Research article

Systematic Studies on the Haor Fishes of Barak Valley Region, North-East India Biodiversity Hotspot

Devashish Kar¹* and Dimos Khynriam²

¹Microcentre for Water and Human Studies, India

²Zoological Survey of India, North-Eastern Regional Centre, India

Submission:August 10, 2023;Published:September 01, 2023

*Correspondence author: Devashish Kar, Microcentre for Water and Human Studies, India

How to cite this article: Devashish K, Dimos K. Systematic Studies on the Haor Fishes of Barak Valley Region, North-East India Biodiversity Hotspot. Oceanogr Fish Open Access J. 2023; 16(4): 555945. DOI: 10.19080/OFOAJ.2022.16.555945

Abstract

Ichthyofaunal surveys in the Haors of Barak Valley Region in North-East India notably, Chatla Haor, Puneer Haor and Bakri Haor revealed the occurrence of 24 species under 20 genera, 15 families and 8 orders. These include 1 species each under Osteoglossiformes and Gobiiformes, 2 species each under Cichliformes, Clupeiformes and Synbranchiformes, 3 species under Anabantiformes, 6 species under Siluriformes and 7 species under Cypriniformes. Detailed taxonomic analysis indicates highest number of species composition under the Cypriniformes and lowest under the Osteoglossiformes and Gobiiformes. The distribution of species in different Haors reflects the similarity in their habitats.

Introduction

There have been impacts on aquatic biodiversity due to human interventions. Effects on fish and their habitats have been studied by different workers [1-7]. However, further studies particularly with regard to fish fauna are required in order to reveal their current status.

Fish forms about half of the total number of vertebrates in the world. India is one of the highly enriched biodiversity countries in the World [8], and North-Eastern (NE) region in the Eastern Himalayan (EH) zone is a hotspot of biodiversity [9]. The hills and the undulating terrains of this region give rise to innumerable torrential rheophilic hill streams, which lead to big rivers that finally become part of the Ganga-Brahmaputra-Barak-Chindwin-Kolodyne-Gomati-Meghna system [1-5,10-13].

Concomitant to above, out of 2,500 species of fishes in India, 930 are freshwater (FW) inhabitants and 1,570 are marine [2-5,12,14-19]. The bewildering ichthyodiversity of this virgin region has been of high ichthyological attraction to scientists and naturalists alike.

The fish fauna of North-East (NE) India mainly reflects features of the Indo-Gangetic region and partly of the Myanmarese and South-Chinese regions. There have been quite a sufficient number of works on the fish and fisheries of the region. Some of the significant works are those of Nath & Dey [20]. Further, according to Sen [21], of the 806 species of fishes inhabiting India‘s freshwaters [22], the NE region is represented by 267 species belonging to 114 genera under 38 families and 10 orders, which is 33.13% of the total Indian FW fishes. The Cypriniformes dominates with 145 species, followed by Siluriformes (72), Anabantiformes (31), Clupeiformes (7), Anguilliformes (3), Cyprinodontiformes (3), Osteoglossiformes (2), Synbranchiformes (2), Syngnathiformes (1) and Tetraodontiformes (1). Kar [10] reported 133 species of fishes through a pilot survey conducted in 19 rivers spread in Barak drainage of Assam, Mizoram, and Tripura. Kar [23] further reported the occurrence of 103 species of fishes through an extensive survey conducted in six principal rivers in Barak Valley of Assam, Mizoram, and Tripura. Kar & Sen [19] have carried out a detailed study on fish՚ biodiversity in North-East India with particular reference to Barak drainage, Mizoram and Tripura. Further, Kar [2], Kar & Khynriam [13,24,25], Kar et al. [7] did significant works on the fishes of NE India.

Standing waters occur in depressions or in basins, which are destined from the moment they are formed. Eroded soil and remains of plants from the surrounding land are washed-in and settle at the bottom of the basin. Gradually, this static water becomes shallower until it becomes a `wetland’. Wetlands’ are, thus, basically `wet- lands’ where the soil is saturated with water for sometime during the year. According to IUCN [26], wetlands are areas of marsh, fen, etc., temporary or permanent; natural or artificial mass of water, the depth of which generally does not exceed 6m. Wetlands are areas which contain substantial amount of standing water and little flow..

