Abstract

REPRODUCTIVE CYCLE OF THE FRESHWATER INDIAN KILLIFISH APLOCHEILUS LINEATUS (VALENCIENNES, 1846) IN THE RIVER TAMBRAPARANEI FROM TIRUNELVELI DISTRICT

*J. Michael Antony Prabhu Arachi

ABSTRACT

It was observed in the present study that A. lineatus had an asynchronous ovary with multiple spawning. The peak spawning period coincided with the northeast monsoon during October - November and during the southwest monsoon in April - June. At an early age, the females were bigger than males. But once they attained maturity the males became larger than the females. Almost both the males and the females were recorded in equal numbers in all the months. The minimum size at maturity for male and female A. lineatus was 30mm and 35mm respectively.

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