Ichthyofaunal Diversity Research Articles

Mudskipper fishing in the coast of Bhavnagar, Gulf of Khambhat, Gujarat, India

Coastal areas of Bhavnagar district harbors wide range of ichthyofaunal diversity and diverse fisheries resources. The fishermen in this area use wide range of fishing methods and gears, which evolved traditionally and being adept extensively in Bhavnagar coastline. Livelihood of these fishermen is almost entirely depends on mudskipper fishing and they employ three types of fishing methods to catch them i.e. direct catch through digging the burrow, stick traps around mudskipper holes, and by nylon net. Fishing by using nylon net is the most commonly used method compared to others.

Ichthyofaunal diversity of the Omo-Turkana basin, East Africa, <span lang="EN-US">with specific reference to fish diversity within the limits of Ethiopian waters</span>

The freshwaters of the East African nation of Ethiopia are divided into nine main drainage basins. One of these, the Omo-Turkana basin, spans a large part of southwestern Ethiopian highlands and northern Kenya, and consists of the Omo-Gibe (or simply, Omo) River and a northern portion of Lake Turkana. Despite some development activities, including proposed dam construction with potential impacts on ichthyofaunal diversity, the Ethiopian part of the basin generally lacks comprehensive study or full scientific documentation. During the current surveys 31 species were identified from the lower Omo River and Ethiopian part of Lake Turkana, with some new records for the basin. The Omo River system was found to be richer in species while Lake Turkana has a higher abundance. Ichthyofaunal diversity within Ethiopian waters is specifically addressed, and an annotated checklist for native species of the basin is provided.

An account on the assemblage of fish larvae in Ponnani estuary, South India

Estuarine environments are one of the most dynamic aquatic ecosystems and serve many important functions in coastal waters. Larval fish dynamics contribute significantly to understanding the ecology of fish populations as they can indicate the spawning-stock biomass and recruitment in adult fish stocks. Initial development stages of fishes are particularly vulnerable and are influenced by physical and biological processes. Hence the present study was aimed to characterize ichthyoplankton assemblages, to evaluate environmental influence in its structure. Ponnani backwater fish larvae assemblages displayed a clear seasonal pattern presenting higher abundances and diversities during warmer months. Throughout the year there is a wide fluctuation in salinity, temperature and primary productivity in these backwaters enabling it to be classified under stressful environment for larval forms of certain economically important marine fishes. A detailed analysis made to study the interaction of selected environmental parameters with ichthyofaunal diversity in Ponnani backwater provided a clear understanding on the influence of these variables on the distribution of marine fish larvae in the region. The results of the present analysis provided a model for the prediction of larval diversity from the prevailing environmental parameters.

Osteology and relationships of Luxembourgichthys (“Pholidophorus”) friedeni gen. nov. (Teleostei, “Pholidophoriformes”) from the Lower Jurassic of Belgium and the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg

1. Introduction The lower Toarcian strata of southeast Belgium and the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, known as the Grandcourt Marls or the Grandcourt Formation, yield a rich and diverse ichthyofauna, comprising the saurichthyid Acidorhynchus Stensiö, 1925, the amiiform Caturus Agassiz, 1834, the semionotid Lepidotes Agassiz, 1832, the dapediids Dapedium Leach, 1822 and Tetragonolepis Bronn, 1830, the pachycormids Sauropsis Agassiz, 1832, Pachycormus Agassiz, 1833, Saurostomus Agassiz, 1833, Euthynotus Wagner 1860 and Haasichthys Delsate, 1999, the pholidophorid Pholidophorus Agassiz, 1832 (represented by two species) and the primitive cycloid teleost Leptolepis Agassiz, 1832 (Delsate, 1999a, b). Delsate (1999c) described the new species Pholidophorus friedeni on the basis of specimens found in different Toarcian localities of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg. He stated that this taxon was also recorded in Germany and attributed this new species to the genus Pholidophorus, although without giving any reason for his choice. Moreover, he expressed some doubts about this generic attribution. Fragmentary samples of the same species, collected in the lower Toarcian strata of Athus (southeast Belgium), are housed in the collection of the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences (Brussels), but were not studied until now. The aim of this paper is to study the osteology of “Pholidophorus” friedeni in a more detailed way than had been previously done, to discuss its generic attribution an

