Check List 8(6): 1163–1165, 2012 © 2012 Check List and Authors Chec List ISSN 1809-127X (available at www.checklist.org.br) Journal of species lists and distribution

Ichthyofaunal Diversity of , , pecies

S ,

of

Biswajit Kumar Acharjee 1*, Madhurima Das 2 ists

L 3 4

1 Faculty, Kendriya Vidyalaya, Dimapur, Nagaland, India. , Papari Borah and Jayaditya Purkayastha

2 Faculty, Department of Biotechnology, AIMT, , , India. 3 Research Scholar, Department of [email protected] Zoology, Gauhati University,Assam, India. 4 Help Earth, Guwahati, Assam, India. * Corresponding author. E- mail: Abstract: Northeastern India, one of the Ichthyofaunal hot spot areas of our country, is marked by the presence of varied

freshwater fishes,a few adapted to torrential waterflow. River Dhansiri is an important river of of Nagaland, India, which flows through Nagaland –Assam border harbouring rich aquatic flora and fauna. Very little studies have been carried out to document the fish biodiversity of the Dhansiri river till date. In the present study an attempt has been made common.to access the piscine diversity of this river. The survey results in finding of species of 34 fishes belonging to five (5) orders, thirteen (13) families and twenty four (24) genera. Cyprniformes is the dominant order while Osteoglossiformes is the least

Introduction reported from Nagaland (Ao et al. 1988). Recent literature The Northeastern region of India is considered to review describes redescription and study of Amblyceps apangi from (Vishwanath and Linthoingambi, et 2007) and Disrtict ( Humtsoe and Bordoloi 2009) al.be 2010). one of A the great hotspots number of freshwaterof species have fish biodiversitybeen reported in respectively. fromthe world most of (Kottelat the northeastern and Whitten, states. 1996; However, Ramanujam a very less Although Dhansiri river is the major river of Dimapur district but review of literature reveals very scarce study a small northeastern state in India, lies between the on piscine biodiversity. Earlier report presence of only parallelsnumber of of fishes 98 degree were reportedand 96 degree from Nagaland.East Longitude Nagaland, and river Brahmaputra (Karmakar and Das 2006). Thus, the This state is marked by inaccessible forested hills and nine species of fishes from this major tributary of the 26.6 degree and 27.4 degree latitude north of the Equator. particular stretch of the Dhansiri river of Dimapur district of Dikhu, Doyang, Jhanji and Dhansiri. Nagaland,present survey India. is carried out to access the fish diversity in a mountainsDimapur crisscrossed is located with in the four western major rivers most namely- part of Nagaland and is surrounded by the district of in Materials and Methods

Thethe south-easternboundary on the part, eastern district part of of Karbi Dimapur Anglong is formed in the The fish -survey and collections in Dhansiri River was bywest, Dhansiri and River, whiledistrict the of westernAssam in part the northern of the district part. done in Rangapahar- Dimapur border ( 5 GPS points of the consists mostly of forests and hills. study sites are 25°52’35.68” N, 93°41’44.3” E; 25°52’39.65” Dhansiri is the main river of of Assam E.N, Dhansiri 93°41’44.89” river, havingE; 25°52’38.79” total catchment N, 93°41’42.73” area 1220 km E; and the Dimapur District of Nagaland. It originates from (Choudhury25°52’37.07” 2009), N, 93°41’43.98” has varied E; water 25°52’60” level thatN, 93°41’44.57” depends on Laisang peak of Nagaland the season. km from south to north before joining the Brahmaputra Fishes were collected with the help of cast nets from on its south bank. . It flows through a distance of 352 July 2011 to February 2012. Local people were involved in netting and collection. Five sample sites were chosen in very rich in wildlife.While On oneflowing side as is thethe boundaryDhansiri Reserved between the survey area based on habitat types, water quality and Karbi Anglong and Nagaland, it flanks large wilderness depth. The specimens were photographed with Cannon 2009). The Dhansiri river is the largest tributary of river . All the essential data like place of Brahmaputra.Forest and on theIt is other a perennial Intanki source National of water Park (Choudhuryfor Dimapur district ( werepowershot recorded. 480 ). collection,The collected number specimens of fish, body were colour, transported body markings to biology etc. 25°54’45” N, 93°44’30” E and 25°91’25” N, laboratory cum museum of the Kendriya Vidyalaya 93°74’16” E Earlier studies report 230 fish species, belonging to 103 genera and 36 families from the northeastern India (Sinha andDimapur Jingran and (1991), assigned Jayaram Specimen (1999), key Barman numbers. (2002), The 1994). The current updated record shows the diversity as specimens were identified following Sen (1985), Talwar 267 species belonging to 114 genera under 38 families and formaldehyde (Ramanujam 2010). 10 orders (Ramanujum 2010). Nearly 149 different species Vishwanath (2002) before preserving them in 5% of fishes belonging to 22 different families have been 1163 Acharjee et al. | Ichthyofaunal diversity of Dhansiri River, India

