Pure Appl. Biol., 6(4):1354-1365, December, 2017 http://dx.doi.org/10.19045/bspab.2017.600146 Research Article Cyprinid fauna (Cypriniformes) of River Panjkora, district Lower Dir, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan Abdul Wahab* and Ali Muhammad Yousafzai Department of Zoology, Islamia College University Peshawar-Pakistan *Corresponding author’s email: [email protected] Citation Abdul Wahab* and Ali Muhammad Yousafzai. Cyprinid fauna (Cypriniformes) of River Panjkora, District Lower Dir, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. Pure and Applied Biology. Vol. 6, Issue 4, pp1354-1365. http://dx.doi.org/10.19045/bspab.2017.600146 Received: 19/07/2017 Revised: 18/10/2017 Accepted: 21/10/2017 Online First: 26/10/2017 Abstract This study was conducted to assess Ichthyodiversity of family Cyprinidae in River Panjkora from January 2012 to December 2015. A total of 671 specimens representing 7 genera and 10 species were collected. Species collected were Barilius pakistanicus, Barilius vagra, Tor putitora, Crossocheilus diplocheilus, Garra gotyla, Schizothorax labiatus, Schizothorax esocinus, Schizothorax plagiostmus, Carassius auratus and Cyprinus carpio. Schizothorax plagiostmus was found to be the most abundant species with a relative density (RD) of 21.01 and relative frequency (RF) of 13.04. It was the only species qualifying the criterion to be ranked as eury species. Schizothorax esocinus was rare in the study area with a RD 0.45 and RF 2.17. Keywords: Cyprinidae; Schizothorax; River Panjkora; Eury species; Relative density; Relative frequency Introduction and as lower risk level [5]. From River Pisces make one of the important groups of Charju Arunachal Pradesh, India 16 species vertebrates inhabiting almost all water of family Cyprinidae were reported [6]. It bodies from freshwaters to brackish and up was reported that introduction of exotic fish to marine ecosystems [1]. Man, is in Iberia, resulted in the extinction of some consuming fish as food since the pre- native fish species [7]. From Tamor River, historic ages. Ichthyofauna plays a vital role Himalayan region, Nepal 30 fresh water in aquatic habitats as it mostly dominates fish species were collected in which 61 % the biotic components in terms of number fish species belonged to family Cyprinidae [2]. [8]. Total fish species reported from In Fish Base total number of fish species Similipal Biosphere Reserve were 66. In a listed are 28900, in which 13000 are fresh study out of 66 species 29 species were of water fishes. Fresh water fishes are found in family Cyprinidae [9]. From Tons River lakes, streams and river which cover only 1 India 15 fresh water species were % of the earth surface [3]. From Sagar lake documented [10]. Increased ichthyofaunal Madhya Pradesh, India, 21 fresh water fish similarities in some localities of Australia species were reported [4]. In a study at were found to be the result of anthropogenic Vattakkayal Kolloam District, Kerala, influences [11]. From Rajshahi District, India, 22 fish species were documented and Bangladesh 133 fresh water fish species ranked as critically endangered, vulnerable were collected [12]. During a study on Published by Bolan Society for Pure and Applied Biology 1354 Wahab & Yousafzai Family Cyprinidae, 24 species were plagiostomus was found to be the most reported from Coorg District Karnataka, dominant species in the study area. The India [13]. From Tinau River Nepal 35 fish study area is mostly unexplored for species were documented in which 81.73 % ichthyofaunal diversity and present study were of family Cyprinidae [14]. Family will provide a baseline of information in Cyprinidae was found to be the dominant this regard. family in Uttarakhand, India from where 19 Materials and methods fresh water species were collected [15]. Study area From River Ramganga Central Himalaya, District Dir Lower is situated in the India 11 fish species of family Cyprinidae Northern part of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. It were documented [16]. In a study on the has District Dir Upper in North, District distribution of fresh water species in Swat in East, District Malakand in South Pakistan 86 fish species were reported [17]. and Bajaur in West. The name of River From River Kabul at District Nowshera 14 Panjkora refers to its origin from five fresh water species of family Cyprinidae streams i.e. Kumrat-Kohistan, Lawari, were reported [18]. From Hub reservoir Barawal, Usherai and Guladai. River Sindh 21 fresh water fish species belonging Panjkora begins from Hindukash range at to 9 families and 7 orders were documented latitude, 350 45 and passes through North [19]. From Mighty Indus 180 species were and south faces making it through several reported [20]. From River Jhelum 51 fish tributaries i.e. Dir, Barawal, Usheri, species were collected, in which 25 were of Nihagdara, Konai, Roade, Guladai, Rabat, family Cyprinidae. It was further Toormang, Narhan and Karo. River enumerated that low