Sains Malaysiana 42(9)(2013): 1207–1218

 

Life-history Traits of the Freshwater Garfish Xenentodon cancila (Hamilton 1822) (Belonidae)

in the Ganges River, Northwestern Bangladesh

(Ciri Sejarah Hidup Ikan Todak Air Tawar Xenentodon cancila (Hamilton 1822) (Belonidae)

di Sungai Ganges, Barat Laut Bangladesh)

 

 

Md. Yeamin Hossain1 2*, Md. Abu Sayed Jewel1, Md. Mosaddequr Rahman1, A.B.M. Mohidul Haque1, Heba Allah M. Elbaghdady3 & Jun Ohtomi2

1Department of Fisheries, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Rajshahi

Rajshahi 6205, Bangladesh

 

 

2Faculty of Fisheries, Kagoshima University, 4-20-50 Shimoarata, Kagoshima 890-0056

Japan

 

3Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Mansoura University, Egypt

 

Received: 28 December 2012 / Accepted: 15 February 2013

 

ABSTRACT

The freshwater garfish, Xenentodon cancila (Hamilton 1822), is one of the commercially important, nutritionally valuable food fish in Asian countries, but the natural populations are seriously decreasing due to high fishing pressure and other factors. This study describes the life history traits, including sex ratio (SR), length-frequency distributions (LFDs), length-weight relationships (LWRs), length-length relationships (LLRs), condition factors (Allometric, KA; Fulton’s, KF; relative condition, KR; relative weight, WR) and form factor (a3.0) of X. cancila in the Ganges (Padma) River, northwestern Bangladesh. A total of 175 specimens ranging from 10.50-21.00 cm TL (total length) and 1.44-20.67 g BW (body weight) were investigated in this study. Sampling was done using traditional fishing gears during April 2011 to March 2012. The overall sex ratio showed no significant differences from the expected value of 1:1 (df = 1, χ2 = 0.28, p<0.05), whereas significant difference was found in the LFD (TL) between the sexes (Two tailed, p<0.001). The allometric coefficient b for the LWR indicated positive allometric growth in males, females and combined sexes. The results further indicated that the LLRs were highly correlated. Both KR and KF showed significant variations (Two tailed, p<0.001) between male and female. Also, WR was significantly different from 100 for both sexes (p<0.01), indicating the imbalance habitat with food availability relative to the presence of predators for X. cancila. The calculated values of a3.0 were as 0.0304, 0.0268 and 0.0252 for males, females and combined sexes of X. cancila. This study reports the first complete and comprehensive description of life-history traits for X. cancila from Bangladeshi waters. The data should be useful for the sustainable conservation of this critically endangered fishery in Bangladesh and neighboring countries.

 

Keywords: Bangladesh; Ganges River; Garfish; life-history; Xenentodon cancila

 

ABSTRAK

Ikan todak air tawar, Xenentodon cancila (Hamilton 1822), adalah ikan yang penting daripada segi komersial, makanan berkhasiat yang bermutu di negara-negara Asia sedang mengalami masalah penurunan jumlah yang serius akibat daripada tekanan tangkapan  yang tinggi dan faktor-faktor lain. Kajian ini menerangkan ciri-ciri sejarah hidup, termasuk nisbah jantina (SR), taburan panjang frekuensi (LFDs), hubungan panjang-berat (LWRs), hubungan panjang-panjang (LLRs), faktor keadaan (‘alometrik’, KA; Fulton s, KF; keadaan relatif, KR, berat relatif, WR) dan faktor bentuk (a3.0) X. cancila di Sungai Ganges (Padma), barat laut Bangladesh. Sejumlah 175 spesimen yang mempunyai TL (jumlah panjang) 10,50-21,00 cm dan BW (berat badan) 1,44-20,67 g telah dikaji dalam kajian ini. Persampelan telah dilakukan dengan menggunakan peralatan menangkap ikan tradisi pada bulan April 2011 hingga Mac 2012. Nisbah jantina keseluruhan menunjukkan tiada perbezaan yang ketara daripada nilai yang dijangka 1:1 (df = 1,? 2 = 0.28, p<0.05), manakala perbezaan yang ketara ditemui dalam LFD (TL) antara jantina (Dua ekor, p<0.001). Pekali alometrik b untuk LWR menunjukkan pertumbuhan alometrik positif dalam sampel jantan, betina dan jantina gabungan. Hasil kajian juga menunjukkan bahawa LLRs mempunyai hubungan yang sangat bererti. Kedua-dua KR dan KF menunjukkan perbezaan yang ketara (Dua ekor, p<0.001) antara jantan dan betina. Selain itu, WR mempunyai perbezaan yang ketara daripada 100 untuk kedua-dua jantina (p<0.01), menunjukkan ketidakseimbangan habitat dengan adanya makanan berbanding dengan kehadiran pemangsa untuk X. cancila. Nilai bagi hasil pengiraan a3.0 adalah masing-masing 0,0304, 0,0268 dan 0,0252 untuk jantan, betina dan jantina gabungan X. cancila. Kajian ini buat pertama kali melaporkan penjelasan yang lengkap dan komprehensif ciri-ciri hidup sejarah bagi X. cancila dari perairan Bangladesh. Data ini seharusnya berguna untuk pemuliharaan mapan perikanan yang amat terancam di Bangladesh dan negara-negara jiran.

 

Kata kunci: Bangladesh; Ikan Todak; sejarah hidup; Sungai Ganga; Xenentodon cancila

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*Corresponding author; email: yeamin2222@yahoo.com

 

 

 

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