Spatio-temporal variation in the diversity of threadfin breams (Family: Nemipteridae) From Wadge Bank, South India

Abstract

The present study was carried out for a period of June 2015 to May 2016 and revealed that the diversity and spatio-temporal variation in catch rates along the Wadge Bank, South India. The fishes of Nemiptridsare randomly sampled from three major fish landing centres viz, Chinnamuttom, Colachel and Vizhinjam along the Wadge Bank. A total of 14 species belonging to 3 genera viz, Nemipterus, Scolopsis and Parascolopsis has been recorded. The catch rate was found to be high in Chinnamuttom (76250 Kg/year) followed by Colachel (58000 Kg/year) and Vizhinjam (34000 Kg/year).The highest species diversity was in Colachel (12 species) followed by Chinnamuttom (10 species) and Vizhinjam (9 species) fish landing centres respectively. Nemipterus japonicus and Scolopsis bimaculata is the dominated species in all landing centres of Wadge Bank. Outof 14 species 6 species are found to be spawners and were recorded in good numbers in all the landing centres during the major fishing season.