Cestodes (Caryophyllidea) of the stinging catfish Heteropneustes fossilis (Siluriformes: Heteropneustidae) from Asia

The stinging catfish Heteropneustes fossilis (Bloch) (Siluriformes: Heteropneustidae) has been reported to harbor as many as 19 species of caryophyllidean tapeworms (Cestoda) of 11 genera in tropical Asia (Indomalayan zoogeographical region). However, a critical review of the species composition has shown that only 1 species, Lucknowia fossilisi Gupta, 1961 (Lytocestidae), is a specific parasite of H. fossilis. Three other species, Djombangia penetrans Bovien, 1926 (syn., Djombangia caballeroi Sahay and Sahay, 1977 ), Pseudocaryophyllaeus ritai Gupta and Singh, 1983 (syn. Pseudocaryophyllaeus lucknowensis Gupta and Sinha, 1984 ), and Pseudocaryophyllaeus tenuicollis (Bovien, 1926) Ash, Scholz, Oros and Kar, 2011 (syn. P. mackiewiczi Gupta and Parmar, 1982 ), were found only once. Lucknowia fossilisi is redescribed on the basis of new material collected in West Bengal and voucher specimens from Maharashtra, India. A total of 9 species of Capingentoides, Lucknowia, Lytocestus, Pseudoadenoscolex, Pseudocaryophyllaeus, Pseudoheteroinverta, and Sukhapatae are newly synonymized with L. fossilisi and previous synonymies of 9 other species, proposed by Hafeezulah (1993), are confirmed. Generic diagnosis of Lucknowia Gupta, 1961 is amended. In addition, 1 species of Pseudobatrachus and 2 species of the monotypic genera Pseudoneckinverta and Sudhaena are invalidated as nomina nuda.     

Length–weight relationships of 16 fish species from the Tarim River,China

This paper reports the length–weight relationships of 16 fish species belonging to three families and ten genera from the Tarim River in China. Length–weight relationships for ten fish species were unknown to Fishbase, and new maximum lengths are given for six species. The r² values ranged from 0.972 to 0.995. Values of b varied from 2.79 to 3.49.     

Length–weight and length–length relationships of fish species from the Chi River,northeastern Thailand

The relationships of total length (TL), fork length (FL) and standard length (SL) are presented for four fish species and the relationships between TL and wet weight for 23 fish species from the Chi River in northeastern Thailand. All length–length relationships were linear (r² > 0.95). Slope (b) of the length–weight relationships showed values between 2.5073 and 3.4896.     

Length–weight relationship for seven freshwater fish species from Brazil

The present study reports length‐weight relationships for seven native freshwater fish species (Triportheus angulatus, Psectrogaster rhomboides, Prochilodus brevis, Leporinus piau, Cichlasoma orientale, Crenicichla menezesi, and Pimelodella gracilis) captured in a semiarid Brazilian reservoir located in the state of Rio Grande do Norte.     

Length–weight relationships of 14 Indian freshwater fish species from the Betwa (Yamuna River tributary) and Gomti (Ganga River tributary) rivers

The length‐weight relationships (LWRs) were studied of 588 fish covering eight families, 13 genera and 14 species (Notopterus notopterus, Gudusia chapra, Labeo calbasu, Puntius sarana, Cirrhinus mrigala, Ompok bimaculatus, Mystus tengara, Mystus cavasius, Sperata aor, Sperata seenghala, Eutropiichthys vacha, Wallago attu, Rhinomugil corsula, and Mastacembelus armatus) captured in the Betwa River (tributary of the Yamuna River) and Gomti River (tributary of the Ganga River) from December 2007 to January 2009. The b values varied between 2.4 (M. armatus) and 3.52 (P. sarana), with the mean b = 2.96 at P < 0.001 for all species. The observations are significant for conservation and management because the Betwa River has been approved under India’s first interlinking plan with the Ken River, and no length‐weight data had thus far been reported for the Gomti River. The objective was to evaluate the LWRs of these two unstudied rivers for fisheries management.     

Length–weight relationship of 62 fish species from the Central Aegean Sea,Turkey

Length–weight relationships were estimated for 11 elasmobranch and 51 teleost fish species caught in Izmir Bay, Turkey. Sampling was carried out from June 2005 to May 2006 at monthly intervals using a bottom trawl net. The mean b‐value was calculated as 3.10 (SE = ±0.03) and only three species were out of range between 2.5 and 3.5.     

Length–weight relationship and seasonal condition in Capoeta sieboldii in the upper Çoruh River,Turkey

Seasonal variations in Fulton’s condition factor (K) and the length–weight relationship (LWR) were investigated for Capoeta sieboldii in the upper Çoruh River (Turkey) from March 2000 to February 2001. There was a slight seasonal variation in condition, with generally lower values in summer and winter, and higher values in autumn. LWR was calculated as W = 0.016 × L^2.933, W = 0.014 ×L^3.001, and W = 0.009 × L^3.118 for males, females, and juveniles, respectively.     

Age and Growth of Spotted Snakehead,Channa punctata from the Ganga River

Journal of Ichthyology - The present study was undertaken to estimate age and growth of the spotted snakehead Channa punctata (Bloch, 1793) from the Ganga River, based on 390 fish samples collected...     

Influence of temperature on ovarian recrudescence in the Indian catfish, Heteropneustes fossilis

Over a 60-day experiment during the preparatory phase of the reproductive cycle, ovarian weights increased with rise in temperature in Heteropneustes fossilis and oocyte diameters suggested an optimum temperature of 22° C for Stage II oocyte formation. The oocytes did not reach Stage II at 10° C. Atresia of Stage III oocytes occurred following 60 days of exposure at 30°C.     