Notwithstanding the above, there are generally 3 kinds of wetlands in Assam, and in adjoining Tripura and Bangladesh. These are locally called as `Beel’ a perennial wetland which contain water throughout the year, `Haor or seasonal floodplain’ a wetland which contain water for some period of the year only, particularly, during the rainy season and `Anua’ a peculiar riverformed perennial oxbow-type wetlands which are generally formed due to change in river course and which may or may not retain connection with the original river.

The present study is a systematic analysis of the ichthyofauna in different Haors of the Barak Valley of Assam in North-East (NE) India.

Material and Methods

Fish samples were collected through experimental fishing using cast nets (diameter 1.0 - 3.7m), gill nets (vertical height 1.0-1.5m, length 100-150m), drag nets (vertical height 2.0m), triangular scoop nets (vertical height 1.0m) and a variety of traps. Camouflaging technique was also used to catch the fishes. Fishes were preserved in 10% formalin. Fishes have been identified after standard literature [14,15,17,22, 27-34]. The arrangement of classification, followed here, is that of Greenwood et al. [35], Jayaram [14-17], Kar & Khynriam [13] & Fricke et al. [36].

Results and Discussion

Ichthyological survey in the Haors of Barak valley region of Assam notably, Chatla Haor, Puneer Haor and Bakri Haor, revealed the occurrence of 24 species of fishes. These include 1 species each under Osteoglossiformes and Gobiiformes, 2 species each under Clupeiformes, Synbranchiformes and Cichliformes, 3 species under Anabantiformes, 6 species under Siluriformes and 7 species under Cypriniformes. Detailed taxonomic analysis indicates highest number of species composition under the Cypriniformes and Siluriformes and lowest among the Gobiiformes and Osteoglossiformes.

The tropical Asian ichthyofauna constitutes a substantial part of the total lotic and lentic fish community. The Indian Peninsula supports 930 species of native FW fishes, which belong to 87 families. Several of tropical Asian FW fish share the African riverine ecosystems, both regarding the family and the generic level. Cyprinids, certain Siluriform catfishes, Channids, Mastacembelids and Notopterids are shared between the two regions. At the generic level, Anabas, Clarias, Garra, Labeo, and Mastacembelus occur in both African and Asian rivers. Tilapia, which have been introduced into India from Africa, have become widespread all-over southern Asia. They have also replaced the native population in some places due to their dominance. There is a large-scale abundance of Cyprinids and Balitorids in Asia, in contrast to the predominance of Characids and Cichlids in Africa. Incidentally, research on the taxonomy and associated habitat parameters of the tropical fish communities is limited. Further, there have been studies on fish diets and resource partitioning in specific Sri Lankan hill streams. Niche segregation is dependent on seasonality, diet, and habitat utilization, as was revealed from their studies. Also, there are morphological segregation and specialization in these fish communities [7,13,26].

The ichthyospecies recorded from different Haors of Barak valley are summarised in table 1. Gudusia chapra usually is a perennial inhabitant in the downstream stretch of River Barak. Its occurrence in the Haors reflects the earlier possible connection with the river Barak or its tributaries. Due to extensive soil erosion and siltation, such connection(s) with the river might had been closed; thus, causing entry of less volume of water from the river and drying-up of the wetland during dry season resulting in the formation of seasonal floodplain wetlands, locally called `Haor’. Notwithstanding the above, occurrence of Hilsa (Tenualosa ilisha) including its juveniles, notably in Chatla Haor, during the monsoon season indicates that, Chatla Haor might be serving as the breeding ground of Hilsa during monsoon. The occurrence of same species in more than one Haor reflects the similarity in their habitats.
Systematic account
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopteri
Order: Osteoglossiformes
Family: Notopteridae
Genus: Notopterus Lacepede

Notopterus Lacepede, 1800, Hist nat Poiss 2 :190 (Type species: Gymnotus notopterus Pallas, by absolute tautonomy); Roberts, 1992, Ichthyol Explor. Freshwaters, 2(4): 361-383 (revision), Talwar and Jhingran, 1991, Inland Fishes 1: 62, Jayaram, 1999, FW Fishes of the Indian Region: 20, Menon, 1999, Rec Zool Surv India Occ Paper No. 175: 9.

Generic Characters: Body oblong, laterally compressed, cranio-dorsal profile straight or slightly concave. Abdomen with 25-28 pre-pelvic double serrations. Head compressed. Mouth wide, cleft of mouth extending upto or beyond posterior border of eyes. Eyes moderate, dorsolateral. Gill membranes partly united. Dorsal fin small, tuft-like, inserted near middle of body with 8-10 rays. Anal fin is very long, low, ribbon-like, with 100-135 rays: confluent with the caudal fin. Pelvic fins rudimentary. Caudal fin small. Scales small. The lateral line complete, more or less arched with about 180 scales.

