International Journal of Zoology and Animal Biology Ichthyofaunal Diversity and Species Richness of Lower Anicut Reservoir, Tamil Nadu, India: Recommendations and Conservation Action Sivakumar R1*, Mathialagan R2, Chandrasekar S3 and Rajasekaran N2 1Department of Zoology, Government Arts College (Autonomous), India Research Article 2Department of Life Science, MASS College of Arts & Science, India Volume 1 Issue 2 Received Date: June 15, 2018 3Department of Zoology, V. O. Chidambaram College, India Published Date: June 22, 2018 *Corresponding author: PG and Research Department of Zoology, Government Arts College (Autonomous), Kumbakonam-612 002, Tamil Nadu, India, Tel: +0435-2442149; +91 94433 32332; Fax: +0435-2442977; Email: [email protected] Abstract Ichthyofaunal diversity and species richness of Lower Anicut reservoir, Tamil Nadu, India: Recommendations and Conservation Action. Faunal biodiversity is an essential for stabilization of an ecosystem, protection of overall environmental quality for understanding intrinsic worth of all species on the earth. Ichthyo-biodiversity mainly focused to variety of species richness depending upon circumstance and scale it could refer alleles or genotypes within species of life. The sampling point a branch of Cauvery, specifically Kollidam (Coleroon) river, Lower Anicut was selected for the present work carried out. Species identification was followed by colour patterns of body, fins, measurements and counts were clearly observed. Additionally, the results of high-resolution image were used to extrapolate and assess the morphological identification. Species richness and availability was categorized as TY (Throughout Year), TYLQ (Throughout Year in Little Quantity), TYBQ (Throughout Year in Bulk Quantity), SQM (Small Quantity during Monsoon), BQM (Bulk Quantity during Monsoon), R (rare), ER (Extremely Rare) and NE (Not Evaluated). Following, the objectives and importance of this study to required and updated the information about diversity of fishes and its conservation through survey of sampling, fisher folk, fish researchers, government personnel and experienced persons in relation to fisheries sectors. The assessment and documentation of the Ichthyo diversity and species richness in Lower Anicut reservoir, Tamil Nadu thereby to evaluate the conservation status of species, taking into reflection in riverine health and making the people more aware about local environment and its conservation for their existence. Keywords: Ichthyodiversity; Species richness; Taxonomy; Species identification; Classification of species and Conservation Ichthyofaunal Diversity and Species Richness of Lower Anicut Reservoir, Tamil Nadu, India: Recommendations and Conservation Action Int J Zoo Animal Biol 2 International Journal of Zoology and Animal Biology Abbreviations: TY: Throughout Year; TYLQ: crucial parts of their life-support systems to providing Throughout Year in Little Quantity; TYBQ: Throughout nursery grounds and feeding areas [6]. Additionally, Year in Bulk Quantity; SQM: Small Quantity during species diversity is a property at population level while; Monsoon; BQM: Bulk Quantity during Monsoon; R: rare; the functional diversity concept is more strongly related ER: Extremely Rare; NE: Not Evaluated; LC: Least to ecosystem stability, stress, physical and chemical Concern; NT: Threatened Category; SQM: Small Quantity factors to determining population dynamics in lentic during Monsoon; DD: Data Deficient; LRNT: Lower Risk ecosystem. Besides, the various organisms including the near Threatened; ER: Extremely Rare; EN: Endangered. types of planktons play a momentous role in the dynamics of ecosystem [7]. So far, around 750 species of freshwater Introduction fish taxa have been recorded in India whereas, out of 350 taxa have been estimated as an endemic in Western Ghats Freshwater ecosystems have distinctive properties [8] which encompass 85 endemic and 15 taxa in adjacent both underpin and challenges for many key tenets of areas. Similarly, the river of Cauvery is one of the major conservation biogeography. Freshwater fishes to bionetwork systems and also is a foremost habitat of the exemplify this phenomenon, good health, high diversity richest freshwater fish fauna in Tamil Nadu, India. As well, and endemism stem were largely from the fact that the one of the main tributary namely Kollidam (Coleroon) freshwaters are embedded within a terrestrial landscape river, Lower Anicut is the prominent freshwater fishery that limits to dispersal within and among riverine basins. resource and it play an important role in energy flow, It may be broadly defines as the variety and variability cycling of nutrients and maintaining bio-community among living organisms and ecological complexes in balance