Envis Centre, Ministry of Environment & Forest, Govt. of India

Photogallery

Marine hazards

Barracudas and Razor belly scads

Tiger shrimp, Penaeus monodon --Uniformly glabrous body; carapace with well-developed antennal and hepatic spines. Horizontal and straight hepatic carina. Rostrum armed with 7 or 8 dorsal and 3 ventral teeth. Color: body is reddish with darker bands. Brown to blue pleopods and reddish fringing setae.

Whitefin wolf herring, Chirocentrus nudus --- Dorsal spines (total): 0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 0; Anal spines: 0; Anal soft rays: 0. Scales numerous, small, usually lost. Silvery; back bright blue (fading to grey); flanks bright silver.

Obtuse barracuda, Sphyraena barracuda --- Dorsal spines (total): 6; Dorsal soft rays (total): 9; Anal spines: 1; Anal soft rays: 10. Distinguished by the double emarginate tail fin with pale tips on each lobe, and (usually) the presence of a few scattered black blotches on the lower sides. Top of head between eyes flat or concave; mouth large.

Groupers, snappers, jobfishes and squirrelfishes

Family: Serranidae, Genera: Cephalopholis sp. -- Family: Opercle with 3 (rarely 2) flat spines; margin of preopercle nearly always serrate (but serrae rudimentary in adults of a few species) or with 1 to 4 spines. Mouth large, terminal; maxilla exposed when mouth is closed; lower jaw usually projecting; bands of small, slender teeth in jaws; canines usually present at front of jaws and sometimes at side, Dorsal fin single or divided into spinous and soft portions, with IV to XIII spines and 9 to 25 soft rays. colour patterns are generally the most useful field characters as the morphometric and meristic characters often overlap to a considerable degree. Genera: Caudal fin rounded ; head length 2.2 to 3.1 times in standard length; adults with a knob at lower rear corner of maxilla (hidden by upper lip); dorsal-fin membranes distinctly incised between spine

Brownstripe red snapper,( Lutjanus vitta) --- Dorsal spines (total): 10; Dorsal soft rays (total): 12-14; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 8 - 9. Dorsal profile of head moderately sloped. Preorbital width about equal to eye diameter. Preopercular notch and knob poorly developed. Scale rows on back rising obliquely above lateral line. Generally whitish or pink with a yellowish brown to black stripe on the middle of the side. Juveniles and sub-adults with an intensely black mid-lateral stripe and an oval black spot, eye-sized or greater, lying in the middle of the stripe below last dorsal spines. Adults with yellow median fins. Body depth 2.6-3.0 in SL

Rusty jobfish, Aphareus rutilans --- Dorsal spines (total): 10; Dorsal soft rays (total): 10-11; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 8. Maxilla extending to below middle of eye; interorbital space flattened. Dorsal and anal fins without scales. Generally blue-gray or mauve to overall reddish; fins yellowish to reddish except pelvic and anal fins which are sometimes whitish; margin of maxilla black.

Bullseye, Priacanthus hamrur -- Dorsal spines (total): 10; Dorsal soft rays (total): 13-15; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 13 - 16. Red in color with 15 small dark spots along lateral line; median and pelvic fins dusky red; black spot at base of first 3 pelvic rays.

Indian anchovy, Stolephorus indicus --- Dorsal spines (total): 0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 15-17; Anal spines: 0; Anal soft rays: 18 - 21. Belly with 2 to 6 small needle-like pre-pelvic scutes. Maxilla tip pointed, reaching to or only just beyond front border of pre-operculum; hind border of pre-operculum convex, rounded. Isthmus muscle tapering evenly forward to hind border of branchial membrane. Body light transparent fleshy brown, with silver stripe down flank; no dark pigment lines on back between head and dorsal fin.

Tiger shrimp, Penaeus monodon Uniformly glabrous body; carapace with well-developed antennal and hepatic spines. Horizontal and straight hepatic carina. Rostrum armed with 7 or 8 dorsal and 3 ventral teeth. Color: body is reddish with darker bands. Brown to blue pleopods and reddish fringing setae.

Dasyatis sp. -- Snout obtuse and little produced to acute and strongly produced; disc more or less rhomboid, but not circular; tail whip-like, filamentous near tip, with or without a membranous fold or ridge above, but with a fold below (beginning at level of spine). Upper surfaces with or without bucklers, tubercles and thorns with conical cusps.