Molecular Phylogeny Inferred from the Concatenated Genes of Two Neotropical Catfish Species and Implications for Conservation

The Neotropics host the most diverse ichthyofauna in the world, with catfish species forming one of the most diverse groups in the region. Nuclear (RAG1) and mitochondrial (ATPase and Cytb) markers were analyzed to identify genetic variability in populations of Pseudoplatystoma reticulatum and Pseudoplatystoma corruscans from the La Plata and Sao Francisco Basins. Bayesian topology identified the division of P. corruscansinto two main clades. One of these clades was formed of samples from the Sao Francisco Basin and the other was formed of samples from the Parana+Paraguay Basins. P. reticulatum was grouped together without any clear geographic or taxonomic patterns in Bayesian topology. While only a few common nuclear haplotypes were widely identified in both species, there was great variability in the mitochondrial sequences. The genetic and geographical distance correlations were tested using the Mantel permutation, which detected no significant relationships.The results of the present study suggest a panmitic population for both species (excluding P. corruscansin the Sao Francisco Basin, which is suggested as a new species), with the greatest diversity concentrated in the region covered by the Pantanal biome, and the lowest diversity in Mogi Guacu, in the Parana Basin. These findings support the establishment of public conservation policies and provide information regarding genetic diversity and population differentiation patterns for these ecological and economically important species.

Notes on a remotely operated vehicle survey to describe reef ichthyofauna and habitats – Agulhas Bank, South Africa

Background: Despite their ecological and economic importance, reef habitats on the central Agulhas Bank, off the southern tip of Africa, remain poorly studied. The ichthyofauna of these habitats cannot be surveyed using trawl gear.Objective: Preliminary assessment of the use of a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) to investigate the ichthyofauna associated with deep reef habitats on the central Agulhas Bank.Method: Underwater visual surveys were carried out during ROV dives (maximum duration 60 minutes; area covered approximately 800 m2; maximum dive depth 100 m).Results discussion: The number of detected fish species (36) compares well with that reported from fishing surveys and commercial fisher data. Most (68%) fishes appeared to be undisturbed by the ROV. Species saturation was reached after a maximum of 135 minutes survey time, but species numbers increased and saturation times shortened (34 minutes minimum) with the introduction of bait.Conclusion: ROV surveys may represent a non-extractive alternative to assess demersal ichthyofaunal diversity in relation to habitat structure and benthic cover on temperate reefs around South Africa.

Fish Diversity in Western Ramganga River of Kumaun Himalaya Uttarakhand, India

Present investigation deals with seasonal variation in ichthyofauna diversity in Western Ramganga River atChaukhutiya (Almora), India. Spring fed river Western Ramganga harbors varieties of ichthyo-fauna. During one year of the study period (i.e. Jan 2012 to Dec., 2012) 14 fish species were recorded. Identified fish species belonged to four families, namely Sisoridae, Cyprinidae, Botinae and Mastacembellidae. Of these four families, Cyprinidae comprise the dominant family represented by 8 species and Mastacembellidae was the last abundant family in terms of species composition during the entire study period and contributed single species in the Western Ramganga River.

Late Cretaceous (Maastrichtian) Chondrichthyes and Osteichthyes from northeastern Iberia

Intensive sampling for vertebrate microfossils has yielded abundant fish remains in the Maastrichtian units of the Tremp Formation (southern Pyrenees, Catalonia, Spain). Samples were taken from eight new sites representing different palaeoenvironments including coastal wetlands and floodplains, in order to assess the fish diversity and to gain a better understanding of the last dinosaur-dominated ecosystems of northeastern Spain. The results suggest that a diverse ichthyofauna inhabited these transitional to inland fluvial settings throughout the Maastrichtian, comprising both marine and freshwater taxa. Three different chondrichthyans, eight basal neopterygians and at least seven teleostean species were found, the latter being more diverse than in other Maastrichtian localities in Europe. Fossil evidence from the studied late Maastrichtian assemblages suggests that teleosteans were present in all the trophic guilds. In addition, the oldest records for osteoglossids and perciforms in Europe, as well as for cypriniforms worldwide, are reported here. The findings from the southern Pyrenees also reveal ichthyofaunal turnover during the Late Cretaceous, with ‘holosteans’ being replaced by teleosteans. Moreover, Maastrichtian ichthyofaunas from the southern Pyrenees show Asian and North American biogeographical affinities.

