Length-Weight Relationship, Morphometric Characters and Meristic Counts of an Endangered Kashmir loach, Triplophysa kashmirensis (Hora, 1922) in Kashmir Himalaya, India

The present study was conducted on the morphometry, meristic characters and length-weight relationship of Triplophysa kashmiriensis (Hora (1922) and was carried out from September 2018 to February 2019. A total of 180 samples were collected from Dagwan and Lidder streams. Various morphometric characters showed a high degree of correlation (R2) between them and the values of correlation ranged from 0.69 to 0.99. The coefficient of variation for various morphometric characteristics was found to be 20.95 % between snout length and total length, and 17.65 % between eye diameter length and total length. The fin formula of the fish was found as D(I)8; A(I)5; P1(10-11); V(7-8); C(17-18). The length-weight relationship was recorded separately for both males and females. The equations found were Log W = -5.485 + 3.167 Log L for males and Log W = -5.440 + 3.153 Log L for females and the combined equation was obtained as W = -5.491 + 3.174 Log L. The value of ‘b’ obtained for the pooled data was found to be 3.174 which is significantly greater than 3 indicating a positive allometric growth in the fish.