Material examined: 1 ex. from Puneer Haor: Coll 10.10.1998 1 ex from Chatla Haor, Coll,
01.08.1996. First report, collector Professor D. Kar and Party.
Key to species: Cranio-dorsal profile straight of slightly concave.
Notopterus synurus
Distribution: Almost throughout India, Bangladesh,
Indonesia Malaya, Nepal, Pakistan,
Thailand, West Africa, etc.
IUCN status: Least Concern (LC).
Order: Clupeiformes
Family: Dorosomatidae
Genus: Gudusia Fowler

Gudusia Fowler, 1911 Proc Acad Nat Sci, Philad 63: 207 (Type species: Clupanodon chapra Hamilton-Buchanan, by orginal designation), Whitehead, 1985, FAO Fish Synopsis, (125) 7(1): 228-230, Talwar and Jhingran, 1999, Inland Fishes 1: 95, Menon, 1999, Rec Zool Surv India, Occ Paper No 175 : 7, Jayaram, 1999, FW Fishes of the Indian Region : 41; Vishwanath, 2002, Fishes of North-East India, NATP Pub, 29.

Generic characters: Body well-compressed and oblong. Abdomen serrated with 18 to 19 prepelvic and 8 to 10 post-pelvic scutes. Head short and much compressed. Snout rounded. Mouth terminal. Cleft of mouth not extending upto orbit. Eyes large, lateral. With a broad adipose eyelid. The Dorsal fin inserted above pelvic fin origin with 14 to 17 rays. Anal fin with 18 to 29 rays. Caudal fin forked. Scales small. Lateral line absent.

Material examined: 2 ex. from Chatla Haor, Coll, 21.01.1997. 3 ex. from Bakri Haor, Coll, 03.11. 2007. First report, collector Professor D Kar and Party. Key to species: Anal fin with 18 to 22 rays. Body with round spots and absence of any cross bars on sides Gudusia chapra Distribution: Almost throughout India, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Malaya, Nepal, Pakistan, etc. IUCN status: Least Concern (LC). Genus: Tenualosa Fowler

Hilsa Regan, 1917, Ann Mag nat Hist (8): 19-303 (Type species: Clupea durbanensis Regan), Whitehead, 1985, FAO Fish Synop (125), 7(1) 220-221, Misra,1976, Fauna of India, Pisces, Ed 2,2: 53, Talwar and Jhingran, 1999, Inland Fishes,1 : 98, Jayaram, 1999, FW Fishes of the Indian Region : 40, Vishwanath, 2002, Fishes of North East India, NATP Publication : 30.

Tenualosa Fowler, 1934 (Mirza 2003, uses this name in preference to Hilsa in a generic sense), Proc Acad nat Sci Philad 85: 246 (Type species: Alosa reevesii Richardson); Whitehead, 1985, FAO Fish Symp (125) 7 (i): 222-227.

Generic Characters: Body compressed, oblong; abdomen serrated with 15-16 pre-pelvic and 11-16 post-pelvic scutes. Head large, compressed. Mouth terminal, cleft not extending to orbit. Eyes large, lateral, with adipose lid. Lower jaw not projecting beyond upper. Dorsal fin inserted ahead of pelvic fins with 13-16 branched rays. Anal fin short with 16-20 branched rays. Caudal fin forked.

Material examined: 25 ex. from Chatla Haor including juveniles, Coll., 02.07.1995. First report, collector, Professor D Kar and Party. Key to species: Gill rakers on inner arches curved outward. Scales perforated. Tenualosa ilisha Distribution: India, Bangladesh, China, Myanmar etc. IUCN status: Least Concern (LC) Order: Cypriniformes Family: Danionidae Genus: Danio Hamilto

Danio Hamilton 1822, Fishes of the Ganges, pp. 321, 390 (Type species: Cyprinus (Danio) dangila Hamilton, by subsequent designation); Hora and Mukerji, 1933, Rec Indian Mus 39(1), pp. 130-133, Talwar and Jhingran, 1999, Inland Fishes, I : 362, Jayaram, 1999, FW Fishes of the Indian Region: 78; Menon, 1999, Rec. Zool Surv India Occ Paper No.175 : 38, Vishwanath, 2002, Fishes of North East India, NATP Pub: 45, Nath and Dey, 2000, Fish and Fisheries of NE India: 19 (Arunachal Pradesh).

