. ., MATSYA 9-10: 110-'118; i98~84 '

Fish fauna of

A. P. LIPTON' I.C.A.R. 'Research Complex for NEB Region, TripI/fa Centre

Abstract The ichthyofauna collected from the sub Himalayan region of Tripura from 1976 to 1981 reveals the presence of 93 of fish beJong~ng to 26 families and 11 orders. Among these Rasbora elanga (Ham), Lobeo nOl1dina (Ham), Lepidocephaius berdmorei (Ham), Somilepteus gongota (Ham), Glyptothorax cavia (Ham), Glyptothorax . telchilta (Ham), Hara hara (Ham) and Apocryptes balo (C and V) have been recorded f(?I the first time. Common names

I NTRODUCTION so far to study comprehensively the fish faunal resources as seen from Tripura, the North-eastern State of literatnre (Nair, 1971; Anon, 1975; (22 0 56' and 24° 22' Nand 91" 0' Dutta, 1977 and Ghosh and Lipton and 92 0 20'E latitude) is located in the in press). Further, the earlier . collec­ sub Himalayan region (Anon, 1975). tions made in the ~orth eastern region The. principal hill ranges of the state of by Day (1876) and northern are the Jumpai, Sakhan, liang, Long­ by Shaw and Shebbeare (1937) tarai, A tharomura and Baramura. also did not incldue the hill 'Tipperah " These ranges increase in height to­ the present day Tripura. Therefore wards south from the plains of Sylhet there was a need to investigate the fish in Bangaladesh and towards North faunal resources and to consolidate from the Chittagong District of the information gained. The work Bangaldesh. Jn Tripura, they gain reported here deals with the various height .from West to East. All ranges species collected from field surveys run almost parallel to one another in a conducted from 1976 to 1981. The northerly direction. The drainage from Classification followed is as that of . these hills pour down to the north by Greenwood ef aI. , (1966) and Menon Kt}Owai , phalai , Man~ , . -.Juri , Lang~i (1974). rivers, . in the east by Gumti and ·Howda river and in the South-east SYSTE'MATIC ACCOUNT the Fenny and Muhuri rivers (Fig. I). The Fenny and MuIiuri are tidal rivers. Along with the scientific name, the . Though the location or'Tripura and common names of fishes and locality its varying geographical features have from ' wl)ere these were collected are contributed a djverse fish fauna, .given below.: adequate attention has not been given

.Present Address: School of Biological Sciences, M adur~i Kamaraj University, Madurai-21. LIPTON: FISH FAUNA OF TRIPURA III

Class: Osteichtbyes Sub class: Actinopterigii Order: Clupeiformes Sub order: Clupeoidei Family: Clupeidae N

\.. +G

MAP OF TRIPURA SHOWING PRINCIPAL RIVERS AND FISH COLLECTION CENTRES SCALE:-16NILES TO AN INCH o CE!'4TRES

. - RIVERS 112 MATSYA '

1. lfifsa ilisha (Ham) . Jlish • Fenoy river at Sabroom (rare occurrence) 2. Gudllsia c1!Opra (Ham) . Koira . Gumti and Manu rivers Super order Osteogiossomorpha Order Osteoglossoformes Sub order Notoperoidei Family Notopteridae Order Ooteoglossiformes Family Notopteridae 3. NOlopterus chitala (Ham) . Chithal • Common in rivers and in Jakes 4. Notopterus lIotoplems (Ham) (Pallas) Common in rivers and in lakes 'Phouli . Super order Ostariophysi Order Cypriniformes Sub order Cyprinoidei Family Cyprinidae Sub family Cultrinae 5. Chela labuca (Ham) 'Cbapkbowari' Small streams ncar Mohanpur and Kamalghat (West Tripura) 6. Salmoslomu bacai/a (Ham) 'Chela' Fenny river at Sabroom Sub Family Rasborinae 7. Barilius burila (Ham) . Chedra' Rudrasagar bheel, South Tripura 8. Barilius barna (Ham) . Joia' . Bhola' Gumti and rivers and' Ghol' 9. Barilills bendelisis (Ham) • Joia ' Streams near Khowai 10. Bar/lills shacra (Ham) • Koksha . Gumti and Manu rivers 11. Barilills Ii/eo (Ham) • Boola' Kbowai and Dolai rivers 12. Dardo (Dania) aequipim,allis (McClelland) Unnukoti stream and Fenny river near sabroom . Chebli' 13. Dallio (Brachydanio) reria (Ham) , Anju' Streams and water looged areas 14. Danio (Danio) dallgila (Ham) . Nipati' Fenny river at Sabroom 15. Danio (Danio) devario (Ham) . Nipati' Common in rivers 16. . Esomlls danricus (Ham) Common in streams and water stagnant areas 17. Rasbora daniconills (Ham) . Darkina' Common in West and a rivers and stagnant waters 18. Rasbora eiallga (Ham)· . Bhagna' 1876 Rasbora elanga, Day Fish. the mouth oblique, lower jaw having India, p. 584, pI. 146, Fig. 1. once central and two lateral prominen­ 1937 Rasbora elanga, Shaw and ces fitting into corresponding emergina­ Sb.ebbeare, J. Asiat. Soc Bel/g. p. 3, lions of the upper jaw, which gives the 31 Text Fig. 26, pI. 2, Fig. 13. mouth a wavy opening when viewed from the front. Colour is silvery with 22 examples, length 9.8 to 20.0 em lead coloured band along the upper were collected from Howdah river near portion of the side. . D. II. 7, A. n. 5, P. 15, V. 8, e. 19, L. 1.40; length of head 5-5 Distribution: Bihar, West Bengal, 3/4; height of body 4 1/4 to 5 in total , Assam and Northern lengtb.; barbels I pair (rostral) cleft of Burma (Menon, 1954). LIPTON: FISH FAUNA OF TRIPURA 113

