New record of a croaker, Johnius coitor (Hamilton-Buchanan) (Pisces: Sciaenidae) from Tripura, northeast India

2 Pages·1992·1.3 MB·

by  R P Barman

MISCELLANEOUS NOTES 135
collected this species from the banks of small, fast 8 adult males and 3 adult females (4 males
flowinghill streams. Accordingto Annandale (1915) Volpoi, 4 males Cotigao, 3 females Cotigao). 18.7-
thisspeciesisabundantintheTravancoreHills. 20.75 mm SVL, mean 19.53; tibia 8.0-9.65 mm,
mm
mean 8.86 in males. 24.05-24.4 SVL, mean
RanamalabaricaTschudi, 1838 24.18; tibia 9.90-10.45 mm, mean 10.17 in females.
m1madult female (Cotigao). 54.5 mm SVL and AofccoRradniangltiomnAoncnhaarnidsa.leT(h1e919s)petchiismeinssa dfwraormfrGaocae
26.9 tibia. closely agree with his description. Hindlimbs short.
This specimen was collected in the open The first finger hardly extends beyond the second.
country duringrain. Daniel (1975) has also reported Toes slightly webbed, less so than in Rana
that this species preferred forested land though it has limnocharis. The tibio-tarsal articulation reaches the
been recorded in open country particularly in the tympanum or posterior border of the eye. A narrow
breedingseason.
pale mid-dorsal line present. Dorsal surface dark
brown with broken longitudinal glandular folds.
RanatigerinaDaudin, 1802 Ventral surface white. Thighs barred. In all the
12juveniles (2 Sanguem, 8Molem, 2 Cotigao). specimens the lips are pale white without any dark
19.2-35.0mm SVL, 9.0-18.1 mmtibia. Thevertebral vertical bars. In this respect they differ from Rana
streak is very thin but the lateral band from behind limnocharis. Throat black in males. Females with
the eye is very prominent. Body green above with maturedpigmentedova.
darkbrown spotsandmarkingsandpalewhitebelow. All the specimens were collected from grass
Toes fully webbed. fields with rain waterpools in association withRana
All the specimens were collected from grass limnocharis and Microhyla ornata. The call was
fields in different localities. The green body colour totally different from that of Rana limnocharis,
matchedthe green ofthegrass. resemblingthebleatingofsheep.
RanasyhadrensisAnnandale, 1919 February 11, 1991 A.G.SEKAR
REFERENCES
Abdulali, H. & Sekar, A.G. (1988): On a small collection Boulenger,G.A. (1920):AmonographontheSouthAsian,
of amphibians from Goa. J. Bombay nat. Hist. Soc. Papuan, Melanesian and Australian frogs of the
85:202-205. GenusRana.Rec.Ind.Mus.20: 1-223.
Annandale,N. (1915):Someundescribedtadpolesfromthe Daniel, J.C. (1975): Field guide to the amphibians of
hillsofSouthernIndia.Rec.Ind.Mus. 15: 17-23. western India. Part 3. J. Bombay nat. Hist. Soc. 72:
Annandale, N. (1919): Some frogs from streams in the 506-522.
BombayPresidency.Rec.Ind.Mus. 16: 123-124.
NEW RECORD OF A CROAKER, JOHNIUS COITOR (HAMILTON-
27.
BUCHANAN) (PISCES: SCIAENIDAE) FROM TRIPURA, NORTH-EAST INDIA
(With a text-figure)
During the course of systematic studies on the including Datta (1977), Lipton (1983-84), Sen
fish fauna of Tripura, a specimen of a croaker fish (1985), Bhattacharya (1988) and Barman (1988)
was collected from the river Gumti, Tripura. On shows that this fish isnot yetknown from Tripura or
examination, it proved to be a specimen ofJohnius from the other north-eastern states Therefore, the
A
coitor (Hamilton-Buchanan). perusal of existing presence ofthis fish in the rivers ofTripura, extends
literature on the fish fauna of north-eastern India itsrange ofdistributiontonorth-eastIndia.
:
136 JOURNAL, BOMBAYNATURAL HIST. SOCIETY, Vol. 89
Fig. l.Johniuscoitor(Hamilton-Buchanan)
Abriefdescription ofthe species isgivenbelow end tapering to a narrow tube extending to base of
alongwith anillustration. anal spine, bearing 11 to 13 pairs of arborescent
1822. Bola coitor Hamilton-Buchanan, Fish. Ganges: 75, appendages.
368,pl.27,fig. 24(type-locality:RiverGanges). Colourinalcohol: Bodysilvery,shotwithgold
1876. Sciaena coitor, Day, Fish. India: 187, pi. 44, fig. 3; and purple; upper half of first dorsal blackish. Soft
1889.Day,FaunaBr.India. Fish2: 115-116,fig.49. dorsal, caudal and anal fins dark externally. Anal fin
1981.Johniuscoitor, Jayaram,Handbk.Freshw.Fish.India
with darkishbasal band.
327(distribution).
Distribution: Throughout the larger rivers of
Localname: Bola. Englishname: Croaker.
mm India andBurma,Bangladesh and South China.
Materialexamined: 1 ex., 140 SL.; Gumti mm
Size: Growsupto300 intotal length.
river, Udaipur, south Tripura; N.C. Ghose: 3
November 1989. I thank Dr. M.S. Jairajpuri, Director, Dr. A.K.
Ghosh, Joint Director and T.K. Sen, Scientist “SD”,
Diagnostic features:
Zoological Susrvey of India, Calcutta for
D. 10/1-2/26-29,A.2/7,LL. 48-51
encouragement and facilities. I also thank N. C.
Head length 4.25 to 4.75 and body depth 4.50
Ghose, Deputy Director ofFisheries (south Tripura)
to 4.75 in total length. Eye diameter 4.00 to 5.50 in
headlength.Upperjawslightly longer.Swimbladder forcollectionofthe specimen.
hammer-shaped anteriorly and laterally expanded in
BARMAN
front of a strongylation (hammer-headed); posterior January 2, 1992 R.P.
References
Barman, R. P. (1988): The fishes of the river Gumti, Datia, A.K. (1977): Ona collectionoffishes from Tripura
OTrcicp.urPaa,peNrorNtoh.-E1a1s9t:er1-n86I,ndfiiag..R7e4.c. zool. Surv. India, Lipton,staAte.PN.e(w1s9l8.3-z8o4ol).:SFuirsvh.Ifnaduinaa3of(4T)ri:p2ur1a7.-M2a2t3s.ya 9 &
Bhatiacharya, T. (1988): Final report of the Himalayan 10: 110-118
Eco-development Project. Integrated water Sen, t. k. (1985): The fish fauna of Assam and the
management of the Gumti river valleys. Tripura neighbouringNorth-EasternstatesofIndia.Rec.zool.
UniversityPublication,Agartala,Tripura. Surv.India, Oc.Paperno. 64: 1 -216.