Length-weight relationship, reproductive biology and diet of the Javelin grunter Pomadasys kaakan (Cuvier, 1830) (Family: Haemulidae) from western Bay of Bengal

Abstract

This study provides the first report on the length-weight relationship, reproductive biology and diet of Pomadasys kaakan (Cuvier, 1830) from western Bay of Bengal. Specimens for the study were collected from two locations, Visakhapatnam and Puri, with 301 fishes collected from the former and 153 from the latter. The mean size of P. kaakan at Visakhapatnam was 38.7 cm total length (TL) and 32.07 cm TL at Puri. The length-weight relationship indicated negative allometric growth in the species from both locations. The length at first maturity for female fish was estimated to be 31.5 cm TL at both locations. Our study indicated spawning throughout the year with peaks in February-April and July-August for P. kaakan in the study area. Analysis of diet indicated that in the study region the species had divergent feeding habits. At Visakhapatnam, teleosts (unidentified finfish, eels and silverbellies) were dominant diet items whereas crustaceans (crabs and shrimps) were the dominant diet components of P. kaakan at Puri. The close similarity in size distribution and reproductive biological parameters from the two regions points towards the possibility of a single stock of the species in the study region. Coastal fisheries, Fish stock, Javelin grunter, Life history, Tropical fisheries