Small scale terapon, Terapon puta --- Dorsal spines (total): 11 - 12; Dorsal soft rays (total): 9-11; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 8 - 9

Sand whiting, Sillago sihama --- Dorsal spines (total): 11 - 13; Dorsal soft rays (total): 20-23; Anal spines: 2; Anal soft rays: 18 - 23. Swim bladder with two anterior and two posterior extensions. The anterior extensions extend forward and diverge to terminate on each side of the basioccipital above the auditory capsule. Two lateral extensions commence anteriorly, each sending a blind tubule anterolaterally and then extending along the abdominal wall below the investing peritoneum to just posterior of the duct-like process. Two posterior tapering extensions of the swim bladder project into the caudal region, one usually longer than the other. The species has a low lateral line with about 70 scales

Emperor fish

Marsupenaeus japonicus --- Maximum carapace length: 5.3 cm (male); 6.6 cm (female). Occurs at depths from 0 to 90 m in bottom sandy mud and sand marine environment. Temperate to tropical climates. Known to have Tapes philippinarum as part of its diet in cultured areas. Members of the order Decapoda are mostly gonochoric. Mating behavior: Precopulatory courtship ritual is common (through olfactory and tactile cues); usually indirect sperm transfer

Family (Penaeidae) Metapenaeus sp. -- no tubercles on their mesial (inner) borders. Carapace without postorbital spines and with short cervical grooves ending well below dor - sal midline. Last 2 pairs of pereiopods well developed; third and fourth pairs of pleopods biramous; endopods of second pair of pleopods in males bearing appendix masculina only. Genera - Pleurobranchia on somite 13 (penulti - mate thoracic somite); exopods on maxillipeds and 4 anterior pairs of pereiopods, lacking on fifth

Frigate tunas (Auxis thazard) -- Dorsal spines (total): 10 - 12; Dorsal soft rays (total): 10-13; Anal spines: 0; Anal soft rays: 10 - 14. Back bluish, turning to deep purple or almost black on the head. A pattern of 15 or more narrow, oblique to nearly horizontal, dark wavy lines in scaleless area above lateral line. Belly white. Pectoral and pelvic fins purple, their inner sides black. Body robust, elongate and rounded. Teeth small and conical, in a single series. Pectoral fins short, but reaching past vertical line from anterior margin of scaleless area above corselet. A large single-pointed flap (interpelvic process) between pelvic fins. Body naked except for the corselet, which is well developed and narrow in its posterior part (no more than 5 scales wide under second dorsal-fin origin). A strong central keel on each side of caudal-fin base between 2 smaller keels

Milk-fish (Chanos chanos) -- Dorsal spines (total): 2; Dorsal soft rays (total): 13-17; Anal spines: 2; Anal soft rays: 8 - 10; Vertebrae: 46. This species is characterized by the following: body elongate and somewhat compressed; mouth small and toothless; branchiostegal rays 4; one dorsal fin; pectoral fins falcate; body olive green; flanks silvery; fins dark bordered. Superficially resembles bonefishes but by evolution more advanced by having 4 branchiostegal rays ; jaws toothless; with 31 caudal fin rays.

Catch of mullets, milk-fishes and tenpounders

Deep flounder (Pseudorhombus sp.) -- Flatfishes with eyes on left side of body; spines sometimes present before eyes in males. Mouth asymmetrical, teeth present in jaws, sometimes caniniform. Preoperculum exposed, its hind margin free and visible. Pectoral fins present; pelvic fins present, that on eyed side the larger in some genera; dorsal fin origin above or in front of lower eye; caudal fin free from dorsal and anal fins. A single lateral line, sometimes forked behind upper eye, sometimes faint or absent on blind side. Genra - Scales small, more than 58 in lateral line

Obtuse barracuda (Sphyraena obtusata) --Dorsal spines (total): 6; Dorsal soft rays (total): 9; Anal spines: 2; Anal soft rays: 9. Body elongate and subcylindrical with small cycloid scales; head long and pointed. Mouth large and horizontal, the tip of the lower jaw protruding; intermaxilla non-protractile. Preoperculum rectangular, with wide naked skin flap. First dorsal fin origin slightly before the pectoral fin tip, the first spine equal to the second. Pelvic fins well before the tip of the pectoral, closer to the anal than the tip of the lower jaw. Color is generally green above and silvery below.

Portunus pelagicus --Carapace rough to granulose, regions discernible; front with 4 acutely triangular teeth; 9 teeth on each anterolateral margin, the last tooth 2 to 4 times larger than preceding teeth. Chelae elongate in males; larger chela with conical tooth at base of fingers; pollex ridged. Color: males with blue markings, females dull green.

