Length –weight Relationship (LWR) and Condition Factor (K) of a Deepsea Shrimp Heterocarpus chani Li, 2006 (Decapoda: Caridea: Pandalidae) from Southern Coast of Indian EEZ

Length–weight relationship (LWR) and condition factor (K) studies on commercially important deepsea caridean shrimp Heterocarpus chani Li, 2006 belonging to the family Pandalidae have significant implications for fishery management, its general well-being, and fitness in a marine habitat. The total length and weight relationship (TWR) of the species was estimated based on the 2540 samples, carapace length and weight relationship (CWR) with 3357 specimens consisting of males (M), females (NF) and ovigerous females (OF) collected during 2013–2015 along the southern coast of India. Samples of H. chani were collected from the commercial boats in commission with bottom trawls at a depth of 200–300 m with cod end mesh size of 25–30 mm operating along with three major landing centres (SAK, KAL, COL) along the southeastern Arabian Sea and two centres (TUT, NAG) along the Bay of Bengal. The parameter ‘b’ recognized negative and positive allometry (2.79 and 3.57), whereas the coefficient of determination (r2) was found to vary from 0.78–0.93 for TWR and CWR ‘b’ ranged from 1.52 to 2.78 showing negative allometric growth with r2 ranging between 0.60–0.88. Fulton’s condition factor (K) for total length and weight of males, females, and ovigerous females ranged between 0.56–0.71, 0.58–0.79, and 0.67–0.81, respectively representing better health conditions in ovigerous females with significant difference (p < 0.05) between the two variables. Results from the present study would provide valuable information on LWR and K of a deepsea shrimp, H. chani from India, and future studies might use this method to compare growth patterns, stock assessment, and sustainable management of deepsea shrimps along the Indian coast.