IJISET - International Journal of Innovative Science, Engineering & Technology, Vol. 2 Issue 9, September 2015. www.ijiset.com ISSN 2348 – 7968 Icthyofauna of Genus: Channa Scopoli 1777, recorded in River Siang of Arunachal Pradesh, India 1* 2 3 Biplab Kumar DasP ,P Hiranya Chamuah SaikiaP ,P and Devashish KarP 1. Department of Life Science and Bioinformatics, Assam University, Silchar, Assam – 788011 (India). 2. Department of Zoology, Dhemaji College, Dhemaji, Assam - 787057 (India). 3. Department of Life Science and Bioinformatics, School of Life Sciences, Assam University, Silchar, Assam – 788011 (India). ABSTRACT Channa is a genus of the Channidae family of snakehead fish. This genus contains 34 scientifically described species, but in River Siang we recorded Channa gachua, Channa marulius , Channa orieantalis, Channa punctata and Channa stewartii. Apart from their importance as a food fish, snakeheads are also consumed as a therapeutic for wound healing as well as reducing post-operative pain and discomfort, and collected for the international aquarium pet trade. The diets of various species of Channa include fish, frogs, snakes, rodents, birds, and insects. Some can move on land like snakes, and breathe air. Snakeheads amorphologically unique groups of freshwater fishes, they are highly priced and are in good demand in North-East India. Species of snakeheads can be distinguished based on coloration, meristics, morphometrics as well as the distributions of scales on the underside of the lower jaw, the shape of snakehead and the morphology of the supra-branchial organs. Keywords: Channa, Channidae, River Siang, Arunachal Pradesh. 185 IJISET - International Journal of Innovative Science, Engineering & Technology, Vol. 2 Issue 9, September 2015. www.ijiset.com ISSN 2348 – 7968 INTRODUCTION st River Siang, a hill-stream of 1P P order river; had colluvial valley segment and pool-riffle type of reach. Pools, riffles and runs were generally found to dominate the micro-habitat type with frequent occurrence of trench pools. River Siang was said to be more entrenched based on V-shaped valley segment. The substrate type had been found to be dominated by gravels and cobbles with frequently occurring quite large number of boulders and some bed rocks. River Siang was the unique in the ichthyofaunal diversity. Fish sampling was carried out with the help of different kinds of nets such as cast net, gill net and traps, lines and hooks, etc. More than 50% of fish species of River Siang belongs to the Order Cypriniformes whereas other fishes were represented by the Orders viz., Siluriformes, Perciformes, Clupeiformes, Synbranchiformes, Osteoglossiformes, Tetradontiformes and Beloniformes. In the present study on fish diversity, it was revealed that the number of fishes was recorded higher in pre-monsoon and monsoon seasons in all the study years. In this regard, the present objective is the numbers of different species of Channa are available in River Siang of Arunachal Pradesh. MATERIALS AND METHODS 2.1 Study Site The River Siang, is largest river of Brahmaputra river system, originates from Chema Yungdung Glacier near Kubi at 5150 m in Tibet. In Tibet it is popularly known as Tsang-Po, flows in West–East direction. After traversing a distance of about 1625 km river in Tibet and then it takes a turn in south direction, enters the territory of India near Tuting in the Upper Siang district of Arunachal Pradesh and flows through North–South direction in East Siang district 186 IJISET - International Journal of Innovative Science, Engineering & Technology, Vol. 2 Issue 9, September 2015. www.ijiset.com ISSN 2348 – 7968 towards Assam and finally it merges with Lohit and Dibang in Assam and it becomes the mighty River Brahmaputra (Das et. al. 2014 a, b; Das and Kar 2015) (Figure 1). C A B Fig 1: Map of (A) India indicating Arunachal Pradesh, (B) Arunachal Pradesh indicating to East Siang District, (C) In East Siang district highlighting River Siang (Study Area) of Arunachal Pradesh. 2.2. Freshwater Survey Fish samples were collected from River Siang during January 2012 to December 2014 through experimental fishing; using cast nets (dia.3.7 m and 1.0 m), gill nets (vertical height 1.0 m- 1.5 m; length 100 m -150 m), drag nets (vertical height 2.0 m), triangular scoop nets (vertical height 1.0 m) and a variety of traps and with hook and lines in certain places (where netting is not possible). River was surveyed and classified into different habitat units based on morphology (Bisson et al., 1982) and finally divided in to six (6) different study sites covering upstream, mid-stream and downstream stretches of the river. General survey of the fish biodiversity was done using standard procedures (Armontrout, 1990). 