Int. J. Environ. Res., 2(3): 255-260, Summer 2008ISSN: 1735-6865

255

*Corresponding author: Email- lsnjbhakta@rediffmail.com

Received 10 Sep. 2007; Revised 25 Dec. 2007; Accepted 15 Jan. 2008

Fish Diversity in Freshwater Perennial Water Bodies in EastMidnapore District of West Bengal, India

Bhakta, J. N.* and Bandyopadhyay, P. K.

Parasitology Laboratory, Department of Zoology, University of Kalyani, Kalyani-741 235West Bengal, India

ABSTRACT: Present survey synthesized information on fish biodiversity in the perennial freshwaterbody of Ramnagar, East Midnapore district of West Bengal, India. We documented 45 fish speciesunder 29 genera, 18 families and 8 orders during the periods from1990 to 1995, whereas, 34 species from21 genera and 12 families under 7 orders were recorded presently from freshwater body of differentperennial pond. This present database of ichthyofauna clearly indicated that 11 fish species, 8 genera,6 families and 1 order have lost from this investigated area. Basically, this agricultural based areaassociated with profuse application of various chemicals, poisons and drugs in agricultural field thatlargely pollute perennial water body and ultimately exerting growing pressure on living aquatic resourcesand driven significant fish biodiversity decline. However, over fishing, chemicals, agricultural runoffand other forms of pollution are most important factors which should be restricted for the conservationof freshwater fish biodiversity. Therefore, it may be concluded that preparation of zone wise databaseof these information and their implementation through Government and various Non-GovernmentOrganizations would be the key tools for conservation of freshwater fish biodiversity.

Key words: Biodiversity, Fish, Freshwater, East Midnapore district of West Bengal

INTRODUCTIONIndia is endowed with vast freshwater

consisting 45,000 Km. of rivers, 26,334 Km. ofcanals, ponds and tanks 2.36 million hectares and2.05 million hectares of reservoirs, which presentlike harbor a rich and diversified fish faunacharacterized by many rare and endemic fishspecies. About 21,730 species of fishes have beenrecorded in the world; of which, about 11.7% arefound in Indian waters. Out of the 2546 speciesso far listed, 73 (3.32%) belong to the coldfreshwater regime, 544 (24.73%) to the warmfreshwater domain, 143 (6.50%) to the brackishwater and 1440 (65.45%) to the marineecosystem. The freshwaters of India have beenviewed from a single perspective: that of economicproduction. They are to be sources of irrigation orurban-industrial water supply or of hydro power;they are to receive sewage and industrial waste;they may produce edible fish. In this strictly

utilitarian framework, there is no space toconserve the rich heritage of freshwaterichthyofauna diversity of the country. Due toirrational fishing practices, environmentalaberrations like reduction in water volume,increased sedimentation, water abstraction, andpollution over the years this diversity is on a declineand few species have been lost from thefreshwater ecosystem of India and some arebelonging under endemic, endangered andthreatened category. A recent series of reviews(Dudgeon, 1999, 2000a, b, c, d, 2002a, b) hasunderscored the alarming condition of the region’srivers, which has been apparent for over a decade(Dudgeon, 1992). Their waters are grosslypolluted, and dams and impoundments influencetheir natural discharge to such an extent that thelower Ganges and the Indus virtually cease to flowduring the dry season (Postel and Richter, 2003).In the present context, freshwater fish biodiversity

256

Bhakta, J. N. et al.

loss is an alarming threat and its conservation isonly the solution of the problem. Though, WestBengal comprises diversified ichthyofauna invarious habitats but freshwater fishes are a poorlystudied group. There is no proper documentationsince information regarding distribution, populationdynamics and threats is incomplete, and most ofthe information available is from a few well-studiedlocations only. Therefore, it is important to preparea zone wise database for listing the fish diversity inour country. Moreover, a data base on fishbiodiversity is also essential as a decision makingtool for conservation and management of fishgermplasm, protection and preservation ofendangered species and mitigation of anthropogenicactivities so as to fulfill India’s obligations underconventions on biological diversity with specialreference to Articles 6 and 8 of UNEP (1992). Inthe present paper an attempt is made to prepare aconsolidated list of freshwater fish species, todetermine the cause of fish diversity loss and tosuggest a various management plans relevant tothe conservation of fish diversity of this perennialfreshwater body.

MATERIALS & METHODSTen perennial ponds located in the Ramnagar,

East Midnapore (Latitude 21.8°N and Longitude87.8°E), West Bengal, India was selected for presentsurvey (Fig. 1).