Indo-Pacific king mackerel (Scomberomorus guttatus) -- Dorsal spines (total): 15 - 18; Dorsal soft rays (total): 18-24; Anal spines: 0; Anal soft rays: 19 - 23; Vertebrae: 47 - 52. Interpelvic process small and bifid. Swim bladder absent. Body entirely covered with small scales. Lateral line with many auxiliary branches extending dorsally and ventrally in anterior third, curving down toward caudal peduncle. Intestine with 2 folds and 3 limbs. Sides silvery white with several rows of round dark brownish spots scattered in about three irregular rows along the lateral line. First dorsal fin membrane black.

Silver belly (Leiognathus sp.) -- No canines present, teeth small and weak

Greasy grouper (epinephelus tauvina) --- Dorsal spines (total): 11; Dorsal soft rays (total): 13-16; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 8. Color of head and body pale greenish grey or brown with round dark spots that vary from dull orange-red to dark brown, centers darker than the edges. A large black blotch (or group of black spots) often visible on body at the base of last 4 dorsal-fin spines. Five sub vertical dark bars may be present on body. Dark spots on soft dorsal, caudal and anal fins of juveniles are so close that the pale interspaces form a white reticulum. 95-112 scales in longitudinal series. Scales on body ctenoid in juveniles, becoming cycloid in adults except the area beneath and posterior to pectoral fins. Pyloric caeca 16-18. Further characterized by: elongate body, depth contained 3.0-3.6 times in SL; large head, length is 2.1-2.4 times in SL; snout length 2.0-2.4 times in upper-jaw length; interorbital area narrow, flat to slightly concave, interorbital width 6.8-8.1 times in HL and 3.1-4.0 times in upper jaw length; broadly rounded preopercle, serrae at angle of preopercle slightly enlarged; upper edge of operculum almost straight; posterior nostrils distinctly larger than anterior nostrils; maxilla reaching well past eye, greatest width about twice suborbital depth, maxilla width 6.8-8.1% of standard length; upper-jaw length 21-24% of SL; 2-5 rows of teeth on midlateral part of lower jaw; inner teeth at symphysis of upper jaw are longer than the fixed canines at front of jaw. Differs from E. howlandi by its more elongate body and closer-set spots

Indian mackerel (Rastralliger kanagurta) --- Dorsal spines (total): 8 - 11; Dorsal soft rays (total): 12; Anal spines: 0; Anal soft rays: 12. Head longer than body depth. Maxilla partly concealed, covered by lachrymal bone but extending to about hind margin of eye. Bristles on longest gill raker 105 on one side in specimens of 12.7 cm, 140 in 16 cm, and 160 in 19 cm fork length specimens. A black spot on body near lower margin of pectoral fin. Interpelvic process small and single. Swim bladder present. Anal spine rudimentary.

Russell’s snapper (Lutjanus russelli) --Dorsal spines (total): 10; Dorsal soft rays (total): 14; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 8. Dorsal profile of head steeply to moderately sloped. Preorbital width about equal to, or slightly less than eye diameter. Preopercular notch and knob poorly developed. Scale rows on back rising obliquely above lateral line. Generally whitish or pink with silvery sheen, frequently brownish on the upper part of the head and back. A black spot which is sometimes faint, is on the lateral line below the anterior portions of the soft dorsal fin. Juveniles from the western Pacific whitish with four black stripes on sides and with a round black spot on upper back. Body depth 2.6-2.8 in SL

Catch of grunts and snappers

Greasy grouper (Epinephelus tauvina) --- Dorsal spines (total): 11; Dorsal soft rays (total): 13-16; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 8. Color of head and body pale greenish grey or brown with round dark spots that vary from dull orange-red to dark brown, centers darker than the edges. A large black blotch (or group of black spots) often visible on body at the base of last 4 dorsal-fin spines. Five sub vertical dark bars may be present on body. Dark spots on soft dorsal, caudal and anal fins of juveniles are so close that the pale interspaces form a white reticulum. 95-112 scales in longitudinal series. Scales on body ctenoid in juveniles, becoming cycloid in adults except the area beneath and posterior to pectoral fins. Pyloric caeca 16-18. Further characterized by: elongate body, depth contained 3.0-3.6 times in SL; large head, length is 2.1-2.4 times in SL; snout length 2.0-2.4 times in upper-jaw length; interorbital area narrow, flat to slightly concave, interorbital width 6.8-8.1 times in HL and 3.1-4.0 times in upper jaw length; broadly rounded preopercle, serrae at angle of preopercle slightly enlarged; upper edge of operculum almost straight; posterior nostrils distinctly larger than anterior nostrils; maxilla reaching well past eye, greatest width about twice suborbital depth, maxilla width 6.8-8.1% of standard length; upper-jaw length 21-24% of SL; 2-5 rows of teeth on midlateral part of lower jaw; inner teeth at symphysis of upper jaw are longer than the fixed canines at front of jaw. Differs from E. howlandi by its more elongate body and closer-set spots

