AGE DETERMINATION OF A CARP, LABEO CALBASU (HAMILTON) FROM KEENJHAR LAKE (DISTRICT: THATTA), SINDH, PAKISTAN.

Abstract

The age determination of a carp, Labeo calbasu (Hamilton) from Keenjhar Lake (District Thatta), Sindh, Pakistan, has been assessed from the 1000 specimens collected between April to September 2006. Using length-frequency method and scale study, it was found that L. calbasu attains model length of 275, 332, 370 and 415 mm at the end of zero, 1st, 2nd and 3rd years of life respectively. The relationship between total length (TL) of the fish and scale radius (S) was found to be linear (LogL = 1.313 + 1.3496 Log S). The age estimates from scales resulted into six age groups 0 to 5 at the model length of 150, 275, 335, 375, 415, 505 mm. The age estimates from scale and lengthfrequency method compared very well