Fishing gears and methods in the Chalan Beel, Bangladesh

Present study on fishing gears and methods in the Chalan Beel was conducted during the period of July 2011 to June 2014. The Chalan Beel is the large network of fluvial waters body that harbors rich ichthyofaunal diversity. Most of the fishing methods of the Chalan Beel are primitive, based on indigenous traditional knowledge and well suited to turbulent nature of the streams. In this study thirty fishing methods and gears have been documented and classified into five categories- fishing nets, traps, wounding gears, hooks and lines, and others. Many of these were harmful to fishes as well as aquatic biodiversity. Effective measurements are required to make proper use of the Chalan Beel.

Fishing gears and methods in the Chalan Beel, Bangladesh

Present study on fishing gears and methods in the Chalan Beel was conducted during the period of July 2011 to June 2014. The Chalan Beel is the large network of fluvial waters body that harbors rich ichthyofaunal diversity. Most of the fishing methods of the Chalan Beel are primitive, based on indigenous traditional knowledge and well suited to turbulent nature of the streams. In this study thirty fishing methods and gears have been documented and classified into five categories- fishing nets, traps, wounding gears, hooks and lines, and others. Many of these were harmful to fishes as well as aquatic biodiversity. Effective measurements are required to make proper use of the Chalan Beel.

Indigenous ornamental freshwater ichthyofauna of the Sundarban Biosphere Reserve, India: status and prospects

Ornamental fishes are the most popular pet throughout the world and high demand for these fishes has made them an important component of the world fish trade. India contributes a very meager percentage to the world ornamental fish trade; but considering the high ichthyofaunal diversity it has the potential to compete with the world’s leading ornamental fish producers in the near future. Sundarban Biosphere Reserve has abundant waterbodies with rich fish diversity. Although some research has been carried out on ichthyofaunal resources of the Sundarban; detailed documentation on freshwater indigenous ornamental ichthyofaunal resources of this region is still not available. To fill this knowledge gap, the present study has been conducted to list the indigenous ornamental ichthyofaunal resources of the Sundarban Biosphere Reserve along with their conservation status and their prospective utilization for improved livelihood of local communities. Eighty four species belonging to 11 orders, 28 families and 59 genera were collected from the study area with species representing the order Cypriniformes dominating the ichthyofauna. Nine species have been listed as Near Threatened in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™. Indigenous fish species of the Sundarban having great potential to support domestic as well as the international ornamental fish trade from India in near future. The ornamental fish species would also be able to generate alternate livelihood options for the impecunious communities of the Sundarban. However, serious concern must also be paid to the conservation of these fish species as some of them are under near threatened categories of IUCN Red list.

Morphologic and trophic diversity of fish assemblages in rapids of the Xingu River, a major Amazon tributary and region of endemism

Increasing hydropower expansion in hyper-diverse tropical river basins is currently threatening aquatic biodiversity on an unprecedented scale. Among the largest and most controversial of these projects is the Belo Monte Hydroelectric Complex being constructed on the Xingu River, a major Amazon tributary in Brazil. Despite the potentially large impacts, almost no baseline ecological data are available for the river’s diverse ichthyofauna. This study uses ecomorphology and stable isotope analysis to explore the functional and trophic relationships among four of the dominant families within the Xingu River rapids (Loricariidae, Cichlidae, Anostomidae, and Serrasalmidae). Morphological analysis revealed clear separation of these families based on functional traits associated with microhabitat use and foraging strategies, with the Loricariidae and Cichlidae displaying greatest functional diversity. The four families analyzed were not clearly differentiated in isotopic space defined by δ13C and δ15N values. Considerable overlap was observed among isotopic niches and all four families primarily assimilated material originating from phytomicrobenthos (assumed to be mainly benthic algae). Differences between morphological and trophic diversity within families provide insight into how this diverse assemblage may be partitioning niche space, which in turn has implications for population responses to hydrologic alteration.

