237
marine origin had been further classifi ed as ‘peripheral’ FW forms by Nichols ( 1928 ) and Darlington
( 1957 ) which has also been accepted by many recent
fi sh geographers. Incidentally, the ichthyofauna of
the Indian region, by and large, have been found to
belong to the following categories (Kar 1990 ):
(A) Primary FW fi sh
Genera-wise break-up of the species under this
group includes Notopterus, Chitala, Labeo,
Cirrhinus, Catla, Cyprinus, Puntius, Rasbora,
Aspidoparia, Amblypharyngodon, Barilius,
Danio, Esomus, Salmophasia, Botia, Lepidocephalichthys, Nemacheilus, Somileptus, Rita,
Mystus, Wallago, Ompok, Ailia, Eutropiichthys,
Clupisoma, Silonia, Pangasius, Gagata,
Glyptothorax, Clarias, Heteropneustes, Chaca,
Badis, Nandus, Anabas, Trichogaster, Mastacembelus, Macrognathus and Tetraodon.
(B) Peripheral FW fi sh
Genera-wise break-up under this group
includes Gudusia, Hilsa (Tenualosa), Pisodonophis, Chanda, Xenentodon, Aplocheilus,
Amphipnous (Monopterus), Sicamugil,
Rhinomugil and Glossogobius.
(a) Widely distributed species
Genera-wise break-up under this group
include Esomus, Puntius, Rasbora,
Ompok, Wallago, Clarias, Xenentodon,
Channa, Glossogobius, Anabas, Macrognathus and Mastacembelus . Incidentally,
these ichthyogenera occur in many parts
of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka,
Malaya, etc.
(b) Species of northern India
Species under this group include
Bengala elanga, Botia dario, Lepidocephalichthys
guntea,
Glyptothorax
telchitta, Parambassis baculis, Rhinomugil corsula, Sicamugil cascasia and
Tetraodon cutcutia.
In addition to the foregoing analyses, ecomorphologically (Dey 1973 ), the fi shes of
this region could further be categorised
into four distinct groups which are as
follows:
(a) True hill stream or rheophilic forms
Fishes with strong body musculature
and adapted to torrential abode, e.g.
Garra, Psilorhynchus, Balitora and
Glyptothorax
(b) Semi-torrential forms
Fishes with less body modifi cations as compared to rheophilic
forms, e.g. Botia, Lepidocephalichthys,
Nemacheilus, Schistura, Somileptus
and Gagata
(c) Migratory forms
Well-built fi sh having the power of
overcoming adverse ecological conditions, Hilsa (Tenualosa), Barilius,
Channa, Badis, etc.
(d) Plain water forms
Fishes having minimum body modifi cations and insignifi cant migratory
habit: Pisodonophis, Gudusia, Notopterus, Chitala, Amblypharyn godon,
Aspidoparia, Catla, Cirrhinus,
Cyprinus, Danio, Esomus, Labeo,
Puntius, Rasbora, Salmophasia,
Mystus, Sperata, Ompok, Wallago,
Rita, Clupisoma, Eutropiichthys,
Silonia,
Pangasius,
Clarias,
Heteropneustes, Chaca, Xenentodon,
Aplocheilus, Amphipnous, Chanda,
Nandus, Sicamugil, Rhinomugil,
Anabas, Trichogaster, Glossogobius,
Macrognathus, Mastacembelus and
Tetraodon
In addition to the above, on the basis of Indian
and Extra-Indian fi sh distribution (Motwani
et al. 1962 ), the following ichthyospecies of this
region could signifi cantly be incorporated under
the following two groups:
15.5.5 Wetland Fish Diversity
Exemplifi ed in Some Asian
Wetlands
15.5.5.1 Fish Diversity in Sone Beel
of Assam
Seventy species of fi shes belonging to 49 genera
under 24 families and 11 orders have been
recorded in Sone Beel, the biggest wetland in
Assam. For details of fi shes of Sone Beel, the
reader may refer to Chap. 20 .
