Relevance of the study of marine fish eggs and larvae in India

India is a tropical, peninsular country, situated between about Lat. 3° and 38® N and between about Long' 68' and 80'' E. There is an extensive coastline of more than 6,500 Km, dotted with many estuaries, creeks, backwaters bays, lagoons, etc. frequented by quite a few species of fishes. According to Talwar and Kacker (1984)^ there are about 1,400 marine and estuarine fish species in India, Of these/ about 100 species belong to the group of sharks, rays and skates (Esasmobranchii), which are mostly viviparous, giving birth to their young ones and hence do not pose any problems with regard to their identity in their young stages