Sub family Cyprininae l~ . AI~,bltarygodolt lIlola . (Ham) • Mowka ' Common in swampy p~ddy fields ": and pond~ . 20. Aspidoparia jaya- (Ham) COUllUon in rivers 21. Catla C(lila (Ham) • Catla • • Katal • Commercially important fi sh. Widely used in stocking ponds 22. Chagunills chagunio (Ham) • Puti ' 23. Clrrluillis reba (Ham) 'Rewah ' Gumti river 24. Cirrhinus mrigala (Ham) • Mrigal • Widely used in stocking ponds 25. Lobeo bala (Ham) • Bhangna ' Gumti river, and Fenny river 26. Laheo bog. (Ham) 'Bangum batta • Fenny river 27. Labeo colbasIl (Ham) • Kalibaus' Widely used in stocking ponds 28. Labeo gonitis (Ham) • Gonya' Manu, Gumti rivers 29. Lobeo flOlldillO* (Ham) 1876 Labeo nandil1a Day, Fish India, 4 t -5 of caudal 4 1/4-4 to height of p. 535, pI. 126, Fig. 1 and 2. body 3 1/2 in the total length, Barbels 1937 Labeo nandilla Shaw and 2 pairs, Snout obtuse, slightly project­ Shebbeare J. Asiat. Soc. Bengal, '3, ing beyond the jaws, a few fine pores p. 55, pI. 5, Fig. 12, Text Fig. 52. present on the snout. Lips thick and fringed. Colour is dark greenish above, 20 examples- length 8 to 15 cm were becoming lighter below. collected from a lake near Agartala. D. II-III. 22-24, A. II. 5, p. 15, V. 9 DiStribution: West Bengal, Bangla­ C. 19 L. 1. 42-44. Length of head desh, Assam and Burma. 30. Lo.beo rohila (Ham) • Rui " • Rohu ' Throughout Tripura widely used in stocking ponds 31. Osteabramo corio eOlio 'Gila Khani ' Collected from Gumti Khowai and Fenny river 32. PUl1tius ehola • Titn puti' Very common in all water logged areas. Collected from different parts of Tripura 33. PuntillS clavatus (McClelland) • Puti ' Collected along with P.chola from water logged areas after rainy season 34. Pun/ius conchonius (Ham) 'Kanchan Water logged areas Puti' 35. PUll/ius sophol'e (Ham) , Puti • , Sar puti· Streams, ponds and water logged areas 36. Punt ius sarona sarona (Ham) • Sar puti' Howda river near Agartala and in fish tanks 37. PuntJ'us liclO (Ham) • Tituputi • Ponds, tanks, 38. Semipio/lis emiplotlls • McClelland < Bandangi' 39. Tor putilora (Ham) Upper reaches of Gumti in Raima rivulet (Gumti reservoir) 40. Tor tor (Ham) • Mahasol • Upper reaches of Gumti in Raima rivulet (Gumti reservoir) Family Psilorhynchidae 41. Psilorhynchus balitora (Ham) Upper reaches of Gumti river Family Cobitidac 42. Bolia dtlrio (Ham) Stream near Khowai 43. Lepidocephailis berdmorei· (Blyth) < Gunte • • Gutam'

