Morphometric and Meristic Analysis of Endangered Catfish, Rita rita from Indus River near Jamshoro, Sindh, Pakistan

Abstract

The experiment was conducted to investigate the morphometric and meristic analysis of critically endangered catfish, Rita rita. Total 190 specimens of both sexes were collected during March – August 2015 from Indus River near Jamshoro, Sindh, Pakistan and analyzed in the laboratory of the Department of Freshwater Biology and Fisheries. Measurement of different body parameters was considered by using cm scale. Significant curvilinear relationship was obtained between total length and other parameters and head length verses eye diameter. Relationship between total length and other morphometric parameters were highly significant (p<0.01) except the relationship between total length of 1st and 2nd dorsal fin length in male. In case of meristic counts like dorsal pectoral, pelvic, anal and caudal fin rays were counted and found to be more or less similar except slight difference was observed in case of caudal fin rays of both the sexes. Finally concluded that there was single homogenous stock of catfish Rita rita is available in the Indus River, near Jamshoro.