Morphometric Analysis – A Tool to Identify the Different Variants in a Fish Species E.Maculatus

Etroplus maculatus, a fresh water cichlid fish popularly known as orange chromid, commonly found in rivers, streams and canals of India. E.maculatus was collected from Kollidam a branch of Cauvery river of Trichy (Dt), Tamil Nadu. Depending upon the number of black spots, their arrangements and other characters, ten different variants had been identified. Morphometric analysis were made for all ten variants and compared. Among the 15 parameters noted, body weight and body length showed high level of significant positive relationship with total length when compared to all other parameters. This analysis will help to understand the morphometric of different variants which is the most easily perceivable means of assessing the evolutionary adaptation of a species to its environment. Close monitoring is needed to determine its effects on the local environment. The different level of significance between body features of various variants reveals the possibility of segregation of variants of this species.