239
yla, (7) Xenentodon cancila, (8) Neolissochilus
hexagonolepis, (9) Barilius dogarsinghi, (10)
Barilius barila, (11) Barilius bendelisis, (12)
Osteobrama cotio, (13) Erethistes pusillus.
In the Lumding area , the fi shes have been collected mostly from small semi-torrential streams.
Eleven species of fi shes belonging to ten genera,
fi ve families and three orders are listed below:
(1) Osteobrama cotio, (2) Mystus vittatus, (3)
Glossogobius giuris, (4) Oreochromis mossambicus, (5) Puntius conchonius, (6) Tor sp. , (7)
Danio naganensis, (8) Barilius barila, (9)
Barilius evezardi, (10) Cirrhinus mrigala, (11)
Nemacheilus corica.
15.5.5.7 List of Principal Fishes
in Tumdil of Mizoram
The principal fi sh fauna found in Tumdil Lake in
Mizoram are the following as revealed from a
pilot survey conducted during 1997 (Kar 1998 ):
(1) Cirrhinus reba, (2) Puntius conchonius,
(3) Danio sp. , (4) Aplocheilus panchax
15.5.5.8 Fish Diversity in Kurti Beel
of Tripura
Forty-two species of fi shes have been recorded in
Kurti Beel of Tripura (Kar 1998 ; Kar et al.
2000b ).
15.5.6 FW Fauna of Australian
and New Zealand (NZ) Lakes
Australia and NZ have been islands, separated
from the other continents, for such a long time
that they have a very distinctive fauna. Many of
the animals found in their lakes are quite different from those found elsewhere. All the major
groups are represented, but many of the species
or genera which are widespread in other parts of
the world are missing and replaced by species
found only in Australia and NZ. There is a good
example amongst the calanoids and copepods;
the common genus Diaptomus does not occur
and its place is taken by species of Boeckella,
which are found in many Australian lakes and
also those of southern South America, including
Lake Titicaca.
The native fi sh fauna of Australia has very few
species as compared to other parts of the world.
About 180 species of FW fi shes have been so far
distinguished compared with, for example , about
2,000 found in Africa. However, many of the species found in Australia are endemic. A lot of
them are intimately related to marine groups.
Northern hemisphere does not contain members
of the family Galaxiidae (southern trout). Only a
few species are known from Australia, NZ, the
southern tips of South Africa and South America
plus a few of the Pacifi c islands.
In the Australian waters, at least 25 species of
fi sh have been introduced. Many of them have
successfully reproduced and established their
population. Such fi shes include many of the common European coarse and salmonid fi sh like the
trouts, roach and perch as well as warm water
species, such as mosquito fi sh ( Gambusia ) and
cichlids, e.g . Tilapia mariae.
15.5.6.1 A Brief Account
of Air- Breathing Fish
Most of the fi shes obtain oxygen by passing a
current of water over their gills which are richly
vascularised. In the gills, the blood vessels come
very close to the surface and the blood takes up
oxygen from the water and then carries it round
the body. The surface of the gills is very thin and
is fi nely divided to increase the total area. Unless
the gills are supported by water, they collapse and
cannot function properly. So, alternative means
must be available, if breathing is to continue in
air. As such, many fi sh have developed mechanisms to inhale air as adaptation to living in
waters with low oxygen content. It may be noted
here that air breathing might have evolved, not as
the pinnacle of the evolution of fi sh, but in some
of the primitive groups of fi sh known. The lungfi shes are good examples with regard to the fact
that species found in Africa, South America and
Australia today are very much similar to their
fossil brethren of the Devonian period (about
300 million years ago).
Notwithstanding the above, catfi sh of the
genus Clarias is also adapted to water with low
oxygen content because of the presence of an
arborescent organ (gill tree) as accessory respiratory
15.5 Wetland Fishes
yla, (7) Xenentodon cancila, (8) Neolissochilus
hexagonolepis, (9) Barilius dogarsinghi, (10)
Barilius barila, (11) Barilius bendelisis, (12)
Osteobrama cotio, (13) Erethistes pusillus.
In the Lumding area , the fi shes have been collected mostly from small semi-torrential streams.
Eleven species of fi shes belonging to ten genera,
fi ve families and three orders are listed below:
(1) Osteobrama cotio, (2) Mystus vittatus, (3)
Glossogobius giuris, (4) Oreochromis mossambicus, (5) Puntius conchonius, (6) Tor sp. , (7)
Danio naganensis, (8) Barilius barila, (9)
Barilius evezardi, (10) Cirrhinus mrigala, (11)
Nemacheilus corica.
15.5.5.7 List of Principal Fishes
in Tumdil of Mizoram
The principal fi sh fauna found in Tumdil Lake in
Mizoram are the following as revealed from a
pilot survey conducted during 1997 (Kar 1998 ):
(1) Cirrhinus reba, (2) Puntius conchonius,
(3) Danio sp. , (4) Aplocheilus panchax
15.5.5.8 Fish Diversity in Kurti Beel
of Tripura
Forty-two species of fi shes have been recorded in
Kurti Beel of Tripura (Kar 1998 ; Kar et al.
2000b ).
15.5.6 FW Fauna of Australian
and New Zealand (NZ) Lakes
Australia and NZ have been islands, separated
from the other continents, for such a long time
that they have a very distinctive fauna. Many of
the animals found in their lakes are quite different from those found elsewhere. All the major
groups are represented, but many of the species
or genera which are widespread in other parts of
the world are missing and replaced by species
found only in Australia and NZ. There is a good
example amongst the calanoids and copepods;
the common genus Diaptomus does not occur
and its place is taken by species of Boeckella,
which are found in many Australian lakes and
also those of southern South America, including
Lake Titicaca.
The native fi sh fauna of Australia has very few
species as compared to other parts of the world.
About 180 species of FW fi shes have been so far
distinguished compared with, for example , about
2,000 found in Africa. However, many of the species found in Australia are endemic. A lot of
them are intimately related to marine groups.
Northern hemisphere does not contain members
of the family Galaxiidae (southern trout). Only a
few species are known from Australia, NZ, the
southern tips of South Africa and South America
plus a few of the Pacifi c islands.
In the Australian waters, at least 25 species of
fi sh have been introduced. Many of them have
successfully reproduced and established their
population. Such fi shes include many of the common European coarse and salmonid fi sh like the
trouts, roach and perch as well as warm water
species, such as mosquito fi sh ( Gambusia ) and
cichlids, e.g . Tilapia mariae.
15.5.6.1 A Brief Account
of Air- Breathing Fish
Most of the fi shes obtain oxygen by passing a
current of water over their gills which are richly
vascularised. In the gills, the blood vessels come
very close to the surface and the blood takes up
oxygen from the water and then carries it round
the body. The surface of the gills is very thin and
is fi nely divided to increase the total area. Unless
the gills are supported by water, they collapse and
cannot function properly. So, alternative means
must be available, if breathing is to continue in
air. As such, many fi sh have developed mechanisms to inhale air as adaptation to living in
waters with low oxygen content. It may be noted
here that air breathing might have evolved, not as
the pinnacle of the evolution of fi sh, but in some
of the primitive groups of fi sh known. The lungfi shes are good examples with regard to the fact
that species found in Africa, South America and
Australia today are very much similar to their
fossil brethren of the Devonian period (about
300 million years ago).
Notwithstanding the above, catfi sh of the
genus Clarias is also adapted to water with low
oxygen content because of the presence of an
arborescent organ (gill tree) as accessory respiratory
15.5 Wetland Fishes