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Bombay-duck (Bombil) being dried on scaffolds
caught in ' dol ' nets, and is mostly sun-dried as food for the common man.
It is also exported in dried condition to Mauritius, Burma, Singapore etc.,
and recently to European countries.
It is characteristically a deep water fish with soft cylindrical body and
large mouth beset with numerous sharp teeth but peculiar in its habit of
visiting in-shore waters and even creeks. Prawns and shrimp are its
favourite food. Maturity is attained at the end of the second year or
beginning of third year when the length is about 9 inches or 230 mm. It is
a continuous breeder, having two peak spawning periods one during May
to July and another during November to December.
(5) CAT FISHES (Techysuridae, Plotosidae)
Catfishes, comprising about 13 species out of which 11 are commer-cially
important, have earned the name of catfishes on account of possession of
the prominent barbels resembling the mustaches of cats. Scaleless body
with adipose fin, serrated dorsal, pectoral spines and presence of barbels
characterize the cat fishes. The serrated spines are known to inflict
FAUNA 102