Phenotypic Characteristics of the Clupeid Fish Tenualosa ilisha (Family: Clupeidae) collected from Manjhand Vicinity, Pakistan

Abstract

Thirteen body proportions of the clupeid species, Tenualosailisha were investigated from Manjhand locality on the Indus River, Pakistan. Negative allometricgrowths for all morphometric traits examined were attained. The highest value of ‘b’ coefficient obtained was at its highest level for fork length (0.8834) and its lowest value for eye diameter (0.0398). The correlation coefficient value (R2) was at its lowest value for the relationship of the pectoral fin length-total fish length (0.46), the medium value of 0.77 and 0.80 were obtained for dorsal fin base length and anal fin base length respectively, while the highest value of 0.99 was attained for the relationship of both fork and standard lengths-total length and 0.98 for caudal peduncle length followed by 0.94 for the relationship of postorbital length-total fish length. The present report provides data to fishery biologists on body proportions of T. ilisha from the Indus River valley, Pakistan to support in development of management policies for this fish species.