Larvivorous Fish Diversity in Krishna River at Prakasam Barrage, Vijayawada (Krishna District), Andhra Pradesh, India
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Bioscience Discovery, 8(2):184-191, April - 2017 © RUT Printer and Publisher Print & Online, Open Access, Research Journal Available on http://jbsd.in ISSN: 2229-3469 (Print); ISSN: 2231-024X (Online) Research Article Larvivorous fish diversity in Krishna River at Prakasam barrage, Vijayawada (Krishna district), Andhra Pradesh, India Govinda Rao, K., Chandra Sekhara Rao, J. and G. Simhachalam* Department of Zoology & Aquaculture, Acharya Nagarjuna University, Nagarjuna Nagar - 522 510, A.P., India. *[email protected] Article Info Abstract Received: 02-03-2017, A study was conducted in River Krishna at Prakasam Barrage, Vijayawada with Revised: 29-03-2017, an objective to document the larvivorous fish fauna. Study revealed the Accepted: 30-03-2017 occurrence of 19 species of larvivorous fish from 5 orders, 10 families and 13 genera. Order cypriniformes was the most dominant group among the orders Keywords: followed by bagridae and channidae. Family cyprinidae belongs to the order Biological control, cypriniformes was the most dominant group with 7 species among the other Conservation. Integrated families. According to the IUCN (2016) red list of threatened species, 78.94 % vector control management of species are at least concern, 10.52% are at not assessed, 5.26% are near program, Larvivorous fish. threatened and for 5.26 % of species data is deficient. As per the CAMP report (1998), 17 species are at least concern, 1 species is at near threatened and for 1 species data is deficient. Out of 19 larvivorous fish, 9 species are commonly available in the River, 9 are abundant and 1 species is rarely available. 16 varieties of fishes are food fishes of which 10 species are cultivable augmenting multiple benefits for the stake holders. Several anthropogenic activities including pollution, habitat loss, human interference and over exploitation are seriously affecting these fish fauna. Proper conservation measures should be adopted to mitigate the loss of these valuable fish species as these fish can be widely used component in integrated vector control management program. INTRODUCTION Sometimes these chemicals have adverse Mosquito borne diseases such as encephalitis, environmental consequences to various non-target equine infectious malaria, yellow fever, dengue and species (Gupta and Banerjee, 2013). Physical filariasis are continue to be major problems in control measures are also expensive and time almost all tropical and subtropical countries consuming. Biological control which includes (Chandra et al., 2008). In India, chemical, physical manipulation of animals suppresses the mosquito and biological control measures have been in larval population naturally through predation, practice to reduce the incidence of mosquito borne parasitism and competition (Chandra et al., 2008). diseases (Ghosh and Dash, 2007). However, Fish that are predators of various stages of mosquito chemical control measures pollute nearby aquatic larvae referred to as larvivorous fish have been the ecosystems, expensive and require much skilled most successful intervention amongst various manpower for constant surveillance of mosquito biological control agents utilized against mosquito breeding habitats (Martínez-Ibarra et al., 2002). borne diseases. Use of the larvivorous fish in http://jbsd.in 184 ISSN: 2229-3469 (Print) Govinda Rao K. et al., malaria control in India is not new but a half- mosquito larval control agents. Considering the forgotten strategy (Ghosh and Dash, 2007). Many growing importance of native fish fauna as types of larvivorous fish have been used in mosquito larval control agents, the present study biological control programs across the world was conducted to document native larvivorous fish (Walton, 2007). According to Sharma (1984), who fauna of River Krishna (Figure 1) at Prakasam provided a detailed list of 315 native larvivorous barrage (16º 30’ 22’’ N and 80º 36’ 18’’ E) in fish species of 32 genera under 6 families from Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh, India. different continents, larvivorous fish are used as a major component of the integrated malaria control MATERIALS AND METHODS programme in India. Gambusia affinis and Poecilia The present study was conducted for a period of one reticulata are the two introduced, live-bearing year from March, 2016 to February, 2017. Monthly poecilid species which are most successful and sampling by covering all seasons was carried out in effective for vector control but, due to their negative the River. Experimental fishing was carried out with impact on the aquatic environment and indigenous the help of artisanal fishermen using different types aquatic fauna, several indigenous fish