10(4): 37-42 (2016) Journal of FisheriesSciences.com E-ISSN 1307-234X © 2016 www.fisheriessciences.com Research Article Enumeration of Fish from Dulakhojiya �eel (wetland) of Lakhimpur District, Assam, India Budhin Gogoi1, Ramen Das2, Santosh Kumar Abujam1* and Debangshu Narayan Das1 1Department of Zoology, Rajiv Gandhi University, Rono Hills, Arunachal Pradesh-791112, India 2Department of Zoology, North Bank College, Ghilamara, Lakhimpur, Assam-787053, India Received: 30.07.2016 / Accepted: 30.08.2016 / Published online: 05.09.2016 Abstract: The present study was carried out from Dulakhojiya beel (wetland) of Lakhimpur district, Assam, India during March, 2015 to February, 2016. During the reporting period, a total of 75 species belonging to 49 genera and 23 families were recorded. Cyprinidae was found to be dominant families with 27 species and followed by Bagridae (7 species); Cobitidae (6 species); Channidae (4 species); Siliridae, Schilbeidae and Osphronemidae with 3 species each. In terms of composition of genus, Cyprinidae have 15 genus followed by Cobitidae and Bagridae with 4 each while Schilbeidae with 3. As far as the species composition is concerned, the Cyprinidae was 30.0% followed by Bagridae (9.33%), Cobitidae (8.0%), Channidae (5.33%), Siluridae, Schilbeidae and Osphronemidae (4.0%) whereas rest of the families accounting with 2.66% and 1.33% each. According to IUCN-2015, a total of 55 species were found under least concerned (LC), 7 species were near threatened (NT), 2 species were vulnerable (VU), 4 species were data deficient (DD), 1 species as endangered (EN) and 6 species under not evaluated (NE). It is clear that Dulakhojia beel exhibit a good number of fish species. Keywords: Fish diversity; Dulakhojiya beel; Assam; India *Correspondence to: Santosh Kumar Abujam, Department of Zoology, Rajiv Gandhi University, Rono Hills, Arunachal Pradesh-791112, India, Tel: 9706837060; E-mail: [email protected] 37 Journal of FisheriesSciences.com Gogoi et al., 10(4): 037-042 (2016) Journal abbreviation: J FisheriesSciences.com Introduction Therefore, an endeavor had taken to prepare a checklist of available fish fauna of Dulakhojiya beel which will serve as baseline data The flood-plain lakes are biologically interesting ecotones for conservation and management of the fishery resources. that are considered to be the most important and productive ecosystem (Mitsch and Gosselink, 1986). These are a source of Materials and Methods renewable resources, such as need for construction, fish for human consumption and pasture for grazing livestock. Assam is gifted The Dulakhojiya beel (wetland) is located in and around the with many extensive water bodies locally known as beels that village Parghat of Lakhimpur district, Assam, India. The total are the only source of fish for the poor people in the surrounding area of the Dulakhojiya beel is about 142 Bigha (Figure 1). The ' village (Jhingran and Pathak, 1987). The fish diversity in the flood geographical location of the beel lies between latitude 27°16 N ' plain of Brahmaputra basin are found to be numerous but there and longitude 94º24 E. The beel is flooded by the tributaries of has been rapidly dwindling due to the habitat destruction, over Brahmaputra River during summer. The wetland is surrounded by exploitation, siltation, pollution and use of destructive fishing Korha river in east, by Markathoni Gaon in west; by Parghat and methods. The Dulakhojiya beel harbours wide varieties of fish Deudubi Gaon in North and by Sakuli Gaon (Bolahi) in South. fauna and had been remain as the center for the livelihood of local Fish samples were collected randomly from different landing fisherman. sites of the beel during March, 2015 to February, 2016. Fishes The previous studies reported that a considerable variation caught alive or in fresh condition had been preserved in 5% in number of fish species available in different beels of Assam. formalin solution for further study. They were identified with There are some notable works on the hydrobiology and fisheries the help of standard keys of Talwar and Jhingran (1991) and of wetlands (Jhingran, 1991; Goswami et al. 1999; Bhuyan et al. Vishwanath et al. (2007). The status of the recorded fish species 2009; Kalita et al. 2011; Chakravatty et al. 2012;). Investigated on were also evaluated based on the IUCN (2015-4). the limnology, fish diversity and including its bearing production of Maijan beel of upper Assam was reported by Singh et al. Results and Discussion (2009) and Dakua et al. (2009). Again, Abujam et al. (2012a and A total of 75 species belonging to 49 genera and 23 families 2012b) listed faunal diversity and ecological status of Maijan beel were recorded from Dulakhojiya beel (Table 1). Cyprinidae was and