Ichthyofaunal Diversity of Kangsabati River at Paschim Medinipur District, West Bengal, India

Fish faunal diversity and their abundance vary to a great extent in respect to physical, chemical and biological parameters of the water body. The present study deals with the fish biodiversity and distribution with respect to several physicochemical characters of the habitat, from August-2013 to January-2015 in the Kangsabati River, Paschim Medinipur District of West Bengal. Occurrence of 45 fish species belonging to 8 orders, 17 families and 29 genera have been noted during the study period. It is evident that the members belonging to Cyprinifomes constitute 41 % of the total fish fauna of the river. Fluctuation in occurrence and abundance of the species are influenced by a number of physicochemical parameters viz. pH, dissolved oxygen, salinity, conductivity and suspended solids.

Ichthyofaunal diversity of various water bodies of Kokrajhar district, BTAD, Assam

Background: Kokrajhar district of Assam is endowed with myriads of rivers and beels which in turn house a richvariety of fish species. Methodology: The present study deals with the extensive ichthyological field surveyconducted over a period of one year from June 2014 to May 2015. Results: The survey revealed the occurrence ofinexplicable diversity of fishes representing 77 species distributed under ---9 orders, 26 families and 53 genera.Labeo genus with 7 species was the most diverse followed by the genus Channa with 6 species. The fishes weredivided into seven broad categories namely Indian major/minor carps, Exotic carps established in Assam, Live fishes,Cat fishes, Feather back, ornamental fishes and river fishes representing 10, 4, 10, 23, 2, 18 and 10 speciesrespectively. Out of the 77 species recorded 74 were considered as food fish while only 3 species viz. Erethistespusillus, Tetradon cutcutia and Aplocheilus panchax as not food fishes, 36 were commercially important food fish.Chitala chitala and Tor tor had sport values in addition of being commercially important food fish. Conservationstatus revealed that Tor putitora was the only fish species that was under endangered category. Apart from this a totalof 2, 10, 47, 16 and 1 species represented vulnerable, near threatened, least concerned, not evaluated and datadeficient categories respectively

A preliminary fish survey of the estuaries on the southeast coast of South Africa, Kayser’s Beach – Kei Mouth: a comparative study

A basic ichthyofaunal and physico-chemical survey of estuaries on the southeast coast of South Africa from Kayser’s Beach to Kei Mouth was undertaken during September and October 1996. Twenty-eight (28) estuaries have been identified along this stretch of coastline, and these were grouped into three types: small ( 10 ha) predominantly closed estuaries, and predominantly open estuaries. Multivariate analyses revealed significant differences between estuarine types both in terms of their physico-chemical characteristics and fish communities. These features were consistent with those reported in other parts of the south and southeast coast. Overall, predominantly closed estuaries had a lower species diversity than predominantly open estuaries and smaller systems had a lower species diversity than moderate to large systems. Although differences were observed between estuarine types, most systems provided important habitat for a number of estuarine-dependent marine species as well as resident species, which were often recorded in high numbers. Many of these species were also endemic, which further emphasises the importance of these estuaries in maintaining ichthyofaunal diversity in the region. This survey represents one of the few fish surveys undertaken along this little-studied section of coastline. Keywords: ichthyofauna, estuarine survey, fish habitat, southeast coast

Habitat Ecology and Ichthyofaunal Diversity of Two Creeks and Their Associated Streams from Port Blair, South Andaman Islands

Habitat ecology and ichthyofaunal diversity were analyzed from two creeks and their associated streams in Port Blair: one was perennial and the other one was seasonal. Various habitat types like riffles, pools, and major and minor bends in both streams were studied. The perennial stream has 12 riffles and 14 pools from head point to the entering point of the creek. The seasonal stream has 15 riffles and 13 pools from the starting point to the sink. The perennial stream was found to have higher ichthyofaunal diversity than the seasonal stream: 1701 individuals constituting 8 orders, 30 families, 42 genera, and 54 species were recorded. Among these, 395 specimens represented by 21 species were found in perennial stream, 291 specimens with 11 species were found in seasonal stream, 863 specimens by 48 species were noted in creek, and 152 specimens constituting 14 species in sink were recorded. The physicochemical parameters of the habitats showed more or less a similar trend. The average dissolved oxygen value of the perennial stream was higher than that of the seasonal stream. Higher temperature values were noted during the postmonsoon season. This study has indicated a wide lacuna in the knowledge of the fresh water habitats and their inhabitants on these islands.

