Malpigmentation in Diagramma pictum and Pardachirus marmoratus Collected from the Arabian Sea Coasts of Oman

Abstract

Cases of partial hyper pigmentation and malpigmentation were reported from Diagramma pictum and Pardachirus marmoratus collected from the Arabian Sea coasts of Oman. These cases are the first report on color anomalies in these two fish species. Hyper pigmentation spots were observed mainly on the side of D. pictus , while the malpigmentation patch was observed across the body of P. marmoratus . Both cases are not pathological, but they have an economic effects that the melanic or the ambicolored specimens may cause to the fishermen due to being unfavourable by the customers.