Length-Weight Relationship and Morphometric Analysis of Crossocheilus diplochilus (Heckel, 1838) from the Dal Lake of Kashmir Himalaya

Background and Objective: Crossocheilus diplochilus (C. diplochilus) locally known as “Tether” is an endemic fish of Kashmir Valley. The length-weight relationship is one of the standard methods that yield authentic biological information and is of great importance in fishery assessments. Morphometric studies have been the primary source for taxonomic and evolutionary studies. To accurately manage fish populations, it is necessary to estimate their growth rates through the study of morphometric traits. This study was conducted in order to obtain information about the somatic growth of fish. Materials and Methods: Morphometric characters were measured by using fish measuring board and Vernier Calipers for accuracy to the nearest millimeter. The weight of the fish was measured using an electronic weighing balance. Results: The specimens examined in this study ranged in size from 81.9 to 119.7 mm in length and 5-13.5 g in weight. Length-weight relationship of Crossocheilus diplochilus revealed negative allometric growth with b value <3. The Log W = -4.8819+2.9072 Log L is the calculated and expressed form of the length-weight relationship equation. Standard length and fork length had the highest correlations with total length, at 0.853 and 0.842, respectively. Correlation analysis revealed that all morphometric characters changed proportionally as total length increased. Conclusion: The findings of this study, offer the fundamental details on the morphometric traits and length-weight parameters of Dal Lake’s Crossocheilus diplochilus, which may aid in the straightforward identification of the fish species and could be used to study fish population dynamics and growth patterns.