population density of Panjkora join River Swat at Busak near endemic species was due to the introduction Qulangi (Figure 1). The study area of the of exotic species i.e. Oreochromis aureus river is about 180 kilometers from its [21]. From River Zhob, Baluchistan 6 origin. The area is about 70 kilometers from species of family Cyprinidae were collected Rabat to Busak. It lies between latitude of [22]. From River Swat at Charsadda, 20 fish 340 38 and 340 84 towards north having species of family Cyprinidae were average altitude of 725 to 850 meters on the documented [23]. From River Swat 10 fresh bank of River Panjkora. water fish species of family Cyprinidae Collection and identification were collected. Major threats to A total of six monitoring sites i.e. Rabat, ichthyofaunal were found to be the use of Odigram, Timergara, Khazana, Shagu kas explosive and electricity for fish hunting and Busak were established for sampling. [24]. Family Cyprinidae with a total of 9 Fish samples were collected by cast net, species was documented from different hand net, fishing rods and by hands in streams of Bajaur agency [25]. Eleven fresh shallow water. Samples were taken to water fishes were collected from Konhaye laboratory and shifted to plastic jars. Large stream, a tributary of River Panjkora, sized samples were incised and 10% District Lower Dir [26]. From River formalin was used as a preservative [28]. Panjkora, District Dir Upper, 11 fish Morphometric measurements of each fish species were collected. Richest family in sample were recorded and tabulated [28, the area was found to be the Cyprinidae 29]. Identification was done following [27]. In the present study Schizothorax standard keys i.e. [28-31]. 1355 Pure Appl. Biol., 6(4):1354-1365, December, 2017 http://dx.doi.org/10.19045/bspab.2017.600146 Quantitative attributes Quantitative attributes were calculated according to following formulae. 푁푢푚푏푒푟 표푓 푓푠ℎ 푠푎푚푝푙푒푠 표푓 푎 푠푝푒푐푒푠 푐표푙푙푒푐푡푒푑 푓푟표푚 푎푙푙 푚표푛푡표푟푛푔 푠푡푒푠 Density = 푇표푡푎푙 푚표푛푡표푟푛푔 푠푡푒푠 퐷푒푛푠푡푦 표푓 푎 푝푎푟푡푐푢푙푎푟 푓푠ℎ 푠푝푒푐푒푠 Relative Density = x 100 푇표푡푎푙 푑푒푛푠푡푒푠 표푓 푎푙푙 푓푠ℎ 푠푝푒푐푒푠 푁푢푚푏푒푟 표푓 푚표푛푡표푟푛푔 푠푡푒푠 푎푡 푤ℎ푐ℎ 푎 푓푠ℎ 푠푝푒푐푒푠 푤푎푠 푓표푢푛푑 Frequency = x 100 푇표푡푎푙 푛푢푚푏푒푟 표푓 푚표푛푡표푟푛푔 푠푡푒푠 퐹푟푒푞푢푒푛푐푦 표푓 푎 푝푎푟푡푐푢푙푎푟 푓푠ℎ 푠푝푒푐푒푠 Relative Frequency = x 100 Total frequencies of all fish species Figure 1. Map of the study area 1356 Wahab & Yousafzai Results and discussion Barilius vagra (Hamilton, 1822) A total of 671 specimens representing 10 Colour species under 7 genera of the family It was silvery in colour with bluish vertical Cyprinidae were collected. Taxonomic and bars, descending from back but not morphometric details (Table 1 and 2) of fish reaching the lateral line. Fins were species collected are as follows: yellowish to pink. Mostly found in shallow Barilius pakistanicus (Mirza & Sadiq, water with gravely and rocky bottom. 1978) Morphometric measurements Colour Total, fork and standard lengths were It was silvery in colour having bars which recorded as 4.9, 4.5 and 3.9 cm descended from the back to lateral line area respectively. It had eye diameter and snout as well as below. Mostly found in shallow length of 0.3 cm. Its lateral line scale count waters but also found in deep waters. was 43. It was collected from two Morphometric measurments monitoring sites i.e. Konai (Odigram) and Total length of this fish was recorded as 9.2 Roade (Khazana) stream. cm with a fork length of 8.5 cm and with a Ecology standard length of 7.7 cm. It had an eye Its population density was 6.33 while its diameter and snout length of 0.5 cm frequency was 33.33, which clearly shows respectively. Body depth was measured as its limited ecological range of tolerance 1.7 cm. Its lateral line scale count was 42. It (Plate 1, Figure 2). Its relative density was was collected from only two monitoring 5.66 while its relative frequency was 4.35. sites i.e. Konai and Road stream. Its Distribution population density was found to be 15.67 This species was recorded from abroad i.e. while its frequency was 33.33, which from W. Ramganga Central Himalaya India reflects its limited range of ecological [16], from Uttarkhand, India [15], from tolerance (Plate 1, Figure 1). Northeast India [39] and from Nepal [8]. Ecology Baralius vagra was reported from different Its relative density was 14.01 and relative localities of Pakistan, such as from River frequency was 4.35. This species was Zhob, Baluchistan [22], from Dera Ghazi reported from Afghanistan [32]. Khan [33], from River Jhelum [21], from Distribution River Kabul at Nowshera [18], from Attock In a review this species was documented [34], from Kalpani stream Mardan [35] and from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab, Sindh, from River Swat at Charsada [23]. Azad Jammu Kashmir and Baluchistan Tor putitora (Hamilton, 1822) [17]. This species was reported from Colour different localities of Pakistan i.e. from Its dorsal side was greenish; sides light pink River Jhelum [21], from Dera Ghazi Khan and ventral side was silvery white.