Length-weight Relationship and Morphometric Characters of Glyptosternon reticulatum (McClelland, 1842) in Tributaries of River Jhelum, Kashmir, India

Abstract

The present study on the morphometry and length-weight relationship of Glyptosternon reticulatum was carried out from May 2022 to April 2023. A total of 360 samples were collected from several tributaries of the Jhelum river for this study. Our specimen measuring (285.31 mm) may be the largest known specimen of Glyptosternon reticulatum in the World. Various morphometric characters showed high degree of correlation (r) between them and the value was recorded highest between total length and standard length (0.99) and least between total length and eye diameter (0.67). Coefficient of variation of various morphometric characteristics ranged from 33.07% (body depth) to 43.95% (snout length).  The equations for males were found as Log W = -4.1565 + 2.6304 Log L and for females as Log W = -3.5798 + 2.3647 Log L. Combined equation was recorded as Log W = -4.1361 + 2.6238 log L. The value of ‘b’ obtained for the pooled data was found to be 2.62 which was significantly less than 3 indicating a negative allometric growth in the fish.