Vascular organization of the head and respiratory organs of the air-breathing catfish,Heteropneustes fossilis

Light and scanning electron microscopy of vascular replicas from the facultative air-breathing fish Heteropneustes fossilis show modifications in the macrocirculation of the respiratory organs and systemic circulation, whereas, gill microcirculation is similar to that found in typical water-breathing fish. Three and sometimes four ventral aortae arise directly from the bulbus. The most ventral vessel supplies the first pair of arches. Dorsal to this another aorta supplies the second gill arches, and a third, dorsal to, and larger than the other two, supplies the third and fourth arches and the air sacs. Occasionally a small vessel that may be the remnant of a primitive aortic arch arises from the first ventral aorta and proceeds directly to the mandibular region without perfusing gill tissue. The air sac is perfused by a large-diameter extension of the afferent branchial artery of the fourth gill arch and its circulation is in parallel with the gill arches. Blood drains from the air sac into the fourth arch epibranchial artery. A number of arteries also provide direct communication between the efferent air sac artery and the dorsal aorta. All four gill arches are well developed and contain respiratory (lamellar) and nonrespiratory (interlamellar and nutrient) networks common to gills of water-breathing fish. Air sac lamellae are reduced in size. The outer 30% of the air sac lamellar sinusoids are organized into thoroughfare channels; the remaining vasculature, normally embedded in the air sac parenchyma, is discontinuous. A gill-type interlamellar vasculature is lacking in the air sac circulation. Despite the elaborate development of the ventral aortae, there is little other anatomical evidence to suggest that gill and air sac outflow are separated and that dorsal aortic oxygen tensions are maintained when the gills are in a hypoxic environment. Physiological adjustments to hypoxic water conditions probably include temporal regulation of gill and air sac perfusion to be effective, if indeed they are so.     

Length–weight relationships of four freshwater ornamental fish species from the Brazilian Negro River basin

The present work reports the length–weight relationships (LWR) for four ornamental fish species from the middle Negro River basin, Amazonas, Brazil. The r² value ranged from 0.810 to 0.941 and values of b varied from 2.346 to 3.442. These results represent the first reference on LWR for all four species, based on FishBase.     

Effects of stress and food deprivation on catfish, Heteropneustes fossilis (Bloch)

No significant changes in plasma cortisol and plasma osmolarity (the indicators of primary and secondary response respectively) were observed when the blood samples were obtained from unanaesthetized, anaesthetized and stressed catfish, H. fossilis. The results suggest that the catfish is fairly hardy and not easily susceptible to stress by routine laboratory handling. The sustained plasma glucose levels and decreased liver and muscle glycogen concentrations during cessation of feeding of the catfish suggest that during period of food deprivation, it draws its energy through glycogenolysis. Hence, in any study dealing with carbohydrate metabolism, the catfish needs to be fed during acclimation and experimental periods.     

Cloning, sequencing and expression of cDNA encoding growth hormone from Indian catfish (Heteropneustes fossilis)

A tissue-specific cDNA library was constructed using polyA⁺ RNA from pituitary glands of the Indian catfishHeteropneustes fossilis (Bloch) and a cDNA clone encoding growth hormone (GH) was isolated. Using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) primers representing the conserved regions of fish GH sequences the 3′ region of catfish GH cDNA (540 bp) was cloned by random amplification of cDNA ends and the clone was used as a probe to isolate recombinant phages carrying the full-length cDNA sequence. The full-length cDNA clone is 1132 bp in length, coding for an open reading frame (ORF) of 603 bp; the reading frame encodes a putative polypeptide of 200 amino acids including the signal sequence of 22 amino acids. The 5′ and 3′ untranslated regions of the cDNA are 58 bp and 456 bp long, respectively. The predicted amino acid sequence ofH. fossils GH shared 98% homology with other catfishes. Mature GH protein was efficiently expressed in bacterial and zebrafish systems using appropriate expression vectors. The successful expression of the cloned GH cDNA of catfish confirms the functional viability of the clone.     

Length–weight relationships of wild and farmed Tor putitora from Pakistan

Length–weight relationships (W = a TL^b) were estimated for wild and farmed Tor putitora obtained from River Korang, Islamabad and Attock District, Pakistan, respectively. The results indicate, W = 0.0171 TL^2.85 for wild and W = 0.1000 TL^2.33 for farmed. Total length ranged from 18.0 to 40.2 cm for male and 31.6 to 37.0 cm for female wild Tor putitora, indicating that the fish are now much smaller. The first reference of length–weight relationships for Tor putitora is provided.     

Length–weight relationships for nine species of batoids from the Iskenderun Bay,Turkey

Presented are length–weight relationships for Rhinobatos rhinobatos, Rhinobatos cemiculus, Gymnura altevela, Dasyatis pastinaca, Rhinoptera marginata, Pteromylaeus bovinus, Torpedo nobiliana, Raja miraletus and Raja clavata captured by gillnet, longline and bottom trawl fishing between May 2010 and July 2011 off the east coast of Iskenderun Bay, Turkey.     

Condition factor,length–weight and length–length relationships of an endangered fish Ompok pabda (Hamilton 1822) (Siluriformes: Siluridae) from the River Gomti,a tributary of the River Ganga,India

The present study describes the condition factor, length‐weight and length‐length relationships for an endangered freshwater fish species Ompok pabda (Hamilton) of the family Siluridae from the River Gomti in Northern India. The values of regression parameter b ranged from 2.81 to 3.32 (r² > 0.90). During the pre‐monsoon, the allometric coefficient b of the LWR was close to isometric value (b = 3.08) allometric (b = 2.87), although it suggested negative allometric growth in monsoon periods while positive growth in post‐monsoon. The condition factor values ranged from 0.672 to 0.744. Results of the present study could be useful to help in conservation and sustainable fisheries management of this endangered species.