·New record 114 MATSYA

1876 Lepidocephalichthys berdmorei length of head 6-6 t, of caudal 6-6 t. Da':!i Fish.1ndia; p.' 610, pL .J53,:Fig::'3 . . ' height of body 5 t-6 in the total length. 1921 .Lepi(iocepJzallchthys betdmRrei Barbels 3 pairs . . Mandibular flap also Rora Rec: Indian Mils., 22, p. 196: consists of 2 pairs of short barbels. Colour is yellowish brown. A dark 25 examples. 8-10 em length, were line along the body composed of spots collected from Fenny river, Sabroom. also present. D. II. 6, A. II S-6, P. 10, V. 8, C. 17. Distribution Manipl.lf and Burma 44. Lepidocepha/us gulllea Water logged areas and slow stream 45. Neomacheifus botia (Ham) . Streams near Manu, Manubazar 46. Neomacheilus spilopterus* 47. Neomacheilus zona/us· 48. Somileptes gongola·· (Ham) . 1876, Somileptes gongota Day, Fish . above the eye which are also close India, p. 605, pI. 155, Fig. 2. together near the top of the head. 1937 Somileptes gongota. Shaw and From tbis point, the body tapers Shebbeare. J. ASiat. Soc. Baengl. 3, gradually to the peduncle of the tai\. p. 78, Text Fig. 75. Scales are minute. A large erectile suborbital spine is also present. Bar­ 15 examples 7.2 to 10 em in length bels 3 pairs of which a small erect Pair were collected from Fenny river, Sab­ is ·present above nostrils. Colour is room D. III: 8, A. II. 5, P.I. 10, ligbt brown speckled with darker V.II. 6 , C. 16. Length of head 5 of 1 above, yellowish or whitish beneath. caudal 6o!, height of body 7 in total Fins yellowish. length. The upper profile of the suout is slightly concave, rising abruptly to

Distribution and Assam Order Siluriformes Family Bagridae 49. Aorichthys aor (Ham) Fenny ,river at Sabroom SO. Aorichlhys seengala (Sykes) , Aoyeer • Fenny river at Sabroom 51. · Mystus b1eekeri (Day) 'Tengra , Gumti river and a lake near Agartala 52. Mystus vittatus (Bloch) 'Tengara . North, south and west Tripura districts in ponds, lakes and rivers 53. Rita rita (Ham) , Reti • Khowai river at Khowai Family 54. bimaculatus (Bloch) Fenny and Khowai rivers 55. Ompok pabda (Ham) Gumti river and Howda river near Agartaia 56. Wallago attu (Schneider) . Boal' Fenny river, Gumti river Family Schilbeidae 57. Clupisoma garua (Ham) Gumti river, Rudrasagar lake 58. Eulropiichthys murius (Ham) 'Muribacha' Gumti and Manu rivers 59. Eutropiichthys vacha (Ham) Gumti river and Rudrasagar 60. Pseudo/rapius alherinoides Gumti river (rare species)

