Reproductive Traits of an Endangered Loach, Triplophysa kashmirensis (Hora, 1922) in Kashmir Himalaya, India
Aadil Hussain Magloo *
Division of Fisheries Resource Management, Faculty of Fisheries, SKUAST-K, Jammu and Kashmir, India.
Farooz Ahmad Bhat
Division of Fisheries Resource Management, Faculty of Fisheries, SKUAST-K, Jammu and Kashmir, India.
Tasaduq Hussain Shah
Division of Fisheries Resource Management, Faculty of Fisheries, SKUAST-K, Jammu and Kashmir, India.
Adnan Abubakr
Division of Aquatic Environmental Management, Faculty of Fisheries, SKUAST-K, Jammu and Kashmir, India.
Feroz Ahmad Shah
Division of Aquatic Animal Health Management, Faculty of Fisheries, SKUAST-K, Jammu and Kashmir, India.
Bilal Ahmad Bhat
Division of Social sciences, Faculty of Fisheries, SKUAST-K, Jammu and Kashmir, India.
Hilal Ahmad
Division of Fisheries Resource Management, Faculty of Fisheries, SKUAST-K, Jammu and Kashmir, India.
Asim Iqbal Bazaz
Division of Fisheries Resource Management, Faculty of Fisheries, SKUAST-K, Jammu and Kashmir, India.
Ishfaq Hamid
Division of Aquatic Environmental Management, Faculty of Fisheries, SKUAST-K, Jammu and Kashmir, India.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
In this study, a total of 180 specimens of Triplophysa kashmirensis were studied. The total length of specimens varied from 54.85 mm to 130.17 mm for the weights 2.21 g and 21.03 g respectively. Maximum GSI (gonadosomatic index) value was demonstrated in the month of November with the peak value of 1.23 in males and 20.67 in females. The absolute fecundity varied from 561 to 11,386 eggs and relative fecundity from 914 to 1441 eggs per gram body weight. The average absolute fecundity recorded was 3,851.61 ± 266.61 whereas average relative fecundity was 418.45 ± 19.25 per gram body weight. The chi-square (χ 2) test indicated that there is significant difference (p≤0.05) between the Absolute fecundity in different months. The resultant average sex ratio, male: female was 1:0.8, indicating a significant dominance of males (p < 0.05). The length at first maturity (L50) for females of Triplophysa kashmirensis was estimated at 86 mm.
Keywords: Triplophysa kashmirensis, gonadosomatic Index, fecundity, sex ratio