Studies on the Leptocephali of Deep Scattering Layer (DSL) of the south west coast of India (TH 125)

Abstract

The Deep Scattering Layer (DSL) is very rich 10 the quantitative abundance of micro and macro nekton. Leptocephali formed one of the major groups in the total nektolllc biomass of the samples collected from the Arabian Sea. It constituted to about 7.5% of the total fish biomass in the DSL of the EEZ of India (Menon, 1990). The leptocephali were represented mainly by 8 genera viz. Urocollger, Ariosollla. OphislIrlis. Ophichthus. Phaellolllollas, GYlIlliolhorax. UropterygillS. Allarchias. 2 species (Urocollger leptllnts and COligrelllls allago) and some unidentified types bclongmg to five families VIZ. Congridae. Ophichthidae, Muraenidae, Nenllchthyidae, and Synaphobranchidae.