'Recorded by Dulta (1977) .... New Record LIPTON: FISH.·FAUNA OF TRiPURA 115

61. Siloll;a silolldia (Ham) , ShiIong' • SilQR ':.: . Rudrasagar Jake and in Gumti ri v~r::. . . Family . ;'_ ,. : ' .. . Sisorid_at;; .. Family ";-:Amblycepitidae 62. Amblycf/ps mangois (Ham) ., ".Gumti river 'near Udaipur (rare species) Family Sisoridae 63. Bagarius bagarius (Ham) • Bhaghar • Manu river and Gumti river 64. Batasio balasio (Ham) 'Bojori ~ Manu river and Gumti river 65. Glypto,horax cavia (Ham)· . 1876 Euglyptosternum lineatum Day, P.T. 10, V. 6, C. 17. length of.head 41, Fish. India, p.500, pI. 11 6, Fig . . 7. of .caudal 5N,. height of· body 7 in the 1937 Glyptothorax linealus, Shaw' total length. Head fiattened;.·upper jaw and Shebbeare, J. ASiat. Soc. Beng:, is longer than the lower. Barbels 4 3, p. 102, Fig. 104. pairs. The adhesive apparatus on the chest has a smooth space in the ·middles. · 1948 Glyplolhorax capia Hora and Colour is m'ottled dark' brown. Fins are Menon, Rec. [ndian ' Mus" .46, p. 60, paler with darker bases and a darker pI. 2, Figs. 4, 5. band across each. 13 examples length 5.5 to 8.5 em Distribution: Eastern Himalayas, were collected from Khowai fiver, Assam .and Burma.c. WestDistrict.D.I.6, D~ :' O : A. iiI. 10, 66. Glypfot!torax ribero; (Hora) . Manu river 67. Glyplorhorax felchitta (Ham)" 1876 Glyploslernum le/chitla . Day to 8 in the total length. Upperjaw Fish. India p. 498, pI. 116, Fig. 2. is longer than the lower. Barbels 4 1937 Glyptothorax lelchitta'Shaw and pairs; the outer mandibulaf'.pair reach Shebbeare, J. Asiat. So'c. Beug. 3. p:' the gill opening. . There is a pectoral 103, Text Fig: 105. adhesive· apparatus. . Skin with small longitudinal elevations. Colour is 24 examples, length 5.0 to 8.2 em blackish-brown yellow fins with black were collected from Khowai river, .West bands. District. D.L 6, D 2. 0, A. II. 9, P.1. 8, Vol. 6, C. 17. Length of head 5! to General Distribution: Uttar· Pradesh, st, of caudal 5i, height of body 7! North Bihar, North Beugal ·and Nepal. 68. Hora hara (Ham) 'Gagot I. 1876 Erelhisles hara, Day Fish . .India, Soutb District. Length of head 4-4! .of' p. 452, pI. 102, Fig. I and 2. caudal '5 height of body 41- 5 in total length. Head flattened in a horizontal 1937 Erelhisles hara Shaw and . plane and body in the .vertical plane. Shebbeare. J. Asiat. Soc . . Bengal. 3. The skin is rough witb elevated spots or p. 99, pI: 3, Fig. J3 Text Fig. 100 and 101. . hlunt. B9ny spines. Barbels four pairs. . Colour is ..olive . brown with darker 1974 Hara hara. Menon. Chefk list . band s. of fishes, I.F.S.L, p. 82. Distribution: Gangetic ' provinces, 23 examples-length 3.5 to 7.0 cm Assam, Burma ' and Orissa . . were collected from FeilOY river in

-New record JJ6 MATSYA

Family Claridae _ 69. Cladu!>] batrachus (Linn) 'Jagur', 'ruagur' Marshy areas and paddy fields Family Hcteropneustidac 70. Heteropneustes /ossilis (Bloch) • Singbi • Abundant during rainy season. Available in marshy areas Family Chacidae 71. Chaco chaca (vam) • Kutkutya • Found in small rivers and rivulets throughout Tripura Family Olyridae 72. Olyra /ongiwudaJa (McCleU) 'Bbotsinghi' Manu river. This is a rare species Super order Atherinomorpha Order Atheriniformes Sub order Cypressodosstoidei Family Cypinodontidae 73. Aplocheilus panchax (Ham) Water logged areas near Mohanpur. Distributed widely and abundant during September and October months Sub order Exoc:oetoidei Family Belonidae 74. XCllentadon candia (Ham) • Kakiya • Lakes near Agartala also from a pond near Udaipur Super order Acanthopterygii Order Channiformes Family Channidae 75. Channa maruUus (Ham) 'Gajar' Widely distributed in ponds and rivers 76. Channa orielltalis (Schneider) • Cheng' Widely distributed in ponds and rivers 77. Channa punctaLa (Bloch) 'Iati ' or Otaki' Widely distributed in ponds and rivers 78. Challila strialus (Bloch) • Shoal' Low lying marshy areas where vegetation was abundant Order Symbranchiformes Sub order Symbranchoidei Family Symbranchidae 79. Amphinous eucMa (Ham) • Kuchiya • Paddy fields and in marshes Order Perciforrnes Sub order Percoidei Family Cenlropomidae 80. Chanda baculis (Ham) 'Chanda' Rivers and streams collected near Bamutia (West) Tripura. 81. Chanda llama (Ham) 'Chanda ' In streams and rivets 82. Challda ranga (Ham) , Chanda or conga' Streams and rivers near Mohanpur Family Nandidae 83. Badls badis (Ham) • Bot koi : Water logged areas 84. Nandus nandus (Ham) • Nanda or Meni' Water logged areas and in heels Sub order Gobioideii Family Gobiidae 85. Aprocryplus balo (C and V)'" • Ch~ng •

