Abstract
Puntius shalynius is a highly endemic freshwater minor carp that is economically important and is threatened because of its ornamental value. The present investigation evaluated this barb gonadal maturation, based on morphology and spawning of this species in the Umiam river, Meghalaya, India. The population of this indigenous fish has declined due to its fragmented distribution and exploitation as an ornamental fish. The reproductive cycle of P. shalynius was studied for the first time. A total of 609 fish samples were randomly collected from the river for a period of two years during January 2010 and December 2011. Five maturity phases (rest, primary growth, secondary growth, ripe and spent) were observed on the basis of ovarian and testicular macroscopic evaluation throughout the annual cycle. Peak spawning activity was observed in the month of June/ July and it coincided with the start of the monsoon season. The study showed that the fish spawns once in a year with single spawning peak and that the species is a low fecund fish. It is important to conserve this species for its unique ecological value and urgent management policies should promote its sustainable utilization.
Highlights
The shalyni barb, Puntius shalynius (Yazdani & Talukdar, 1975), is an important hill stream, endemic and threatened ornamental fish of Meghalaya, India
The knowledge of their reproductive biology is a critical component for sustainable management and policy definition; a complete understanding of the gonad development status of fish species is considered to be an important step for resource managers and fish culturists (Kohinoor, Islam, Mia, Rahman, & Hussain, 2003)
The sex ratio in the different months observed was slightly different from the expected ratio of 1:1
Summary
The shalyni barb, Puntius shalynius (Yazdani & Talukdar, 1975), is an important hill stream, endemic and threatened ornamental fish of Meghalaya, India. This species has a very restricted geographical distribution in India (Manorama & Ramanujam, 2014) and inhabits high altitude water bodies above 1 000 msl. There is a blue horizontal line which runs along the middle of body and presence of minute black spots on sides of head (Jayaram, 1999) It has been in the category of “vulnerable” according to IUCN (2015), and has considered it in threatened status. The data obtained can be utilized for future aquaculture planning and formulating conservation measures of this potential species which is regarded to be threatened, and whose natural habitats are being damaged and the population is rapidly declining due to anthropogenic activities in Meghalaya, India
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