Some aspects of ecophysiology and biological concerns of the estuarine mullet Liza macrolepis (Smith) with reference to heavy metals pollution

Abstract

Among the commercially important cultivable fishes, mullets are considered as an important source of human food. Liza macrolepis (Smith) commonly called the grey mullet is an estuarine euryhaline fish belonging to the family Mugilidae. It is one of the most annually abundant species among the mullets of the coastal and estuarine waters around Madras region both in terms of its number and biomass (CMFRI/ CIFRI, 1975, 1978). Moreover, it is an important member of the estuarine community and a major component in the flow of energy through the ecosystem (Odum, 1968). The ability of this grey mullet to survive in a wide range of environmental conditions is well documented by the reviews of Thomson (1954, 1966), Kinne (1964), Luther (1967) and Pillai (1972).