Landscape effects on the occurrence of ichthyofauna in first-order streams of southeastern Brazil

Abstract Objective In this study we aimed to understand how extrinsic environmental factors measured in the watercourses and the surrounding landscape influence the ichthyofauna of first-order streams. Methods Data were collected within the Corumbataí River Basin, São Paulo, southeastern Brazil, during the dry season of 2012. We sampled the ichthyofauna in 13 stretches of streams distributed across four river sub-basins. The stretches differed in relation to the presence/absence of riparian forest, the predominant type of matrix and the percentage of forest. Response variables were species richness and the occurrence of functional groups and explanatory variables include both local and landscape structures from the surrounding environment. Local variables comprised the following water quality and structural attributes: pH, temperature, conductivity, turbidity, flow rate, depth, width, type of substrate. Landscape variables included presence/absence of riparian vegetation, type of vegetation, type of matrix, percentage of forest and canopy cover. Results A total of 268 individuals were recorded, which were distributed among 12 species. The landscape structure influenced the occurrence of functional groups in first-order streams, especially allochthonous-feeders, nektonic and hypoxia-intolerant species. The presence of riparian forest was the most important predictor. Species richness was negatively related to the presence of riparian vegetation, supporting the hypothesis that degraded landscapes lead to a reduction in diversity. Conclusion The protection of riparian vegetation is critical to the maintenance of ichthyofauna diversity in first-order streams. The presence or absence of riparian vegetation differently affected the occurrence of species depending on their functional characteristics, particularly those related to the tolerance to hypoxia, source of alimentary items and the position in the water column.

Native fish biodiversity in Afghanistan

The land-locked country of Afghanistan has a restricted but relatively diverse ichthyofauna comprising 85 species in 10 families. The fauna is dominated by Cyprinidae (50 species) and other Ostariophysans (28 species). Eight species are endemics to Afghanistan within its political boundaries. There are three principal drainage basins: the endorheic Amu Darya draining to the Aral Sea with 29 species, the endorheic Helmand River basin draining to the Sistan terminal lakes on the Iranian border with 22 species, and the Kabul River basin draining to the Indus River with 44 species.

Icthyofaunal Diversity of Siang River in Arunachal Pradesh, India

Study was carried out from June 2012 to July 2013 in a 58 km stretch of the river Siang in Arunachal Pradesh, India to determine ichthyofaunal diversity in this section of the river. The study revealed the presence of 82 species of fishes belonging to 8 orders, 24 families and 53 genera. Species representing the order Cypriniformes dominated the ichthyofauna while those representing Tetradontiformes are in less number.

Ichthyofauna of the Russian exclusive economic zone of the Bering Sea: 1. Taxonomic diversity

The species list of ichthyofauna of the Russian exclusive economic zone of the Bering Sea has been developed using the original data obtained in 1995–2012 and the data published since the very beginning of the studies in this region. The species list includes 344 species belonging to 188 genera, 65 families, and 23 orders. The diversity of the ichthyofauna of the western Bering Sea, calculated under the ratio of species, genera, and families, is significantly higher than that observed for the Arctic seas, the seas of the European part of Russia (except the Caspian Sea), and the Sea of Japan. It is similar to the diversity of the ichthyofauna of coastal waters of the northern Kuril Islands and the northern Sea of Okhotsk. The maximal diversity has been found for scorpion fishes and sculpins (Scorpaeniformes), perch-like fishes (Perciformes), salmons (Salmoniformes), flatfishes (Pleuronectiformes), and cods and hakes (Gadiformes). These orders comprise 33 families (50.8% of total number of families), 139 genera (73.9% of total number of genera), and 279 species (81.1% of total number of species) in total. The maximal diversity belongs to the scorpion fishes and sculpins and the perch-like fishes; they dominate absolutely by the number of the lower-order taxa (families, genera, and species). Such families as sculpins (Cottidae), eelpouts (Zoarcidae), snailfishes (Liparidae), righteye flounders (Pleuronectidae), pricklebacks (Stichaeidae), and poachers (Agonidae) are presented by 175 species, or comprise 50.9% of the total diversity of ichthyofauna.