Length-weight Relationship of Nine Species of Halfbeaks (Family: Hemiramphidae) from the Indian Coast

Thomas, Toji and Abdussamad, E M and Mini, K G and Sajikumar, K K (2025) Length-weight Relationship of Nine Species of Halfbeaks (Family: Hemiramphidae) from the Indian Coast. Thalassas: An International Journal of Marine Sciences, 41. pp. 1-8. ISSN 2366-1674

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Abstract

A total of 1325 individuals of Halfbeaks of 9 species from the family Hemiramphidae were sampled from commercial gill nets operated from the coastal waters of India between Sep 2021 and Dec 2022. The species identified included Euleptorhamphus viridis (van Hasselt, 1823), Hemiramphus archipelagicus (Collette & Parin, 1978), Hemiramphus far (Forsskål, 1775), Hemiramphus lutkei (Valenciennes, 1847), Hyporhamphus limbatus (Valenciennes, 1847), Hyporhamphus quoyi (Valenciennes, 1847), Oxyporhamphus micropterus (Valenciennes, 1847), Rhynchorhamphus georgii (Valenciennes, 1847), and Rhynchorhamphus malabaricus (Collette, 1976). Analysis of their growth patterns in Indian waters Oxyporhamphus micropterus, and Rhynchorhamphus malabaricus show isometric growth (b = 3) pattern, Euleptorhamphus virdis and Hemiramphus lutkei exhibit negative allometric growth (b < 3) and remaining species are showing positive allometric growth (b > 3). The b values provide insight into the growth strategy and ecological adaptations of the species and the combined sexes’ b values varied from 2.725 to 3.566. With a range of 0.93 to 0.99, the coefficient of determination (R2) indicates a strong and consistent length-weight relationship. The models fitted the data well, and length is closely related to weight in the species under study. The study provides the first estimate of length-weight relationship (LWR) for Euleptorhamphus virdis, Oxyporhamphus micropterus, and Rhynchorhamphus georgii and a new estimate for other species of halfbeaks. These findings will be useful for research on the biology, ecology, stock assessment and fisheries management of Hemiramphidae species.

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