Md. Mosaddequr Rahman

THREATENED FISHES OF THE WORLD: Cirrhinus reba (Hamilton 1822) (Cypriniformes: Cyprinidae)

The threatened Reba carp Cirrhinus reba is one of the foods high in nutritional value in Asian countries, including Bangladesh, India, Nepal and Pakistan. However, natural populations have been declined due to overexploitation and various ecological changes in its natural habitats leading to an alarming condition and deserving high conservation importance. This paper recommends actions for the conservation of the remaining isolated population of C. reba in Asian countries.

THREATENED FISHES OF THE WORLD: Eutropiichthys vacha (Hamilton, 1822) (Siluriformes: Schilbeidae)

River catfish Eutropiichthys vacha is one of the foods high in nutritional value in Asian countries. However, natural populations have seriously declined or are on the verge of extinction due to over-exploitation and various ecological changes in its natural habitats, leading to an alarm- ing situation which deserves high conservation attention. This paper suggests conservation measures that should be taken into account to- wards the preservation of the remnant isolated population of E. vacha in Asian countries.

THREATENED FISHES OF THE WORLD: Heteropneustes fossilis (Bloch, 1794) (Siluriformes: Heteropneustidae)

Department of Fisheries, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Rajshahi, Rajshahi 6205, Bangladesh Department of Fisheries Management, Faculty of Fisheries, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh 2202, Bangladesh Faculty of Fisheries, Kagoshima University, 4-50-20 Shimoarata, Kagoshima 890-0056, Japan Department of Zoology, Anando Mohan College, National University, Gazipur 1704, Bangladesh

THREATENED FISHES OF THE WORLD: Botia dario (Hamilton, 1822) (Cypriniformes: Cobitidae)

Bengal loach Botia dario is a valuable food fish in South Asian countries including Bangladesh, Bhutan, India and Nepal. However, the wild popula- tion is declining due to heavy harvest, habitat loss and its ecological chang- es. This paper suggests actions for the conservation of the lasting isolated populations of B. dario in Asian countries.

Saltmarsh and seagrass beds on the south-eastern coast of Bangladesh: vegetation characteristics and adjacent fisheries diversity

AbstractSaltmarsh and seagrass communities are coastal macrophytes. These communities perform a number of important ecological functions, one of which is to support substantial fishery resources either as a nursery ground or a refuge from predators. The Bangladesh coast houses saltmarsh and seagrass resources but there has been sparse information on the diversity of fisheries adjacent to these plant communities. Consequently, this study was carried out to obtain information on the shoot density and biomass of the dominant saltmarsh (Porteresia coarctata) and seagrass (Halophila beccarii) species together with the diversity of fisheries adjacent to saltmarsh and seagrass beds on the south eastern coast of Bangladesh. The below-ground biomass of P. coarctata was found to be significantly higher than the above-ground biomass, presumably so as to survive under harsh environmental conditions, for example strong wave exposure. The standing crops and shoot density of the seagrass H. beccarii showed a similar pat...

Population biology of the pool barb Puntius sophore (Hamilton 1822) (Cyprinidae) in the Padma River, Bangladesh

The cyprinid pool barb Puntius sophore (Hamilton 1822) is widely distributed in freshwaters of Southern Asia. We determined some basic population biology parameters of P. sophore including sex ratio, length-frequency distributions (LFDs), length-weight relationships (LWRs), condition factors, relative weight and fecundity. Samples were collected monthly during July 2010 to June 2011 from the Padma River, Bangladesh. The overall fish sex ratio significantly differed from the anticipated value of 1:1 (p < 0.001) in favour of female specimens (1: 1.31). Females were significantly larger and heavier than males (p < 0.001). The LWRs showed isometric growth in both sexes; however, with clear monthly variation. Fultons condition factor was found to be significantly correlated with the total length (TL) and body weight (BW) and the most suitable among the studied condition factors for interpreting population well-being. Total fecundity varied from 1488 to 18708 (5682 ± 3703), while the relative fecundity...

Relative growth and morphological sexual maturity of the deep-water velvet shrimp Metapenaeopsis sibogae (Crustacea, Decapoda, Penaeidae)

Abstract Metapenaeopsis sibogae inhabits the South Pacific and Southeast Asia and is an emerging fisheries resource. However, studies on the population biology of M. sibogae are scant, and their morphometric relationships have not been examined. Thus, we studied the relative growth of M. sibogae, hypothesizing that its morphological sexual maturity can be estimated based on abrupt shifts in allometry. The relationships of body length (BL) and body weight (BW) with carapace length (CL) were determined by the least squares method. Data for each sex were repeatedly partitioned into two size-delimited subsets (early and late phases), considering a CL value as a hypothesized transition point. Analysis of the sum of squared residuals indicated that two separate linear BL/CL models fit the data better than a single linear model showing clear transition points in both males (13.2 mm CL) and females (15.0 mm CL). The changes in allometry in the BL/CL relationships between early- and late-phased males and females were indicated by a 20.5 and 21.5% decrease in the slope, respectively. These transition points could be associated with sexual maturity. The growth rate of BW vs. CL slowed significantly after morphological sexual maturity was reached in both sexes, demonstrating the existence of dimorphic growth.

THREATENED FISHES OF THE WORLD: Rhinomugil corsula (Hamilton, 1822) (Mugiliformes: Mugilidae)

Department of Fisheries, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Rajshahi, Rajshahi 6205, Bangladesh School of Biiological Sciences and Centre of Excellence for Marine and Coastal Studies, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang 11800, Malaysia 3 Faculty of Fisheries, Kagoshima University, 4-50-20 Shimoarata, Kagoshima 890-0056, Japan Department of Zoology, Anando Mohan College, National University, Gazipur 1704, Bangladesh