Temperature tolerance of some estuarine fishes.
The temperature tolerance of estuarine fishes Etroplus suratensis (Bloch), Therapon jarbua (Forsskal), Ambassis commersoni (Cuvier) collected from Vellar estuary, South India in 1986-87 were determined in the laboratory. E. suratensis and T. jarbua were found to be more tolerant to a wide range of temperature (16.5-41.5 degrees C for E. suratensis and 13.5-40.6 degrees C for T. jarbua), A. commersoni could tolerate from 15.5 to 38.5 degrees C. The tolerance area was found to be 512 units in E. suratensis, 629 units in T. jarbua and 442 units in A. commersoni. Among the fishes tested T. jarbua had a high tolerance area (629 units) than other fishes tested. It is evident from the results that 15 degrees C increase in acclimation temperature cause a shift of 4.02 degrees C (E. suratensis) and 3.05 degrees C (T. jarbua and A. commersoni) in upper incipient lethal temperature.
Rajaguru
S
Centre of Advanced Study in Marine Biology, Tamil Nadu 608502, Parangipettai, India
Ramachandran
S