Studies on marine ornamental fishes of Lakshadweep (TH098)

• Main Author: Vijayamma, T N
• Format: Thesis
• Language: English
• Published: 1997
• Subjects: Theses; Ornamental Fishes; Bird Island; Indian
• Online Access: http://eprints.cmfri.org.in/7154/; http://eprints.cmfri.org.in/7154/1/TH-98_Vij.pdf

Many of the marine ornamental fishes are found in the coastal habitats within the tropics away from the coral reef regions. But there is a predominance of species, these populations are strongly correlated with the presence of coral reefs (Goldman and Talbot, 1976). The major coral reefs in India include the sedimentary fringing reef of Andamans and Nicobar, a largely submerged barrier reef extending from Tuticorin to Jaffna in the Gulf of Mannar and Lakshadweep atolls. Hence the distribution of ornamental fishes in India is restricted mainly to these coral reef areas. Among these, Lakshadweep remains to be the least studied group of islands in the Indian Ocean for its coral reef resources, especially .for the ornamental fishes. Moreover, the comparatively shallow lagoons around the Lakshadweep islands were a maj or criterion for selecting Lakshadweep for the present study as it is easy to conduct the various observations and studies on the coral reef fishes in the shallow waters. Lakshadweep group of islands is located in the Arabian sea, west of Kerala between 8° and 12° N. Lat. and 71° and 74°E Long. The archipelago consists of 12 atolls, 3 reefs and 5 submerged banks. Of the 36 islands covering an area of 32 sq. Km., 10 are inhabited. They are Minicoy, Kalpeni, Androth, Agatti, Kavaratti. Amini, Kadmat. Kiltan. Chelat and Bi tra. The uninhabited islands are viringli, cheriyam, Tilakkam pitti, Suheli cheriyakara, Suheli valiyakara, Pi tti (Bird Island) , Kalpitti, Bangaram, Tinnakkara, Parali, Perumal Paar and cheriyapaniyam and Baliyapaniyam reefs (Plate 1). All these islands except Androth have shallow and saucer-shaped lagoons on the west encircled by coral reefs and storm-beaches on the east with steep coral rocky slopes.