*New Record LIPTON: FlSH FAUNA OF TRIPURA 117

1876 ApOtrypllls halo Day, Fish. forming a disc attached at lhcir bases. [lidia, p. 302, p.l 1 14, Fig. 6. Colour is light greenish yellow with ill D V 21-22, A. 23, V.l. 5, p. 23 , C. 13 defined narrow verlical yellow bands Length of head 6- 61- of caudal 45 descending from the back to the abdo­ height of body 7 in the total length. men. Body elongated. Eyes are high up and Distribution: Orissa and lower set very closely. The ventral fins united Bengal within tidal reach. 86. Glossogobiu!J gilium (Ham) . Bhnlia ' or Common in all water-logged areas and in streams • belay ' Sub order Anabantoidei Family Anabantidae 87. Anabas testudineus (Bloch) • Koi' Abundant immediately after the rainy season caught from beels and marshes 88 . CoUsa sola (Ham) Heels and o.thee water-logged areas Order Mastacembeliformcs Family Mastacembetidac 89. Colisa fasciata (Schneider) • Khotisha • Ponds and tanks and beels 9<1. Masfacem6elus armatlls • ,Bairn ' Lacepede Streams, ponds water-fogged areas 91. Mastacembe/us ponca/us (Ham) • Baim' Streams, ponds water·togged areas 92. Macmgllor/lIIs aell/ea/us (Bloch) • Goichi • Rivers and adjoiniog water ·Iogged areas 93. Telradon clllcutia (Ham) Beels, water-logged areas and in streams (Bamutia , West Tripura)

DISCUSSION recorded for the first time from Tripura and from the North-eastern region as The systematic account indicates the wel!. While describing the distribution occurrence of 93 species belonging to of this species, Day (1876) observed 11 orders, 26 families and 55 genera. that the species is present only in the Majority of the genera are found to be tidal reaches of the river. The river common to that of the Indo-Gangetic Fenny, from where collections were drainage and south-east Asian fauna. made is connected to the Bay of Bengal Fifteen genera are comparable to that through Bangladesh. The collections of the South West Asian fish fauna as were made approximately 92 kilo­ listed by Menon (1973). Five genera meters from the sea mouth and there­ are represented elsewhere only in the fore confirms its natural habitat. Eastern Himalayas. One species (that The occurrence of these fish species of Datasio batasio (Ham)) is of exclu­ in Tripura and their distribution in sively Burmese origin and represented different ecosystems provides additional elsewhere in the North east India, only information on the existing knowledge in the Manipur state. of the fish genetic resources of the Among the new records reported North-eastern Himalayan region and here, the two genera Somileples and may be of interest to those involved Hara are considered to be endemic to in fish geography of the Assam-eastern India (Menon, 1955). The species Himalayas and that of IndO-Malayan Apocryptes balo (C and V) has been Archipelago. 118' MATSYA •

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS from Tr:ipura State. News Letter. Zoo!. Sur. Illdia, 3(1): }4 ·26. The author is thankful, to , Dr. GHOSH, S. K. AND LIPTON, A. P., 1982. p. V., Nair, Joint Director, Education Ichthyofauna of the NEH region and Department, Government of Tripura evaluations of economic importance of the fish species (in press) for the help and useful suggestions. GREENWOOP, ,P H., ROSEN, D. E., WEITZ MAN, Thanks are expressed to Dr. D. N. S. H. AND ' MYERS, G . S., 1966. Phyletic Borthakur, Director, ICAR Research studies of teleostean fishes with a provisional cottlplexfofNEH region, Shlllong and classification of the living forms. Bull. Dr. S. Laskar, Joint Director, Tripura Amer. Mus. Nat. Hist., New York, 131 Centre, Lembucherra for providing (Articie·4): 341-455. facilities and encouragement to carry MENON, A. G. K.,1955. The externaL re\ations out the survey. Grateful thanks are of the Indian freshwater fishes, with special expressed to Dr. K. C. Jayaram, Joint reference to the countries bordering on the Director, Zoological Survey of lnrna, Indian Ocean. J. Asiat. Soc. Besyis, 21(1): Calcutta, for the help in identifying 31·38. some fishes and to Dr. A. G. K. Menon, ----1973 Origin of the freshwater Scientist Emeritus ZS.I., Madras for fauna of India. Curro Sci., 42(16): 553 -556. --- -1974. A checklist of fishe_s of the the very useful discussions. Himalayan . and Indo-Ganget)c plains­ , Special pubiicati~n No.1: the Inland Fish. LITERATURE CITED Soc. Illdia, pp. 136. ANON, P. Y.• 1975 Tripura District Gazeteer NAIR, P. V., 1958. A preliminary list of the (ed. Menon) ,po 504. fishes of Tripura. Proc. 45th Intfian Sci. DAY, F.. 1876. Fish~ of India Reprinted Cong.. pt 3: 367. by Today aod Torrunorrow's Book Agecy, SHAW, G. E. AND SHEBBEARE, E. B. , .1937. New Delhi (1978), pp. 778. The _fishes of Northern Bengal. ' J. !. DUTrA, A. K.,'1977. 0 an collection of fis~es Soc. Beng~l; CalCutta, "3: pp. 137.