Relevance of the study of marine fish eggs and larvae in India

摘要

India is a tropical, peninsular country, situatedudbetween about Lat. 3° and 38® N and between about Long' 68'udand 80'' E. There is an extensive coastline of more thanud6,500 Km, dotted with many estuaries, creeks, backwatersudbays, lagoons, etc. frequented by quite a few speciesudof fishes. According to Talwar and Kacker (1984)^ thereudare about 1,400 marine and estuarine fish species in India,udOf these/ about 100 species belong to the group of sharks,udrays and skates (Esasmobranchii), which are mostly viviparous,udgiving birth to their young ones and hence do not pose anyudproblems with regard to their identity in their youngudstages.