in an ecosystem. Further, the fast flowing river which they occur. These factors underlie an interesting has been an excellent habitat and environment enabling observation such as regional to global scales, the most to evolution of richest fish diversity. Hitherto, this river is fishes were occupied only a fraction of the localities believed to be an important feeding and spawning ground where they might it and otherwise to thrive [1]. In and conserve a variety of species which support to the addition, this constrained riverine habitat is at least commercial fisheries in throughout year. Thus, fishes partially responsible for the fantastic diversity of occupy a remarkable position from socio-economical freshwater fishes around the world [2]. Specifically one of point of view for fisher folk. As a result, the river was also author [3] were strongly quoted that the river has a supports livelihood and nutritional security for the above varied population of important indigenous species of fish said people living alongside Mathialagan, et al. 2014). which form the basis for a fairly rich fishery. Besides, the Some, recent studies on biodiversity loss and its faunal diversity is an essential for stabilization of implications for ecosystem services have uncovered and ecosystem, protection of overall environmental quality, unprecedented species extinctions at global and regional for understanding intrinsic worth of all species on the levels [9]. Though, the freshwater diversity has declined earth. Ichthyodiversity mainly focused to variety of faster than either terrestrial or marine over past three species richness depending upon circumstance and scale decades [10]. During the last century, riverine ecosystems it could refer alleles or genotypes within population to have suffered from intense human intervention as a species of life or within a fish community to species or life resulting in loss of habitat, degradation and as a structure across the aquatic system [4]. It is a vital tool to consequence of many species have become highly develop our knowledge and understanding the endangered, particularly in rivers where is heavy demand biodiversity often the first footstep to embark on effectual is placed on freshwater bionetwork. Likewise, freshwater conservation action. In addition, the information is also a fish are one of the most threatened taxonomic groups [11] fundamental assess to changes in species composition and because it their high sensitivity both quantitative and distribution [5]. The species diversity of an ecosystem is qualitative alteration of aquatic habits [12,13]. At the habitually related to the amount of living and non-living present time, fish diversity and management is linked to organic matter present in it. On the other hand, obvious habitats, in addition conservational view of aquatic species diversity depends upon the characteristics of a diversity has gained great ecological magnitude over single ecosystem than on the interactions between recent years [14]. As well, habitat isolation and dispersal ecosystems, i.e. transport of living animals across the limitation that have been generated high in freshwater different gradient region. Further, the effect of such fish diversity and also can increase the risk of species transport is an important 'information' exchange to extinction. Freshwaters are subjected to panoply of enhancing the diversity richness. In view of, the genetic anthropogenic threats, including habitat loss and fall to imprint for various populations of lentic fish species is pieces, hydrologic modification, climate flexibility, over- essential since the freshwater bionetwork constitute Sivakumar R, et al. Ichthyofaunal Diversity and Species Richness of Lower Anicut Reservoir, Tamil Copyright© Sivakumar R, et al. Nadu, India: Recommendations and Conservation Action. Int J Zoo Animal Biol 2018, 1(2): 000111. 3 International Journal of Zoology and Animal Biology Figure 1: Map showing the geographical location of sampling area in Lower Anicut, Tamil Nadu. exploitation, pollution and dispersal of invasive species morphological, biological and adaptive characters along [14]. According to Hossain, et al. [15] reported that most with their natural distribution is imperative to back up of the wild populations have seriously declined in rivers their optimum exploitation. In this context, it is aimed to and streams due to exploitation of sources and it assessment to fill in this gap and documentation of the augmented by various biological changes and alarming diversity and species richness in Lower Anicut reservoir, conditions of natural habitats. The important causes Tamil Nadu thereby to evaluating the conservation status behind the loss of biodiversity in freshwater were of species,