Results and Discussion as these are placed in endangered and near threatened

check list shows Amblyceps apangi and Ompok pabda as The details of fish species recorded from the present leastcategory concerned in IUCN species (2011) but check review list. of literature Although reveals IUCN study site are given in Table 1.The fish nomenclature is based on Fishbase.org and fish status was checked in IUCN Puntius chola, Puntius duringred list the(IUCN samples 2011). collection The status time of thebut fishes the status are based of some on conchonius,that these are Ailia threatened coilia, Catla species(Sarkar catla, Mystus and vittatus Ponniah and ofthe the IUCN species (2011) mentioned data base may as it havewas prevalent got changed and infollowed recent Clarias2006; Tesiabatrachus and are Bordoloi prominent 2012). vulnerable species (Molur times. and Walker 1998). Botia dario and colisa fasciatus are the The present survey of river Dhansiri in the Dimapur

prominent ornamentalLabeo rohita, fishes Catla in catla the finding. and Cirrhinus mrigala town reveals the presence of thirty four (34) species of wereSome found economically in much abundance important whereas Indian few species major of carp hill catchfishes list belonging with seventeen to five (5) species orders, followed thirteen by (13)eight families species fingerlings of and twenty four (24) genera. Cypriniformes dominates the represented by four species each whereas one species adapted fishes were found during net trapping. wasof Siluriformes. represented Perciformes by Osteoglossiformes. and Synbranchiformes Dhansiri were river Setting of small scale factories near the river bank and has freshwater, semi torrent, hill stream and ornamental thatflow pesticidesof effluents (especially into the stream organphosphates) is one of the aremajor randomly factors that may affect the present fish diversity. Survey reveals Brahmaputra and Mora Dhansiri while coming through hillyfish speciesterrain. as it camouflaged with freshwater river like used in the bank side paddy fields which can also affect regionthe fish due population. to destruction Reports of the suggest habitat, a drastic overexploitation reduction and near threatened species (Tor sp.) which is one of the andin abundance other anthropogenic of the freshwater effects fishes (Kottelat in the northeastern and Whitten Present surveys record the presenceTor of one endangered 2006). importantTable 1. findings. Presence of species is significant List of fish species in Dhansiri river, Dimapur, Nagaland. CONSERVATION STATUS SPECIMEN KEY SL NO. LIST OF FISHES ORDER FAMILY (IUCN 2011) NUMBER 1 Labeo rohita (Hamilton, 1822) Cypriniformes Cyprinidae Least concern 2 Labeo bata (Hamilton, 1822) Cypriniformes Cyprinidae Least concern KVF 134 Labeo gonius (Hamilton, 1822) Cypriniformes Cyprinidae Least concern KVF 137 Cyprinus carpio Cypriniformes Cyprinidae Not accessed 3 KVF 139 Catla catla (Hamilton, 1822) Cypriniformes Cyprinidae Not accessed 4 (Linnaeus, 1758) KVF 334 6 Ctenopharyngodon idella Cypriniformes Cyprinidae Not accessed 5 KVF 339 7 Cirrhinus mrigala (Hamilton, 1822) Cypriniformes Cyprinidae Least concern (Valenciennes, 1844) KVF 357 8 Puntius chola (Hamilton, 1822) Cypriniformes Cyprinidae Least concern KVF 358 9 Puntius sophore (Hamilton, 1822) Cypriniformes Cyprinidae Not accessed KVF 401(A) 10 Puntius conchonius (Hamilton, 1822) Cypriniformes Cyprinidae Least concern KVF 401(B) 11 Puntius ticto (Hamilton, 1822) Cypriniformes Cyprinidae Least concern KVF 401(C) 12 Tor putitora (Hamilton, 1822) Cypriniformes Cyprinidae Endangered KVF 401(D) Tor tor (Hamilton, 1822) Cypriniformes Cyprinidae Near threatened KVF 402 Garra gotyla gotyla Cypriniformes Cyprinidae Least concern 13 KVF 402 (1) Barilius barna (Hamilton, 1822) Cypriniformes Cyprinidae Least concern 14 (Gray,1830) KVF 403 16 Botia dario (Hamilton, 1822) Cypriniformes Cobitidae Least concern 15 KVF 404 17 Amblypharyngodon mola (Hamilton, 1822) Cypriniformes Cyprinidae Least concern KVF 405 18 Mystus tengra (Hamilton, 1822) Bagridae Not accessed KVF 406 19 Mystus cavasius (Hamilton, 1822) Bagridae Least concern Siluriformes KVF 407 (A) 20 Mystus vittatus Bagridae Least concern Siluriformes KVF 407 (B) 21 Wallago atu Not accessed (Bloch,1794) Siluriformes KVF 407 (C) 22 Amblyceps apangi Nath and Dey 1989 Amblycipitidae Least concern (Bloch and Schneider,1794), Siluriformes Siluridae KVF 416 Clarias batrachus Claridae Least concern Siluriformes KVF 417 Ailia coilia (Hamilton,1822) Not accessed 23 (Linnaeus,1754) Siluriformes KVF 428 Ompok pabda (Hamilton,1822) Least concern 24 Siluriformes Schilbeidae KVF 429 26 Glossogobius giuris (Hamilton,1822) Not accessed 25 Siluriformes Siluridae KVF 470 27 Mastacembulus aramatus (Lacepede,1800) Mastacembelidae Not accessed Synbranchiformes Gobiidae KVF 471 28 Colisa fasciatus Belontidae Not accessed Synbranchiformes KVF 472 29 Monopterus cuchia (Hamilton,1822) Least concern (Bloch and Schneider, 1801) Synbranchiformes KVF 483 Notopterus notopterus Osteoglossiformes Notopteridae Least concern Synbranchiformes Synbranchidae KVF 484 Chanda nama Ambassidae Least concern 30 (Pallas,1769) KVF 485 Channa punctatus Channidae Not accessed 31 Hamilton- Buchanan 1822 Perciformes KVF 493 Channa striatus Channidae Not accessed 32 (Bloch,1793) Perciformes KVF 495(A) Channa barca (Hamilton,1822) Channidae 33 (Bloch,1793) Perciformes KVF 495(B) 34 Perciformes Data deficient KVF 495(C) 1164 Acharjee et al. | Ichthyofaunal diversity of Dhansiri River, India

