Spawning periodicity of the ribbon fish, Trichiurus lepturus (F.), with a note on its rate of growth

Abstract

The spawning periodicity of Trichiurus lepturus is briefly re-examined here in tlie light of certain recent observations. It is seen that this species spawns more than once in a year along the Madras coast and the two seasons are roughly around May-June and later in November-December. This fact also leads to a revision in the interpretation of the rate of growth of the fish. It is now estimated that the fish at the end of one year attains an average of 300 mm in length and that those above about 900 mm are just over four years.