Author(s):

Mukesh Kumar

Abstract: The spotted snakehead, Channa punctatus (Bloch) belonging to the family Channidae. India has 9 species of Channa in different part of India. Channa species are common fish available in the wetland of Begusarai. In the present study Channa puntatus has been selected for the study of reproductive biology of female fish. The samples were collected and preserved in 10% formalin for anatomical study. The body cavity of fish specimen was cut open and the gonads were exposed for clear view. The ovary was measured for morphometry and was fixed in 10% neutral buffered formaldehyde and Buins fluid, embedded in wax 5 m section cut in microtome and dewaxed sections were stained with haemotoxyline and eosine and microphotographs were captured in Olympus. The gonads of Channa punctatus are elongated organs lying in the body cavity and are held in position by the mesenteries. The six (6) different maturity stages were identified depending on their structure, position occupied by gonads in the abdominal cavity and the diameter of unspawned eggs. It is observed that all stages of maturity occurred in most of the months of a year. The immature (stage-1) and maturing (stage II) specimens were encountered from October-February onwards, while developing (stage III), mature (stage IV) and gravid fish (stage V) were collected in February-March and spent fishes (stage VI) were recorded in between April and September. Some resting adult specimens were encountered throughout the year. In the present study the average fecundity of C. punctatus varied between 2110 and 34,980 for a corresponding length and weight 12cm - 26.2 cm and 30.5 - 95.5 g respectively which is comparatively higher than the reports for this species by Rath and Hejmadi (1976) fecundity of C. punctatus ranged from 733 - 9225 for the length ranging from 8.5-16.0 cm. saikia et al. (2013).

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