species have of craft and gear. Nets namely cast nets, gill nets, been evaluated to assess their larval predation drag nets and scoop nets were used. Fishes were efficiency and various native larvivorous fish also collected from catches of local fisher folk at the species are gaining much attention as biological same sampling sites. Local fish markets and landing control agents in vector control management. centers located near the river were also visited to Krishna et al. (2016) reported 29 species of collect the fish. Normally 2 – 4 specimens for each larvivorous fish from 6 orders, 14 families and 20 species were collected for morphometric and genera from Lake Kolleru. Rao et al. (2015) meristic studies. Photographs were taken reported 22 larvivorous fish from 8 orders from immediately by Nikon camera (Model D90) in the Lake Kolleru and assessed the mosquito larval field itself prior to preservation. Representative preference of Amblypharyngodon mola, Colisa specimens of all fish species brought to the lalia, Mystus bleekeri and Rasbora daniconius. laboratory were preserved in 10% formalin solution Rama Rao (2014) reported 58 larvivorous fish according to their size. Small specimens were species from lower Manair dam at Karimnagar, directly placed in the formalin solution while the Andhra Pradesh. Three indigenous larvivorous fish larger ones were given an incision on the abdomen viz. Channa gachua, Puntius sophore and before preservation. Preserved fish were labeled Trichogaster fasciata were documented from giving serial numbers, date and time of collection, Assam by Phukon and Biswas (2013) of which locality from where collected, common name etc. Channa gachua (179 ± 21.21/h) as found to All the fishes were preserved in the Museum, consume maximum number of mosquito larvae Department of Zoology and Aquaculture, Acharaya followed by Puntius sophore (66.33 ± 1.52/h) and Nagarjuna University, Guntur. Fishes were Trichogaster fasciata (45.67 ± 0.58/h). Das (2012) identified up to the species level using keys assessed the predation potentiality of five developed by Jayaram (1981); Talwar and Jhingran indigenous larvivorous fish species viz. Mystus (1991); Jayaram (1999) and Jayaram (2010). bleekeri, Channa stewartii, Rasbora daniconius, Identified fishes were confirmed by the experts in Colisa fasciatus and Danio aequipinnatus from the field of fish taxonomy. Classification was north east India. The ability of Aplochelius carried out on lines of Day (1889), Jayaram (1961), panchax, a native larvivorous fish as predator of Nelson (1976) and Jayaram (1981). mosquito larvae was assessed Manna et al. (2011). Data on current conservation status of fish The suitability of the indigenous air breathing fishes was obtained from the reports of the Conservation, Anabas testudineus, Clarias batrachus and Assessment and Management Plan (CAMP) Heteropneustes fossilis as predators of mosquito workshop (Molur and Walker, 1998) on freshwater larvae was also assessed under laboratory and filed fishes of India and IUCN Red List Category of conditions (Bhattacharjee et al., 2009). Devi and Threatened Species (IUCN, 2016). Data regarding Jauhari (2009) reported 8 indigenous fish abundance of different fish species, threats faced by (Aplochelius panchax, Polycanthus faciatus, the fish fauna and economic importance was Polycanthus sota, Puntius ticto, Puntius obtained from both primary sources (direct manipuriensis, Amblypharyngodon mola, Esomus observations and interactions with the local danricus and Rasbora daniconius as potential stakeholders) and secondary (literature and reports) http://biosciencediscovery.com 185 ISSN: 2231-024X (Online) Bioscience Discovery, 8(2):184-191, April - 2017 sources. Larvivorous nature of fish was tested aquaria for analyzing their fecal matter. Fecal depending on the consumption of mosquito larvae matter was collected and placed on a watch glass. in their natural habitats.Gastrointestinal content of Excess water was removed with filter paper. the selected species was analyzed. For this, fishes Glycerine was added to this material and observed were transferred to the laboratory and store in under a stereo zoom trinocular microscope for plastic tubs. Active fishes were transferred to glass analysis. http://jbsd.in 186 ISSN: 2229-3469 (Print) Govinda Rao K. et al., RESULTS AND DISCUSSION http://biosciencediscovery.com 187 ISSN: 2231-024X (Online) Bioscience Discovery, 8(2):184-191, April - 2017 In the present study we have recorded 19 conservation status, abundance, commercial larvivorous fish species belong to 5 orders, 10 importance and ecological importance was given families and 13 genera. List of larvivorous fish table 1 and figure 2. recorded from the river, along with their Order cypriniformes was the most dominant group total fish species, followed by siluriformes and contributing 36.84%