MERISTIC AND MORPHOMETERIC STUDY OF SPERATA SARWARI FROM MANGLA LAKE, PAKISTAN

Fifty freshwater fish, Sperata sarwari (singhari) 60.8±12.45cm as mean total length and 2445±612g mean wet body weight were collected from Mangla lake, during Nov., 2005, with the help of local fishermen. Meristic count (seven characters) and morphometric characters (thirty-two) from each specimen were studies. Meristic counts are independent of body size and there is no change in meristic counts with increase in body length. While nasal barbel length and maxillary barbel not progressively increases with the increase in total length of fish. Whereas the interspace (between adipose and dorsal fin base) increases in length as compared to adipose fin base and dorsal fin base with the increase in length. The supraoccipital spine length is smaller than the length of interneural shield. It is the only Sperata species in which the length of the supraoccipital spine is less than that of the interneural shield. This study will help to recognize the morphometric of different variants in relation to identification.