Frigate tune (Auxis thazard) -- Dorsal spines (total): 10 - 12; Dorsal soft rays (total): 10-13; Anal spines: 0; Anal soft rays: 10 - 14. Back bluish, turning to deep purple or almost black on the head. A pattern of 15 or more narrow, oblique to nearly horizontal, dark wavy lines in scaleless area above lateral line. Belly white. Pectoral and pelvic fins purple, their inner sides black. Body robust, elongate and rounded. Teeth small and conical, in a single series. Pectoral fins short, but reaching past vertical line from anterior margin of scaleless area above corselet. A large single-pointed flap (interpelvic process) between pelvic fins. Body naked except for the corselet, which is well developed and narrow in its posterior part (no more than 5 scales wide under second dorsal-fin origin). A strong central keel on each side of caudal-fin base between 2 smaller keels

Anchored trawlers at Mudasalodai fish landing centre

Portunid crabs (Portunus sp.) --Carapace relatively broad, surface clearly divided into regions; 9 antero-lateral teeth that may be variable in size; last antero-lateral tooth often long or moderately long; basal antennal joint broad with distal lobule; wrist of cheliped with inner spine or tubercle; hand of cheliped prismatic and costate

Marine invertebrate egg-case

Trawl by-catch

FRP boat with sardine catch

Removing catch from the gear

Engraulids (Thryssas) ---Small, mostly silver fishes, usually between 7 and 15 cm in length. Scutes usually present along belly (except in Engraulis). No spiny rays in fins, no lateral line. Snout usually pig- like and projecting, lower jaw characteristically under slung

Engraulids (Thryssas)

Assorted trawl catch

28 (9)

Trawl catch for auction

Mixed catch of anchovies and engrauids

Trawl catch of anchovies

Sun drying of surplus catch

Penaeid shrimps

Thryssas, silver bellies and croakers

Silver bellies and Thryssas

Trawl catch of anchovies and lesser sardines

Sea urchin

Crab - Podophthalmus vigil --Carapace broad, breadth ca. 2.5 times length, front entire, deflexed; eyestalks without wing-like expansions distal portion of inner surface of palm of cheliped bearing a spinule

Penaeid shrimps

Estuarine catch (Scats, Rabbit fishes, Pearl spots, Ten-pounders, Flatheads, Eels, Mullets, crabs)

Penaeid shrimps

Thread fins, Sciaenids

Rays - Dasyatis sp --Snout obtuse and little produced to acute and strongly produced; disc more or less rhomboid, but not circular; tail whip-like, filamentous near tip, with or without a membranous fold or ridge above, but with a fold below (beginning at level of spine). Upper surfaces with or without bucklers, tubercles and thorns with conical cusps

Black tip shark - Carcharhinus limbatus -- Second dorsal fin less than half the height of first dorsal fin. First dorsal fin with appointed or very narrowly rounded apex , its origin above or slightly posterior to insertion of pectoral fins. No dermal ridge between dorsal fins.

Bulls eye - Priacanthus sp. --body relatively deep and compressed, depth 34-40% SL. Eyes very large; mouth large and oblique, the lower jaw strongly projecting, the maxilla reaching approximately to vertical from anterior border of the pupil. Gillrakers on lower limb of first arch 16-20. A well-developed spine at corner of preopercle nearly reaching the margin; of opercle. Striate posterior portion of preopercle above and below base of spine scaleless or nearly scaleless. Teeth small, conical, in a narrow band in jaws. Dorsal fin continuous with 10 spines and 13 soft rays; anal fin with 3 spines and 13-14 soft rays; pelvic fins relatively short (less than 67% of head length) and broadly joined to the body by a membrane; caudal fin may be slightly double emarginated in larger specimens. Scales small, ctenoid, 75-85 on lateral line. Colour: varying from red to silvery pink; small dusky spots usually on membranes of soft portions of dorsal and anal fins, and dash-like spots often on caudal fin membrane. Size: to 30 cm SL, usually 20 cm.

Tiger shrimp - Penaeus monodon --Uniformly glabrous body; carapace with well-developed antennal and hepatic spines. Horizontal and straight hepatic carina. Rostrum armed with 7 or 8 dorsal and 3 ventral teeth. Color: body is reddish with darker bands. Brown to blue pleopods and reddish fringing setae.

