Intra-specific variation in the morphometry of freshwater prawn (Caridina: Atyidae) from tropical ponds of South India

Abstract

Ponds are important small water-bodies in the world and they provide numerous ecosystem services. The conservation of pond components (aquatic fauna and flora) is precious and understanding of the effect of environmental variables on morphological variations found in prawn populations is obligatory. The present study thus aimed to describe the morphometric variation in freshwater prawn in ponds of South India. The freshwater prawns were collected from 10 sites in Madurai district, Tamil Nadu province. The degree of association between environmental variables and distribution of prawn in sampling sites was tested using statistical analyses. Result of the study shows that only one freshwater prawn species (Caridina) was collected. Among environmental variables, conductivity influenced significantly with the distribution of Caridina population revealed by Principal Component Analysis. Overall, distinct environmental variables influenced significantly the morphometry of the freshwater prawn in ponds.