15.5 Wetland Fishes
marine origin had been further classifi ed as ‘peripheral’ FW forms by Nichols ( 1928 ) and Darlington
( 1957 ) which has also been accepted by many recent
fi sh geographers. Incidentally, the ichthyofauna of
the Indian region, by and large, have been found to
belong to the following categories (Kar 1990 ):
(A) Primary FW fi sh
Genera-wise break-up of the species under this
group includes Notopterus, Chitala, Labeo,
Cirrhinus, Catla, Cyprinus, Puntius, Rasbora,
Aspidoparia, Amblypharyngodon, Barilius,
Danio, Esomus, Salmophasia, Botia, Lepidocephalichthys, Nemacheilus, Somileptus, Rita,
Mystus, Wallago, Ompok, Ailia, Eutropiichthys,
Clupisoma, Silonia, Pangasius, Gagata,
Glyptothorax, Clarias, Heteropneustes, Chaca,
Badis, Nandus, Anabas, Trichogaster, Mastacembelus, Macrognathus and Tetraodon.
(B) Peripheral FW fi sh
Genera-wise break-up under this group
includes Gudusia, Hilsa (Tenualosa), Pisodonophis, Chanda, Xenentodon, Aplocheilus,
Amphipnous (Monopterus), Sicamugil,
Rhinomugil and Glossogobius.
(a) Widely distributed species
Genera-wise break-up under this group
include Esomus, Puntius, Rasbora,
Ompok, Wallago, Clarias, Xenentodon,
Channa, Glossogobius, Anabas, Macrognathus and Mastacembelus . Incidentally,
these ichthyogenera occur in many parts
of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka,
Malaya, etc.
(b) Species of northern India
Species under this group include
Bengala elanga, Botia dario, Lepidocephalichthys
guntea,
Glyptothorax
telchitta, Parambassis baculis, Rhinomugil corsula, Sicamugil cascasia and
Tetraodon cutcutia.
In addition to the foregoing analyses, ecomorphologically (Dey 1973 ), the fi shes of
this region could further be categorised
into four distinct groups which are as
follows:
(a) True hill stream or rheophilic forms
Fishes with strong body musculature
and adapted to torrential abode, e.g.
Garra, Psilorhynchus, Balitora and
Glyptothorax
(b) Semi-torrential forms
Fishes with less body modifi cations as compared to rheophilic
forms, e.g. Botia, Lepidocephalichthys,
Nemacheilus, Schistura, Somileptus
and Gagata
(c) Migratory forms
Well-built fi sh having the power of
overcoming adverse ecological conditions, Hilsa (Tenualosa), Barilius,
Channa, Badis, etc.
(d) Plain water forms
Fishes having minimum body modifi cations and insignifi cant migratory
habit: Pisodonophis, Gudusia, Notopterus, Chitala, Amblypharyn godon,
Aspidoparia, Catla, Cirrhinus,
Cyprinus, Danio, Esomus, Labeo,
Puntius, Rasbora, Salmophasia,
Mystus, Sperata, Ompok, Wallago,
Rita, Clupisoma, Eutropiichthys,
Silonia,
Pangasius,
Clarias,
Heteropneustes, Chaca, Xenentodon,
Aplocheilus, Amphipnous, Chanda,
Nandus, Sicamugil, Rhinomugil,
Anabas, Trichogaster, Glossogobius,
Macrognathus, Mastacembelus and
Tetraodon
In addition to the above, on the basis of Indian
and Extra-Indian fi sh distribution (Motwani
et al. 1962 ), the following ichthyospecies of this
region could signifi cantly be incorporated under
the following two groups:
15.5.5 Wetland Fish Diversity
Exemplifi ed in Some Asian
Wetlands
15.5.5.1 Fish Diversity in Sone Beel
of Assam
Seventy species of fi shes belonging to 49 genera
under 24 families and 11 orders have been
recorded in Sone Beel, the biggest wetland in
Assam. For details of fi shes of Sone Beel, the
reader may refer to Chap. 20 .
15.5 Wetland Fishes