Scanning electron microscopy of scales in two edible fishes Notopterus kapirat and Etroplus suratensis for its application in taxonomy

Abstract

Taxonomic identification of fishes is essential in conservation study and to understand their role in an aquatic ecosystem. The study of scale morphology provides new and useful information in the field of the taxonomy of fish and paleontological analysis. The purpose of this study was to determine the scale morphology and the surface ultra-structural details like circuli, radii and focus. Other structures like tubercles, denticles, canals, chromatophores, ctenii were also noted with specifications, arrangement and numbers, on the scales. The teleost species Notopterus kapirat and Etroplus suratensis were selected in this study from the Godavari river basin in Maharashtra. Other than morphological characters using phase-contrast microscopy and SEM the microphotographs of selected characters of the scales were noted. From the result, it was concluded that fish scales have numerous hidden detail in their structures and they are a new advanced tool in fish systematics even after not getting the whole fish sample but the availability of scales only is enough.