Generic characters: Body elongate, compressed, subcylindrical. Abdomen rounded. Head moderate, blunt. Mouth anterior; cleft of mouth shallow and not protractile; directed obliquely upwards. Eyes large, centrally placed. The presence of one or two pairs of barbells which may also be rudimentary, or barbles may be absent. The Dorsal fin inserted opposite interspace between anal and pelvic fins; nearer to caudal fin base than to tip of snout with 10 to 19 rays. Anal fin with 9 to 14 rays. Caudal fin emarginated or forked. Lateral line concave with 32 to 42 scales. `A stripe’ on the anal fin rays. Two or more pigmented stripes on the caudal fin rays.

Material examined: 1 ex. from Bakri Haor, Coll 3 11 2007. First report, collector Professor D Kar and Party. Key to species: Barbels very well developed, longest in the species. Danio dangila Distribution: Throughout India; Bangladesh, Myanmar, etc. IUCN status: Least Concern (LC). Genus: Amblypharyngodon Bleeker

Generic characters: Body moderately long, sub-cylindrical. Abdomen round. Head much compressed. Snout obtusely rounded. Mouth wide, anterolateral and not protractile. Eyes centrally placed and large; they are not visible from below the ventral surface. Upper lip absent. Lower lip with a short labial fold. Lower jaw prominent with a thin sharp edge and a symphysial knob which fits into the upper jaw. Barbells absent. A Dorsal fin inserted little behind insertion of pelvic fins. Anal fin short. Caudal fin forked. Scales minute.

Material examined: 4 ex. from Bakri Haor, Coll 03.11.2007. First report, collector: Professor D Kar and Party. Key to species: Lateral line incomplete with 65-91 scales. A silvery lateral band with dark markings on dorsal, anal and caudal fins present. Amblypharyngodon mola Distribution: Throughout India, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka etc. IUCN status: Least Concern (LC). Order: Cyprinidae Genus: Puntius Hamilton

Notopterus Lacepede, 1800, Hist nat Poiss 2 :190 (Type species: Gymnotus notopterus Pallas, by absolute tautonomy); Roberts, 1992, Ichthyol Explor. Freshwaters, 2(4): 361-383 (revision), Talwar and Jhingran, 1991, Inland Fishes 1: 62, Jayaram, 1999, FW Fishes of the Indian Region: 20, Menon, 1999, Rec Zool Surv India Occ Paper No. 175: 9.

Notopterus Lacepede, 1800, Hist nat Poiss 2 :190 (Type species: Gymnotus notopterus Pallas, by absolute tautonomy); Roberts, 1992, Ichthyol Explor. Freshwaters, 2(4): 361-383 (revision), Talwar and Jhingran, 1991, Inland Fishes 1: 62, Jayaram, 1999, FW Fishes of the Indian Region: 20, Menon, 1999, Rec Zool Surv India Occ Paper No. 175: 9.

Notopterus Lacepede, 1800, Hist nat Poiss 2 :190 (Type species: Gymnotus notopterus Pallas, by absolute tautonomy); Roberts, 1992, Ichthyol Explor. Freshwaters, 2(4): 361-383 (revision), Talwar and Jhingran, 1991, Inland Fishes 1: 62, Jayaram, 1999, FW Fishes of the Indian Region: 20, Menon, 1999, Rec Zool Surv India Occ Paper No. 175: 9.

Notopterus Lacepede, 1800, Hist nat Poiss 2 :190 (Type species: Gymnotus notopterus Pallas, by absolute tautonomy); Roberts, 1992, Ichthyol Explor. Freshwaters, 2(4): 361-383 (revision), Talwar and Jhingran, 1991, Inland Fishes 1: 62, Jayaram, 1999, FW Fishes of the Indian Region: 20, Menon, 1999, Rec Zool Surv India Occ Paper No. 175: 9.

Notopterus Lacepede, 1800, Hist nat Poiss 2 :190 (Type species: Gymnotus notopterus Pallas, by absolute tautonomy); Roberts, 1992, Ichthyol Explor. Freshwaters, 2(4): 361-383 (revision), Talwar and Jhingran, 1991, Inland Fishes 1: 62, Jayaram, 1999, FW Fishes of the Indian Region: 20, Menon, 1999, Rec Zool Surv India Occ Paper No. 175: 9.