The present survey is done within two kilometer Amblyceps apangi Nzano,Wokha H. L.district, and S.Nagaland. Bordoloi. Journal 2009. ofStudy Threatened on the Taxa. torrential catfish Nath & Dey 1989 (Teleostei: Amblycipitidae). Icthyodiversity from of itsstretch kind ofin the Riverstudy Dhansirisite and therefore at five selected further point studies and have the Electronic Journal of Ichthyology 1(2): 109-113. findings are encouraging. This survey was probably first of Ramanujam, S.N., M. Manorama andEvaluation S. Dey. of 2010 North East Indian Fishes Meghalaya:for their Potential India. as Cultivable, Sport and Ornamental 6(2): 15-26.Fishes along heartline river of Dimapur. Sarkar,with U.K. their and Conservation A.G. Ponniah. and 2006. Endemic Status to be carried out to know the exact fish diversity in this Eastern states of India. Records of Zoological. Lucknow: Survey NBFGR. of 5 India. p. Literature Cited Sen, Miscellaneous T.K. 1985. The Publication fish fauna. Occasional of Assam paper and the Neighbouring North-

Inland Fisheries Society of India India. Journal of Inland Fisheries Society of India 64: 1-216. Ao, S., S.C. Dey and S.K. Sarmah. 2008 . Fish and Fisheries of ZoologicalNagaland. Sinha, M. 1994. Fish genetic resourcesInland of theFishes North of India eastern and Region Adjacent of survey of India. State fauna series 26: 1-19. Countries 26: 1-19. Barman, R.P. 2002. FreshwaterA Naturalist fishes. in Fauna Karbi of Anglong Tripura .(part-1). Revised 2nd edn. Talwar, P.K. and A.G. Jhingran.1991. 7: 191-320. . New Delhi: Oxford and IBH Co., Private Limited. Asian Journal1158 p. of Choudhury, IUCNA.U. 2009.Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2011.2. Electronic Tesia,Experimental C. and S. Biological Bordoloi Science .2012. Ichthyofaunal Diversity of Charju (1st pub. 1993). Guwahati: Gibbon Books. 152 p. River, Tirap District, Arunachal Pradesh, India. IUCN 2011. Amblyceps arunachalensis Nath &3(1): Dey 82-86. and Amblyceps apangi Nath & Jayaram,Database K C. 1999. accessible The Freshwater at http://www.iucnredlist.org/. Fishes of Indian Region Captured on Vishwanath, W. and I. Linthoingambi.Zoo’s 2007. Print Journal Re-discription of cat fish 30 March 2012. Vishwanath, W. 2002. Fishes of North east India. A field guide to species Zoological. New SurveyDelhi: identificationDey (Teleostei: Amblycipitdae). 22(4): 2662-2664. ofNarendra India Publishing House. 551 p. Kottelat, Karmakar, M., A.K. T. Whitten. and A. Das. 1996. 2006 Freshwater : Fauna Biodiversityof Nagaland. in Asia with special . Manipur: National Agricultural Technology Project. reference. 4: to 1-620. Fish: World Bank Technical Paper No. 343. Washington, Manipur University. 198 p.

Freshwater Fishes of India Received: May 2012 DC: The World Bank. 59 p. Accepted: October 2012 Molur, S. and S. Walker. 1998. . Lucknow: CAMP Published online: November 2012 workshop, NBFGR. 156 p. Editorial responsibility: Rubens Pazza

1165