Zoological Studies

Vol. 48 No. 6, 2009

Reproductive Biology of the Sergestid Shrimp Acetes indicus (Decapoda: Sergestidae) in Coastal Waters of Malacca, Peninsular Malaysia

Sarker Mohammad Nurul Amin1,2,*, Aziz Arshad1,3, Japar Sidik Bujang4, Siti Shapor Siraj4, and Stephen Goddard5

1Laboratory of Marine Science and Aquaculture, Institute of Bioscience, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia
2Institute of Marine Sciences and Fisheries, University of Chittagong, Chittagong-4331, Bangladesh
3Department of Aquaculture, Faculty of Agriculture, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia
4Department of Animal Science and Fishery, Faculty of Agriculture and Food Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Bintulu Campus, 89007 Bintulu Sarawak, Malaysia
5Department of Marine Science and Fisheries, Sultan Qaboos University, Oman

Sarker Mohammad Nurul Amin, Aziz Arshad, Japar Sidik Bujang, Siti Shapor Siraj, and Stephen Goddard (2009) The sex ratio, maturity, and spawning season of the sergestid shrimp Acetes indicus were determined by analyzing samples collected from coastal waters of Klebang Besar, Malacca between Apr. 2006 and Mar. 2007.  The overall annual sex ratio of A. indicus was found to be 1: 2.10 (males: females).  The annual variation in the gonadosomatic index (GSI) showed continuous breeding of A. indicus throughout the year.  The size at sexual maturity of female A. indicus was 23 mm TL.  No females with spent ovaries were found among the samples during the study period.  The estimated mean fecundity of A. indicus was 1666.30 ± 262.10 (range, 1135-2235) eggs.  The mean monthly GSI in females showed positive and significant (p < 0.05) correlations with conductivity (r = 0.67), salinity (r = 0.65), and total suspended solids (r = 0.59).  However, no significant correlation (p > 0.05) was found for the mean monthly GSI with temperature or dissolved oxygen.  This suggests that A. indicus may be adapted to a wide range of conditions in tropical and subtropical regions.

Key words: Maturity, Spawning season, Acetes indicus.

*Correspondence: E-mail:smnabd02@yahoo.com