Botalikhosa wetland in upper Assam. However, there is no found to be most dominance among the families with 27 species information or documented on such aspects from this wetland. and followed by Bagridae (7 species); Cobitidae (6 species); Figure 1: Location map of study area. 38 Journal of FisheriesSciences.com Gogoi et al., 10(4): 037-042 (2016) Journal abbreviation: J FisheriesSciences.com Table 1: Checklist of fish species documented in Dulakhojiya Ompok bimaculatus NT beel. 7 Siluridae Ompok pabo NT Sl no Fish Composition IUCN (2015) Wallagu attu NT Rasbora rasbora LC 8 Tetradontidae Tetradon cutcutia NE Rasbora daniconius LC 9 Symbranchidae Monopterus cuchia LC Puntius gelius NE Heteropneustes 10 Heteropneustidae LC Puntius sarana LC fossilis Puntius phutunio LC 11 Belonidae Xenentodon cancila LC Puntius sophore LC 12 Nandidae Nandus nandus LC Puntius terio LC Badis assamensis DD 13 Badidae Pethia ticto LC Badis Badis LC Labeo rohita LC Channa striatus LC Labeo bata LC Channa marulius LC Labeo gonius LC 14 Channidae Channa gachua LC Labeo calbasu LC Channa punctata LC Labeo nandina NT Osteobrama cotio LC Notopterus chitala NT 15 Notopteridae Notopterus 1 Cyprinidae Salmophasia bacaila LC LC Catla catla LC notopterus Cirrhinus mrigala VU 16 Clupeidae Gudusia chapra LC Neotropius Cirrhinus reba LC LC Amblypharyngodon atherinoides LC 17 Schilbeidae mola Ailia coilia NT Esomus danricus LC Clupisoma garua LC Hypophthalmichthys Parambasis ranga LC NT 18 Ambassidae molitrix Chanda nama LC Barilius barna LC 19 Gobiidae Glossogobius giuris LC Chela cachinus LC 20 Sisoridae Gagata cenia LC Danio aequipinatus LC 21 Anabantidae Anabas testudineus DD Danio daverio NE Trichogaster fasciata LC Danio rerio LC Trichogaster lalius LC 22 Osphronemidae Devario devario LC Trichogaster Mastacembalus LC NE labiosus armatus 2 Mastacembelidae 23 Chacidae Chaca chaca LC Macrognathus LC pancalus Channidae (4 species); Siliridae, Schilbeidae and Osphronemidae Acanthocobitis botia LC with 3 species each. The family Mastacembelidae, Nemacheilidae, 3 Nemacheilidae Aborichthys sp. DD Clariidae, Badidae, Notopteridae and Ambassidae were Clarias batrachus NE represented by 2 species each while the family Tetraodontidae, 4 Clariidae Clarias magur EN Synbranchidae, Heteropneustidae, Belonidae, Nandidae, Lepidocephalichthys Clupeidae, Gobiidae, Anabantidae, Sisoridae and Chacidae were DD sp. represented by a single species. Genus composition revealed that Lepidocephalichthys the Cyprinidae have 15 genus followed by Cobitidae and Bagridae LC guntea with 4 each while Schilbeidae with 3. As far as the species 5 Cobitidae Botia rostrata VU composition is concerned, the Cyprinidae was 30.0% followed Canthophrys by Bagridae (9.33%), Cobitidae (8.0%), Channidae (5.33%), LC gongota Siluridae, Schilbeidae and Osphronemidae (4.0%) whereas rest of Somileptes gongota NE the families accounting with 2.66% and 1.33% each (Figure 2). Botia Dario LC Generally, the Cyprinidae was most dominant family followed Batasio batasio LC by Bagridae and Cobitidae of beel fisheries of Assam in terms Sperata aor LC of edible and ornamental fish species (Dey, 1981, Yadava, Hemibagrus menoda LC 1987, Singh et al. 2009, Abujam et al. 2012). In present study, 6 Bagridae Mystus bleekeri LC Labeo gonius, Labeo rohita and Cirrhinus mrigal were abundant Mystus tengara LC species among the Indian major carp (Plate 1). Among the catfish Mystus cavasius LC Wallago attu were the relatively dominant species while, among Mystus vittatus LC the murrels, Channa marulius was rarely found and C. punctata is 39 Journal of FisheriesSciences.com Gogoi et al., 10(4): 037-042 (2016) Journal abbreviation: J FisheriesSciences.com Cyprinidae 1.33 1.33 1.33 Ambassidae Anabantidae Badidae 4 Bagridae 4 Belonidae 4 Chacidae 2.67 Channidae 2.67 36 Clariidae Clupeidae 1.33 Cobitidae 2.67 Gobiidae 1.33 Heteropneustidae 1.33 Mastacembelidae Nandidae Nemacheilidae 8 Notopteridae Osphronemidae Schilbeidae 1.33 2.67 Siluridae 5.33 2.67 1.33 Sisoridae 9.33 2.67 Symbranchidae Tetradontidae 1.33 1.33 Figure 2: Percentage of species composition of different families. Puntius sophore Labeo rohita Mystus bleekeri Mystus tengara Aborichthys sp. Botia dario 40 Chanda nama Mastacembelus armatus Amblypharyngodon mola Labeo gonius Puntius sarana sarana Puntius ticto Acanthocobitis botia Glossogobius giuris Pseudeutropius atherinoides Cirrhinus reba Puntius sophore Labeo rohita Mystus bleekeri Mystus tengara Journal of FisheriesSciences.com Gogoi et al., 10(4): 037-042 (2016) Journal abbreviation: J FisheriesSciences.com Aborichthys sp. Botia dario Chanda nama Mastacembelus armatus Amblypharyngodon mola Labeo gonius Puntius sarana sarana Puntius ticto Acanthocobitis botia Glossogobius giuris Pseudeutropius atherinoides