First Geographic Record of Acanthurus xanthopterus and Family Acanthuridae from the Gulf of Kachchh, Northwest Coast of India
Ritesh V. Borichangar
Department of Fisheries Resource Management, College of Fisheries Science, Navsari, Gujarat- 396 450, India.
Jeet N. Parmar *
Department of Fisheries Resource Management, College of Fisheries Science, Navsari, Gujarat- 396 450, India.
Hitesh K. Kardani
Fisheries Research Station, Kamdhenu University, Sikka, Jamnagar, Gujarat-361 140, India.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
This study focused on Acanthurus xanthopterus, a reef-associated species also known as Yellowfin surgeonfish from the family Acanthuridae. The objective of this study was to identify and describe A. xanthopterus. A single specimen of 39.6 cm in length and 1263 g. weight was collected from a fisherman involved in traditional Wada fishing in Sikka. Detailed morphological parameters were observed and recorded for taxonomic identification. The results reveal that this species has been observed for the first time on the northwest coast of India, it is also the first recorded mention of the family Acanthuridae from the Gulf of Kachchh northwest coast of India.
Keywords: Acanthuridae, Acanthurus xanthopterus, gulf of kachchh, ichthyofaunal biodiversity, Wada fishing