Record of six species of Mudskippers (Gobiidae : Oxudercinae) from the mangroves of Bhitarkanika, Odisha, east coast of India

Abstract

Present paper consists the record of six species of mudskippers along with their morphometric analysis and spatial distribution from Bhitarkanika mangroves of Odisha, in the east coast of India. The six species of mudskippers are distributed under six genera Apocryptes (A. bato), Baleopthalmus (B. boddarti), Parapocryptes (P. serperaster), Periophthalmus (P. novemradiatus), Pseudapocryptes (Ps. elongatus) and Scartelaos (S. histophorus). The study was conducted from November 2010 to March 2013 in Bhitarkanika Wildlife sanctuary covering four survey sites representing degraded mangrove in downstream seaward side, the mangrove region and degraded mangrove in upstream tidal riverward side. While Baleopthalmus boddarti and Pseudapocryptes elongatus are found in all four habitats, Parapocryptes serperaster and Scartelaos histophorus are found both from seaward side and riverward side. Apocryptes bato are exclusively from upstream tidal riverward side and Periopthalmus novemradiatus are found exclusively from mangrove regions. P. serperaster were found to be the longest, A. bato were the heaviest and P. novemradiatus were the smallest as well as lightest.