Ribbon fish - Trichiurus lepturus --Dorsal spines (total): 3; Dorsal soft rays (total): 130-135; Anal soft rays: 100 - 105. Body extremely elongate, compressed and tapering to a point. Mouth large with a dermal process at the tip of each jaw. Dorsal fin relatively high; anal fin reduced to minute spinules usually embedded in the skin or slightly breaking through; anterior margin of pectoral fin spine not serrated. Pelvic and caudal fins absent. Lateral line beginning at the upper margin of the gill cover, running oblique to behind the tip of the pectoral fins, then straight close to the ventral contour. Fresh specimens steely blue with silvery reflections, becoming uniformly silvery gray sometime after death

Loligo sp - squids --Fins posterior. Some species with posterior elongation of the mantle, especially in males. Eggs arte small to medium sized, less than 4 mm. The dentition of the arm suckers is variable. The proximal suckers on the hectocotylus are unmodified. hectocotylus without ventral crest; the hectocotylisation consists of reduction in size of the sucker and elongation of sucker stalks to form papillae on either dorsal or both dorsal and ventral rows. Photophores absent. Spermatophore with short cement body. Loligo lacks the tail-like elongation of the posterior mantle that is characteristic for Alloteuthis Wülker, 1920.

Ribbon fishes --Elongate fishes, ribbon-like and compressed. Head short, its bones paper-thin and fragile; mouth small, protrusible, subvertical; a few pointed teeth in both jaws and on vomer and usually on palatines. Dorsal fin originating above or slightly posterior to eye and extending nearly to caudal fin, its anterior finrays more or less elongate, forming a nuchal pennant; anal fin absent; caudal fin horizontal or with two lobes, the upper often pointing straight up, the lower rudimentary; pectoral fins short, inserted horizontally; pelvic fins inserted on ventral midline of body, with 3-9 finrays markedly elongate in the young; dorsal, pelvic and caudal elongate finrays tending to become reduced and to disappear completely with age. Skin rather uniformly covered with bony tubercles in adults; lateral line consisting of bony plates each armed with a spine, running gradually toward midventral profile and ending at base of caudal fin or extending onto lower caudal fin lobe. Considerable changes in shape of body and fins occur during growth. Mesopelagic in all temperate and tropical seas, feeding on small fishes and squids

Carangids --Body extremely variable in shape, ranging from elongate, and fusiform to deep and strongly compressed. Two dorsal fin that are separate in small juveniles, the first of moderate height or very low, with 4 to 8 spines, the second dorsal fin with 1 spine and 18 to 44 soft rays. Anal fin with 2 anterior spines. Scales small, some time difficult to see. Lateral line arched.

Indian oil sardines ---Small, mostly silvery fishes, usually 7 to 20 cm in length. Scutes present along belly (absent in Dussumieria, Sparatelloides ). Fins lacking spiny rays, a single dorsal fin, caudal fin deeply forked. No lateral line

Catfishes --Small and moderately large sized cat fish, 4 pairs of barbells- one pair maxillary and two pairs mental, a pair of widely separated nostrils on each side, posterior nostril slit like. Second dorsal fin with 69 to143 soft rays. Scales and bony plates are absent

Tuna --Body elongate and fusiform, snout pointed. Two dorsal fins, anterior fin usually short and separated from posterior fin. Finlets present behind dorsal and anal fins. At least 2 small keels on each side of caudal peduncle

Silver bellies -- Body very deep and strongly compressed, mouth terminal and protrusible, forming a downward-pointing tube when protracted, (the first small, procumbent, visible only in young ), the spinous part separated from the soft part by a deep notch and depressible in a high basal scaly sheath; with dusky spots or grey vertical bars

Anchovies --Small, mostly silver fishes, usually between 7 and 15 cm in length. Scutes usually present along belly (except in Engraulis). No spiny rays in fins, no lateral line. Snout usually pig- like and projecting, lower jaw characteristically under slung.

Ribbon fishes, Croakers and Thread fins

Mullets - Dorsal spines (total): 5; Dorsal soft rays (total): 7-9; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 8 - 9. Diagnosis: body stout, cylindrical in cross-section, slightly compressed; head broad and flattened. Well developed adipose eyelid covering most of pupil. Upper lip thin and without papillae, armed with 1-6 rows of fine teeth; hind end of upper jaw reaching a vertical line from anterior eye margin; maxillary pad not visible below corner of mouth when closed; origin of 1st dorsal fin nearer to snout tip than to caudal-fin base; anterior parts and bases of 2nd dorsal and anal fins with a moderately dense coverage of scales; pectoral axillary process; 14-15 scale rows between origins of dorsal and pelvic fins

Environmental Information System

Photogallery

Total Visitor: 2505364