Biological observations on the pufferfishes of south Konkan coast with special reference to the net-damaging species <i>Lagocephalus spadiceus</i> (Osteichthyes, Tetraodontidae)

Abstract

Initial observations on destruction of fishing gear by pufferfishes, along the south Konkan Coast, Maharashtra, India indicated that out of the 7 species inhabiting the region 4 occur in fairly good numbers, but only Lagocephalus spadiceus (Richardson, 1845) causes large-scale damage. Biological studies were, therefore, conducted in order to understand the possible reasons which induce only certain species to damage the nets. While net-damaging species are essentially meat or flesh eaters, the non-damaging forms predominantly feed on hard molluscan shells. Both sexes of L. spadiceus exhibited almost similar growth rate and are homogenously destributed for major part of the year, excepting post-monsoon breeding season. It matures at around 9 cm size and breeds twice in a year-once during February-March with smaller to (9 to 15 cm) females and again from September to November with larger (11 to 28 cm) females. The two breeding seasons coincide with the peak net damaging periods.