264
Several workers have depicted the taxonomic diversity of fish species in the
aquatic subsystem of mangrove dominated Indian Sundarbans deltaic complex.
Pillay (1967) estimated the species number to be more than 120. Jhingran (1982)
documented a total of 172 species and stated that the diversity is comparatively
more in the high saline zone of Indian Sundarbans. His estimate reveals 73 species
of fresh water origin and 99 species of marine/higher salinity origin. Mandal and
Nandi (1989) documented 141 species under 100 genera, while Chaudhuri and
Choudhury (1994) recorded 250 species under 96 genera in the aquatic sub-system
of Indian Sundarbans. Khan (2003) recorded 107 species from Sundarban Biosphere
Reserve region, but this figure does not include the species restricted in the low
saline upper zone of the Hooghly-Matla estuarine complex. The fish fauna of the
estuarine waters around Sundarbans has been classified into residents and transients
(migrants). The species whose individuals of different sizes are present during all
the months of the year in any zone of the estuary are referred to as resident species.
The important resident species of fish are Mugil parsia, Mugil tade, Polynemus
paradiseus, Polydactylus indicus, Otolithoides biauritus, Lates calcarifer, Hilsa
toli, Arius jella, Harpodon nehereus, Setipinna taty, Ilisha elongata, Setipinna
phasa, Coilia ramcarati, Pama pama and Sillaginopsis panijus. The transient or
migratory fishes enter and stay in the Bay of Bengal associated estuaries for a short
period. Depending on their migratory pattern and direction, the migrants may be
divided into three categories (Jhingran 1982).
(1) Marine forms that migrate upstream and spawn in freshwater areas of the
estuary like Tenualosa ilisha, Polynemus paradiseus, Sillaginopsis panijus and
Pama pama. (2) Freshwater species, which spawn in saline area of the estuary like
Pangasius pangasius (3) Marine species, that spawns in less saline water of the
estuary like Arius jella, Osteogeneious militaris and Polydactylus indicus.
An updated checklist of fishes available in the mangrove creeks, estuaries and
bays are listed here.
A Checklist of Sundarban Fish (Both Chondrichthyes
and Osteichthyes) in Brackish Water and Fresh Water Ponds
Order: Carcharhiniformes (Ground Sharks)
Family: Carcharhinidae (Requiem sharks)
White cheek shark Carcharhinus dussumieri
Bull shark Carcharhinus leucas
Black tip shark Carcharhinus limbatus
Black tip reef shark Carcharhinus melanopterus
Tiger shark Galeocerdo cuvier
Ganges shark Glyphis gangeticus
Milk shark Rhizoprionodon acutus
8 Mangroves: A Reservoir of Biodiversity
Several workers have depicted the taxonomic diversity of fish species in the
aquatic subsystem of mangrove dominated Indian Sundarbans deltaic complex.
Pillay (1967) estimated the species number to be more than 120. Jhingran (1982)
documented a total of 172 species and stated that the diversity is comparatively
more in the high saline zone of Indian Sundarbans. His estimate reveals 73 species
of fresh water origin and 99 species of marine/higher salinity origin. Mandal and
Nandi (1989) documented 141 species under 100 genera, while Chaudhuri and
Choudhury (1994) recorded 250 species under 96 genera in the aquatic sub-system
of Indian Sundarbans. Khan (2003) recorded 107 species from Sundarban Biosphere
Reserve region, but this figure does not include the species restricted in the low
saline upper zone of the Hooghly-Matla estuarine complex. The fish fauna of the
estuarine waters around Sundarbans has been classified into residents and transients
(migrants). The species whose individuals of different sizes are present during all
the months of the year in any zone of the estuary are referred to as resident species.
The important resident species of fish are Mugil parsia, Mugil tade, Polynemus
paradiseus, Polydactylus indicus, Otolithoides biauritus, Lates calcarifer, Hilsa
toli, Arius jella, Harpodon nehereus, Setipinna taty, Ilisha elongata, Setipinna
phasa, Coilia ramcarati, Pama pama and Sillaginopsis panijus. The transient or
migratory fishes enter and stay in the Bay of Bengal associated estuaries for a short
period. Depending on their migratory pattern and direction, the migrants may be
divided into three categories (Jhingran 1982).
(1) Marine forms that migrate upstream and spawn in freshwater areas of the
estuary like Tenualosa ilisha, Polynemus paradiseus, Sillaginopsis panijus and
Pama pama. (2) Freshwater species, which spawn in saline area of the estuary like
Pangasius pangasius (3) Marine species, that spawns in less saline water of the
estuary like Arius jella, Osteogeneious militaris and Polydactylus indicus.
An updated checklist of fishes available in the mangrove creeks, estuaries and
bays are listed here.
A Checklist of Sundarban Fish (Both Chondrichthyes
and Osteichthyes) in Brackish Water and Fresh Water Ponds
Order: Carcharhiniformes (Ground Sharks)
Family: Carcharhinidae (Requiem sharks)
White cheek shark Carcharhinus dussumieri
Bull shark Carcharhinus leucas
Black tip shark Carcharhinus limbatus
Black tip reef shark Carcharhinus melanopterus
Tiger shark Galeocerdo cuvier
Ganges shark Glyphis gangeticus
Milk shark Rhizoprionodon acutus
8 Mangroves: A Reservoir of Biodiversity