Abstract

Pinak Dutta^1*, Mita Dutta²

DOI : http://dx.doi.org/10.13005/ojc/300351

Monthly and seasonal variation in the amount of total lipid and fatty acid in the muscle tissues of W. attu growing wild in large ponds was studied. The result depicts that both the amounts of total lipid and fatty acid varied monthly and thus seasonally in this fish species (boal) belonging to the family of fresh water silurid cat fishes. The percentage of total lipid value reaches its minimum in May and starts increasing from June to October. During breeding season the amount of total fatty acid also shows the same tendency to decrease till May when it reaches its minimum. From June onwards the total fatty acid increases significantly. At the end of the reproductive season, i.e. during the commencement of the nutritional season, the fishes start the process of storing energy in the form of lipids / fatty acids for future use i.e. during reproduction season or during scarcity of food. This is what is reflected in the study that, during the monsoon months in West Bengal the lipid / fatty acid content in the muscle tissues of boal rises to the maximum. This starts decreasing in the winter season as the reproduction period approaches and reaches its minimum in summer.

Wallagu attu; muscle tissues; lipid; fatty acid; seasonal variation; monthly variation

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