Fecundity of the sole Euryglossa orientalis (Bl. & Schn.)(family: Soleidae) from Karachi coast

During the present study fecundity of 30 ovaries of Euryglossa orientalis was determined. Fecundity ranged from 9922 to 8389 with a mean value of 36361. The number of ova in the dorsal lobe was less than that of ventral lobe. Log-log relationship between fecundity and total length, fish weight, ovary weight and ovary length were determined.

Observations on spawning and egg capsule of Melongena bucephala (Lamarck)(Mollusca: Gastropoda) from the Karachi coast

No work has been done on the reproduction of Melongena bucephala from northern Arabian Sea (Karachi coast). This paper presents a description of spawning, egg capsule and macromophology of eggs of M. bucephala collected from the rocky shore of Buleji on May 28, 1986 at a tidal height of 0.5m. The individual was found in the act of spawning. The egg mass and development of M. bucephala from Karachi coast are also compared with the Hemifusus ternatanus from the Pacific Ocean (Amio, 1963).

Studies of microbial abundances in mangrove habitat along the Karachi coast

Three species of bacteria, 8 species of fungi and 3 species of VAM-fungi were isolated from the soil substrata supporting Avicennia marina which comprises the majority of mangrove vegetation along the Karachi coast. The species abundances for fungi and bacteria were greater at one site (Sandspit) supporting healthy mangrove growth with soil pH 7.8, EC 16.2mmhos/cm², TSS 2.57% and available phosphorus 0.008% than at the other site (Korangi creek) with stunted growth of mangrove where the soil samples showed pH 7.9, EC 18.8mmhos/cm², TSS 1.45% and available phosphorus 0.001%. Symbiotic association by vasicular-arbuscular mycorrhizal (VAM) fungi in the roots of mangrove plants was also observed on a small scale at Korangi creek where the substratum was undergoing microbial degradation.