Length-weight relationships of Channa punctata (Bloch, 1793) from Western Ghats rivers of Tamil Nadu

Summary The study deals with the length–weight relationships of 1940 spotted murrel, Channa punctata (Bloch, 1793), collected in the Tamirabarani, Siruvani, Vellar and Cauvery rivers of Western Ghats, Tamil Nadu, India in the years 2001 through 2003. Lengths varied from 5 to 27 cm. Linear regression was used for the study and a trend line graph applied to compare conditions in the various rivers as per relationships. Results of the present study show that there is no significant difference (P > 0.005) in the length–weight relationship as a function of sex in the Siruvani, Vellaru and Cauvery populations, whereas there is a significant difference between males and females in the Tamirabarani population, indicating non‐homogeneity of these relationships.