Abstract:
The present study provides information on weight–length relationship (WLR) and Fulton's condition factor (K) of the alligator pipefish, Syngnathoides biaculeatus (Bloch, 1785) sampled from Palk Bay (PB) and Gulf of Mannar (GoM) regions, southeast coast of India. The pooled estimate for the parameter b of the WLR for S. biaculeatus (n = 217) was determined to be 1.75, indicating the negative allometric growth pat- tern (b less than 3). The K values ranged from 0.65 to 1.35 (pooled, 0.84) and from 0.68 to 1.27 (pooled, 0.85) for populations of S. biaculeatus collected from PB (n = 120) and GoM (n = 97) respectively. The results may help address the concerns of conservation of S. biaculeatus in the wake of habitat loss and/or incidental by-catch.
