Population characteristics of greater lizardfish, Saurida tumbil (Bloch 1795) and brushtooth lizardfish, Saurida undosquamis (Richardson 1848) from the North western Indian EEZ

Population characteristics as length weight relationship, Age, growth, length at age (longevity) and mortality of two major lizardfishes, Saurida tumbil and Saurida undosquamis were analysed in the present study. The input data of length frequency distribution collected during 2010-2012 was considered. The length of S. tumbil ranged between 13.0-53.0 cm (Total length) and S. undosquamis ranged between13.0-41.0 cm (TL). The derived length weight relationship for S. tumbil was 38.64L0.729 and for S. undosquamis was 21.78L0.531. The asymptotic length (L∞), the growth coefficient (K) and zero length at age (t0) obtained for S. tumbil in the study are 53.00, 0.729 year-1 and -1.097 year-1 and for S. undosquamis, it was 41.00, 0.531 year-1 and -0.493 year-1 respectively. The total mortality (Z) was 2.71 year-1, natural mortality (M) was 1.195 year-1 and fishing mortality (F) was 1.515 year-1 was estimated for S. tumbil while for S. undosquamis, it was calculated as 2.78 year-1, 1.043 year-1 and 1.173 year-1 respectively. The exploitation ratio for S. tumbil was 0.56 year-1 and for S. undosquamis, 0.62 year-1 was obtained. Both the species showing isometric growth pattern in the present study.