Taxonomy of the fishes of the family Leiognathidae (Pisces, Teleostei) from the West coast of India

Abstract

A total of 16 species of the family Leiognathidae have been collected from the commercial landings from Cochin and Neendakara on the western coast of India from 1998–2000. Detailed morphometric data have been collected and all 16 species are redescribed with live color photographs here. Various relationships in the morphometric characteristics have been studied and regression equations fitted to enable comparison of the populations of these species from Kerala with those from other regions. Of the 16 species collected and described in the present work, five species, Nuchequula nuchalis, Equulites absconditus, Equulites leuciscus, Aurigequula longispina, and Gazza achlamys, are reported for the first time from the entire western coast of India.