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First report on the diet and reproductive biology of red-toothed triggerfish Odonus niger (Ruppell, 1836) from the south-eastern Arabian Sea

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  25 November 2021

Nitin Kanji Suyani ,
Mridula Rajesh Open the ORCID record for Mridula Rajesh [Opens in a new window]  and
Kothanahally Mallegowda Rajesh
Nitin Kanji Suyani
Affiliation:
Department of Fisheries Resources and Management, College of Fisheries, Kankanady, Mangalore575 002, Karnataka, India
Mridula Rajesh*
Affiliation:
Department of Fisheries Resources and Management, College of Fisheries, Kankanady, Mangalore575 002, Karnataka, India
Kothanahally Mallegowda Rajesh
Affiliation:
Pelagic Fisheries Division, ICAR-Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute, Mangalore Regional Centre, PB No. 244, Mangaluru575 001, Karnataka, India
*
Author for correspondence: Mridula Rajesh, E-mail: mridularajesh789@yahoo.co.in
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Abstract

The feeding habits and reproductive biology of red-toothed triggerfish Odonus niger (Ruppell, 1836) was analysed from 449 specimens collected from the Karnataka coast of the south-eastern Arabian Sea. Of the total stomachs examined, only 54 (12%) were empty and 395 contained food remains. The diet comprised crustacean remains (48.0%), zooplankton (21.4%), algae (16.5%), fish remains (6.1%) and cephalopod remains (5.3%) along with partially digested matter (2.3%) and detritus (0.4%). The species was found to be a generalist feeder and an omnivore. The overall sex ratio between males and females (1: 0.44) was significantly (P < 0.05) different. Histological examination of the ovaries indicated asynchronous ovarian development in females, with males maturing earlier than females. The gonadosomatic index (GSI) patterns of males and females, and the presence of ripe ovaries and spermatozoids suggested that April–May is the peak spawning period. The absolute and relative fecundity estimates ranged from 16,464–312,420 eggs and 251–2812 eggs g−1 respectively. Fecundity was positively correlated with total length and body weight. The biological information on diet composition and reproductive traits provided for the first time in this study can facilitate conservation, management and sustainable exploitation of this species in the study area.

Keywords

BalistidaehistologyOdonus nigertriggerfishvacuity index
Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom , Volume 101 , Issue 5 , August 2021 , pp. 827 - 837
Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s), 2021. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom

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