The recent occurrence of exotic freshwater fishes in the tributaries of river Ganga basin: abundance, distribution, risk, and conservation issues

Abstract

We record here the recent occurrence, abundance and distribution of six exotic fish species, viz. Oreochromis mossambicus, Cyprinus carpio, Hypopthalmicthys molitrix, Ctenopharyngodon idellus, Clarias gariepinus, and Pterygoplichthys disjunctivus (a new exotic in India) distributed through the four important tributaries of river Ganga basin in India. From the total catch, the abundance index of all exotic species in different rivers ranged from 1.1 to 14.5 % with highest value in River Gomti. The relative abundance of the exotic species in all the four tributaries demonstrated that a single species C. carpio contributed a considerable abundance (43.3–83 %) than that of the remaining exotic fishes. The Common Carp, C. carpio, was ubiquitous in all the four tributaries of Ganges basin studied and had the highest local distribution (52.63 %). Smaller size groups of endangered (Chagunius chagunio, Chitala chitala, and Tor tor) and migratory species (Bagarius bagarius, Ompok pabda, Wallago attu, and Sperata aor) in the four tributaries were recorded, and the increasing appearance of Common Carp and other exotic fishes is signaling biological invasion. Possible threats to the indigenous fish fauna, as a result of the invasion and proliferation of these exotics, are discussed.