Notopterus Lacepede, 1800, Hist nat Poiss 2 :190 (Type species: Gymnotus notopterus Pallas, by absolute tautonomy); Roberts, 1992, Ichthyol Explor. Freshwaters, 2(4): 361-383 (revision), Talwar and Jhingran, 1991, Inland Fishes 1: 62, Jayaram, 1999, FW Fishes of the Indian Region: 20, Menon, 1999, Rec Zool Surv India Occ Paper No. 175: 9.

Notopterus Lacepede, 1800, Hist nat Poiss 2 :190 (Type species: Gymnotus notopterus Pallas, by absolute tautonomy); Roberts, 1992, Ichthyol Explor. Freshwaters, 2(4): 361-383 (revision), Talwar and Jhingran, 1991, Inland Fishes 1: 62, Jayaram, 1999, FW Fishes of the Indian Region: 20, Menon, 1999, Rec Zool Surv India Occ Paper No. 175: 9.

Notopterus Lacepede, 1800, Hist nat Poiss 2 :190 (Type species: Gymnotus notopterus Pallas, by absolute tautonomy); Roberts, 1992, Ichthyol Explor. Freshwaters, 2(4): 361-383 (revision), Talwar and Jhingran, 1991, Inland Fishes 1: 62, Jayaram, 1999, FW Fishes of the Indian Region: 20, Menon, 1999, Rec Zool Surv India Occ Paper No. 175: 9.

Notopterus Lacepede, 1800, Hist nat Poiss 2 :190 (Type species: Gymnotus notopterus Pallas, by absolute tautonomy); Roberts, 1992, Ichthyol Explor. Freshwaters, 2(4): 361-383 (revision), Talwar and Jhingran, 1991, Inland Fishes 1: 62, Jayaram, 1999, FW Fishes of the Indian Region: 20, Menon, 1999, Rec Zool Surv India Occ Paper No. 175: 9.

Notopterus Lacepede, 1800, Hist nat Poiss 2 :190 (Type species: Gymnotus notopterus Pallas, by absolute tautonomy); Roberts, 1992, Ichthyol Explor. Freshwaters, 2(4): 361-383 (revision), Talwar and Jhingran, 1991, Inland Fishes 1: 62, Jayaram, 1999, FW Fishes of the Indian Region: 20, Menon, 1999, Rec Zool Surv India Occ Paper No. 175: 9.

Notopterus Lacepede, 1800, Hist nat Poiss 2 :190 (Type species: Gymnotus notopterus Pallas, by absolute tautonomy); Roberts, 1992, Ichthyol Explor. Freshwaters, 2(4): 361-383 (revision), Talwar and Jhingran, 1991, Inland Fishes 1: 62, Jayaram, 1999, FW Fishes of the Indian Region: 20, Menon, 1999, Rec Zool Surv India Occ Paper No. 175: 9.

Conclusion

Invasive species have a significant impact on the distribution, abundance, and composition of native species groups. When considering the Pacific oyster (M. gigas) as an autogenic ecosystem engineer, there is an ongoing debate about its effects on biodiversity, with theoretical predictions suggesting both decreases and increases [38], and references therein. This controversy is particularly important in soft-bottom habitats, where M. gigas promotes spatial heterogeneity and complexity by creating reef structures through larval settlement and shell attachment [44].

The overall impact of M. gigas ecosystem engineering is influenced by various factors and interactions. It can facilitate primary producers [43,45], displace native species due to reef structures [46,47], promote further invasions [48,49], and increase sedimentation rates, potentially obstructing coastal areas [46,50]. Additionally, M. gigas can provide new habitat for cryptogenic fish species [38].

The introduction of Magallana gigas, which competes with existing habitat structures such as Spartina, may affect the availability of important refuge and foraging resources for estuarine fishes, while increasing habitat complexity [51,52]. Further studies are necessary to understand the impacts and modifications occurring within communities and their habitats.

This knowledge will enable the prediction of new dynamics and the improvement of management strategies, especially considering that many species inhabiting these habitats may be negatively affected. The loss of stability in saltmarshes, crucial for coastal defense, nurseries, and carbon storage, is a potential consequence that should be taken into account [53,54].

Acknowledgment

We thank the authorities of the university of Río Negro for support all authors. LMM is supported by UNRN and CONICET, but this research was carried out with LMM personal financing.

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