Coastal Waters Of Pakistan Research Articles

Gonads annual development of Kelee shad, Hilsa kelee (Cuvier, 1829) from the coastal waters of Pakistan and its spawning ecology

Annual reproductive cycle and spawning ecology of Kelee shad, Hilsa kelee were studied. The sex ratios did not exhibit as 1 : 1; whereas 69.19% were females. On the basis of histological examination, the maturity of female gonads of H. kelee was categorized in eight developmental stages: immature, developing, fully developed, hydrated, running ripe, partially spent, spent and post spawning. Whereas males of this spe� cies were categorized in five developmental stages: immature, developing, ripe, partially spent and spent. This fish is repeatedly spawner and spawns twice per year: in April to June and August to October. The values of exponent b in the length weight regressions (W = al b ) slightly varied in males b = 3.133, R 2 = 0.96 and P < 0.01 and females b = 3.143, R 2 = 0.95 and P < 0.001. The linear regressions of lengthweight relationships were significant for both males and females.

The occurrence of the ciguatera fish poisoning producing dinoflagellate genus Gambierdiscus in Pakistan waters

Five benthic species of the genus Gambierdiscus (Dinophyceae) were observed for the first time in the coastal waters of Pakistan, Northern Indian Ocean. The morphology of the epiphytic, ciguatera-related toxic species G. toxicus, G. belizeanus, G. polynesiensis, G. australes and G. cf. yasumotoi are presented here, described by the Kofoid system of thecal plates Po, 3`, 7, 6c, 8s, 5`, 1p, 2 with differences in cell shape, cell size, plates, pores around the apical pore plate by using light and scanning electron microscopy. The occurrence of these potentially toxic dinoflagellate species in Pakistani coastal areas of Manora Channel and Balochistan during high temperatures of 28- is cause of concern for human health impacts from ciguatera fish poisoning.

Redescription of the poorly known calanoid copepod Pontella karachiensis Fazal-Ur-Rehman, 1973 from the Red Sea with notes on its feeding habits

The neustonic calanoid copepod Pontella karachiensis, previously recorded only in the coastal waters of Pakistan and recently in the Arabian Gulf, is fully redescribed from the northern Red Sea because the previous description is insufficient to identify the species. This is the first record of its occurrence in the Red Sea and confirms that this copepod is a subtropical Indian Ocean species. The species belongs to the newly established karachiensis group because of closer similarity to P. minocerami, the other member of the group, than any species of the known species groups. Gut content analysis revealed that P. karachiensis is carnivorous, mainly feeding on planktonic copepods.

New record of edible jellyfish, Rhizostoma pulmo (Cnidaria: Scyphozoa: Rhizostomitidae) from Pakistani waters

During the survey two species viz, Catostylus mosaicus and Rhizostoma pulmo were found abundantly during March to August with a peak in June–July. The survey revealed the abundance of Catostylus mosaicus over Rhizostoma pulmo. Catostylus mosaicus was being fished at Sonmiani Bay (Balouchistan coast) Gharo Creek, Mirpur Sakro and Keti Bandar (Sindh coast; Indus delta), whereas, Rhizostoma pulmo was fished at Kemari and Keti Bandar. The commercial fishery was also initiated simultaneously on a small scale and jellyfish of both the species mentioned above were caught, processed and exported to south-east Asian countries. This is the first record of the occurrence of Rhizostoma pulmo from the region. A brief description of the species collected from the coastal waters of Pakistan is given along with notes on distribution, ecology, habitat and fishery.

First Records of Three Fishes from the Coastal Waters of Pakistan

First Records of Three Fishes from the Coastal Waters of Pakistan