%) , H.
fuscus (9%) and H. guttulatus (4%) . The major size classes represented in the fishery
were 145-175 mm, 145-165 mm, 105-190 mm, 110-165 mm, 140-190 mm and 150-190
mm respectively for the six species collected from Thondi in 2001 . Crustaceans (88.85%) ,
consisting of cope pods (22.8%)' mysids and cumaceans (22.12%), amphipods and
isopods (20.86%), decapod larvae and tiny caridean shrimps (20.67%) dominated the gut
contents of H. kuda at Thondi. Ova diameter ranged from 0.5-0.8 mm and the mean
fecundity was 56.8 g-1 body weight of the female. The length-weight relationships were
obtained as W = 0.438615 (L 1.103592) for males, and W = 0.370531 (L 1.231822) for females
of H. kuda collected from Thondi. The size at first maturity for males and -females of H.
kuda was found to be 66.07 mm and 77.99 mm for males and females respectively. At
Thondi H. kuda was fo_und to breed year round, the major breeding season extending from
June to September with peak from July to August. The sex ratio remained almost the
same, except during the breeding season when more males were seen in the catches.
The captive rearing of the hatchlings of H. kuda using different feeds showed that a diet of
enriched Artemia nauplii and mixed marine copepods was the best combination, which
gave mean survival rates of up to 56% and growth of 49.4 mm and 0.316 g after 60 days
of rearing. A stocking density of 3 juveniles per litre was found to be the optimum, which
gave high growth increment in length (43.67 mm) and weight (0.313 g) as well as the
highest mean production per litre of 1.51 during a rearing period of 60 days. The juveniles
of H. kuda were found to grow equally well in salinities ranging from 15 %0 to 35 %0. The
highest mean survival (60.56%). mean length (28.7 mm) and mean weight (39.1 mg) were
obtained at 30 %0 while rearing for 14 days. Rearing tanks, which were partially covered
to improve the feeding efficiency of Artemia nauplli registered the highest mean survival
(91%) and mean length (36.2 mm) and weight (66.14 mg) of juveniles during a 14-day
period. The juveniles of H. kuda were found to have reasonably high tolerance to extreme
levels of salinity, pH and formalin. The LCso values were 4.62, 4.83, 5.43 and 5.56 for low
pH and 11 .04,10.52,10.33 and 10.23 for high pH at 12, 24 48 and 72 h respectively. In the
case of salinity, LCso values of 1.59, 2.92, 3.63 and 4.67 %0 for low salinity, and 58.08,
54.45, 51 .29 and 49.26 %0 for high salinity were obtained for 12, 24, 48 and 72 h
respectively. The LCso for formalin was found to be 315, 296.48, 279.25 and 271 .02 ppm
for 12, 24, 48 and 72 h respectively.
 
Date 2003
 
Type Thesis
NonPeerReviewed
 
Format application/pdf
 
Language en
 
Identifier http://eprints.cmfri.org.in/7217/1/TH-124.pdf
Salin, K R (2003) Reproductive biology and larval rearing of Hippocampus kuda, and the taxonomy of seahorses (hippocampus spp.) along the southern coast of India (TH 124). ["eprint_fieldopt_thesis_type_phd" not defined] thesis, Central Institute of Fisheries Education, Mumbai.