187 IJISET - International Journal of Innovative Science, Engineering & Technology, Vol. 2 Issue 9, September 2015. www.ijiset.com ISSN 2348 – 7968 2.3. Fish Measurement The morphometric study included measurement of Total length (TL), Standard length (SL). Body depth (BD) Snout length, Post orbital length, Head length (HL), Pre dorsal length, Prepelvic distance, Eye diameter (ED), length of Caudal Peduncle, and Length of caudal fin. SL was the distance from the tip of the snout to the mid base of the caudal fin and TL was the distance from the tip snout to the furthest tip of the caudal fin. BD was the greatest vertical distance across the body. The measurements were done using Vernier Calliper Scale and Digital Sartorious Electronic Balance. 2.4. Fish Preservation and Identification Fish species had been preserved, at first, in concentrated formaldehyde in the field. After that, the fishes were transferred to laboratory and preserved in 10 % formalin. The small size fishes were preserved in 5% aqueous formalin solution and big size fishes in 10% aqueous formalin solution and kept in the air-tight plastic bottles. InU the laboratory, the fishesU were identified by following standard literature, notably, Day (1878), Rainboth (1996), Sen (2000), Talwar and Jhingran (1991), Jayaram (1999, 2010), Nath and Dey (1997, 2000), Vishwanath (2000, 2002), and Kar (2007, 2013) and www.fishbase.org31TU .U31T All the fishes were kept in the Assam University Fish Museum (AUFM) for preservation and record. After labeling the fishes were drawn and photographed with the help of digital camera (Nikon Coolpix L-810). 188 IJISET - International Journal of Innovative Science, Engineering & Technology, Vol. 2 Issue 9, September 2015. www.ijiset.com ISSN 2348 – 7968 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION In River Siang we had recorded Channa gachua, Channa marulius, Channa orieantalis, Channa punctata and Channa stewartii. They are described as follows: 3. Genus: Channa Scopoli 1777 Channa Scopoli, Intro. Hist. Nat., 1777, p. 459 (type- species, Channa orientalis Bloch and Schneider, by subsequent designation).-Ophicephalus Bloch, 1793, Naturges. ausland. Fische, p. 137 (type-species, Ophicephalus punctatus Bloch, by subsequent designation). Diagnosis: Body elongated, subcylindrical anteriorly. Abdomen rounded. Head large, depressed with plate like scales. Snout somewhat obtuse. Eyes lateral and moderate, in anterior part of head, not visible from below ventral surface. Dorsal fin long, inserted almost above pectoral fins with 35 rays and no spine. Anal fin long, with 22 rays. Both dorsal and anal fins were free from caudal. Caudal fin rounded. Scales small, cycloid or ctenoid; scales on head larger on body and with concentric rings towards their margin. Lateral line almost interrupted with 40 scales. 3.1. Channa gachua (Hamilton-Buchanan, 1822) Key to Species: White dorsal, anal and caudal margins; 3 scales between the lateral line and the base of the anterior dorsal rays; relatively small size (Figure 2 and Plate 1). Figure 2: Channa gachua Plate 1: Channa gachua 189 IJISET - International Journal of Innovative Science, Engineering & Technology, Vol. 2 Issue 9, September 2015. www.ijiset.com ISSN 2348 – 7968 Snout length = 0.9 cm, Post orbital length = 1.3 cm, Head length = 6.7 cm, Pre-dorsal length = 4.2 cm, Pre-pelvic distance = 4.5 cm, Standard length = 11.4 cm, Total length = 13.2 cm, Eye diameter = 0.6 cm, Length of caudal peduncle = 1.1 cm, Length of caudal fin = 2.3 cm, Body depth = 2.5 cm and Weight = 29.26 g. Distribution: Through out Brahmaputra, Arunachal Pradesh, India. Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Iran, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Thailand. 3. 2. Channa marulius (Hamilton-Buchanan, 1822) Key to Species: 10 scales between orbit and angle of preopercle, 16 predorsal scales. No such colour markings on lateral line. A black white-edged ocellus on basal portion of caudal fin present (Figure 3 and Plate 2). Figure 3: Channa marulius Plate 2: Channa marulius Snout length = 0.9 cm, Post orbital length = 1.3 cm, Head length = 6.7 cm, Pre-dorsal length = 4.2 cm, Pre-pelvic distance = 4.5 cm, Standard length = 11.4 cm, Total length = 18.6 cm, Eye diameter = 0.6 cm, Length of caudal peduncle = 1.1 cm, Length of caudal fin = 2.3 cm, Body depth = 2.5 cm and Weight = 109.26 g. Distribution: Throughout River Siang, River Brahmaputra of India. Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Iran, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Thailand. 190 IJISET - International Journal of Innovative Science, Engineering & Technology, Vol. 2 Issue 9, September 2015. www.ijiset.com ISSN 2348 – 7968 3. 3. Channa orientalis Bloch and Schneider, 1801 Key to Species: 12 predorsal scales. Pelvic fin less than half length of pectoral fin. Anal fin with 22 rays. Dorsal fin with 35 scales (Figure 4 and Plate 3). Figure 4: Channa orientalis Plate 3: Channa orientalis Snout length = 0.9 cm, Post orbital length = 1.3 cm, Head length = 6.7 cm, Pre-dorsal length = 4.2 cm, Pre-pelvic distance = 4.5 cm, Standard length = 11.4 cm, Total length = 13.2 cm, Eye diameter = 0.6 cm, Length of caudal peduncle = 1.1 cm, Length of caudal fin = 2.3 cm, Body depth = 2.5 cm and Weight = 29.26 g.