Abstract: Reproductive biology of an endangered freshwater, air breathing mud eel, Monopterus cuchia (Hamilton) was analyzed to identify its peak breeding season. The samples were collected from January 2016-February 2018. In males, highest GSI value of 3.4±0.8 was observed during the month of May and lowest value of 0.02±0.1 was observed during the month of September. Similarly in case of females, highest GSI value of 7.33±0.081 was observed during the month of May and the lowest GSI value of 0.27±0.089 was observed during the month of September. Thus this indicates the maturity of the species which corresponding to the breeding period. Monthly variation in the fecundity of female M. cuchia was also calculated and found out that the fecundity of female M. cuchia was highest during the month of May with a peak value of 924 eggs (length= 78cm, weight= 344 gms) and lowest during the month of September with a value of 150 eggs (length= 70cm, weight= 365 gms). Ova diameter was analyzed during breeding season and observed to vary from 0.0 to 4.0 mm during September to May. However, this analysis implies that highest GSI value in May is indicative of the fact that M. cuchia may have peak breeding season in May.
Keywords: Fecundity, Gonado-somatic Index, M. cuchia, Ova diameter, Reproductive biology.
Title: REPRODUCTIVE BIOLOGY AND ITS PERIODIC VARIATION OF ENDANGERED MUD EEL Monopterus cuchia (Hamilton) FROM MEGHALAYA, INDIA
Author: BARISHA MARY KURBAH, RABINDRA NATH BHUYAN
International Journal of Life Sciences Research
ISSN 2348-313X (Print), ISSN 2348-3148 (online)
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