Freshwater fish species inhabiting the perennialponds were collected to study the qualitativeabundance. The specimens were collected usingvarious types of fishing methods such as cast nets(16 mm, 18 mm, 22 mm), gill nets (32 mm, 38 mm,64 mm, 78 mm, 110 mm), drag nets (4 mm, 15 x 3meters), scoop nets and other local contrivances.Collected fish samples were preserved in 8%formalin for detailed examination and identificationwith the help of literature (Talwar and Jhingran,1991; Sen, 1992; Jayaram, 1981, 1999). Extensivesurvey was also performed to collect the fishabundance data of previous year from 1990 to 1995from local persons of the selected area.

Water samples were collected from ten pondsand examined for water pH and dissolved oxygenlevels using specific electrode and probe of aMultiline System (F/SET-3, Best-Nr. 400327, WTWWissenschaftlich-technische Werkstatten 82362Weilheim, Germany), respectively. Theconcentration of ammonium-N, orthophosphate andhardness of water sample were analyzed followingthe standard methods described by APHA (1995).Water and sediment samples were collected fromten ponds and examined to identify the abundanceof food (Plankton, Benthos and aquatic vegetationetc.) available for fish in the pond.

RESULTS & DISSCUSIONIn the period from 1990 to 1995, the forty-four

fish species under 29 genera, 18 families and 8orders were recorded, whereas, thirty-four speciesfrom 21 genera and 12 families under 7 orders werepresently collected and identified from freshwaterbody of different perennial pond of Ramnagar, EastMidnapore. Maximum number of species (13 – 16)was found under the order Cypriniformes, whereasorder Symbranchiformes comprised minimumnumber (1) among eight orders. The Scientific,common and local name of the species, togetherwith their systematic position, commercial value andavailability were described in Table 1.

This showed that about 10 fish species wereornamental, whereas left over 35 species were foodfish and both groups of fishes have potentcommercial value. Of the 45 recorded fish species,7 were belonging to exotic fish and remaining fishspecies were indigenous group. Among all specieslisted in the Table 1, 5 were belonging under Indianmajor carp and 8 were recorded as jeol fish category.

Fig.1. The location of East Midnapore district in thestate of west Bengal, India

Bangladesh

India

Bay of Bengal(a)

(b)

West Bengal

East Midnapore district

Ramnagar

Int. J. Environ. Res., 2(3): 255-260, Summer 2008

257

The foods available to fishes in the ponds werepopulated with planktonic and benthic communitiesconsisting of plants and animals.Thephytoplanktonic communities were usuallyrepresented by major groups of algae, like greenalgae, blue-green algae, desmids, diatoms.Eudorino, Ulothrix, Volvox, Chlorococcum,Pediastrum, Oocystis, Tetrallantos, Sceredesmus,Coelastrum, Oedogonium, Cladophora ,Spirogyra , Microcys t i s , Aphanothece,Merismopedia, Dactylococcopsis, Spirulina,Oscillatoria, Lynabya, Symploca, Nostoc,Aradaera and Raphidiopsis are the majorknowngenera of phytoplankton. Protozoans,rotifers, cladocerans, copepods, and ostracodswere represented as zooplanktonic communitiesfound in ponds. Various animal larvae, worms andsome immature stages of fishes are also found asoccasional plankton. Zooplanktonic organisms like- Cyclops, Cypris, Daphnia, Diaptomus,Microcyclops, Stenocypris, Cyclestheria,Pleuretra, Anuraeossia, Brachionus, Platyias,Keratella, Euchlanis, Dipleuchlanis,Triplechilanis, Macrochaetus, Mytilina,Epiphane, Diplois, and Monostyla, Chironomidsare major genera.The benthic food communitiesavailable to fish are small water insects, variousworms, nematodes etc. Aquatic vContd. Table 1egetation are also available to some fishes as a foodlike- Lemna, Pistia, Trapa, Chlorelle, Valisneria,Azolla, Anabaena, Eichonea, Najas, Hydrilla andWolfia. The water pH ranged from 6.8 to 8.2 in tenponds. Concentration of dissolved oxygen andhardness of water varied between 6 to 12.3 mg/Land 92 to 206 mg/L during the period of investigation,respectively. The value of ammonium-N andorthophosphate concentration ranged from 0.065to 0.296 mg/L and 0.052 to 0.130 mg/L, respectivelyin different ponds.Present extensive surveyallowed to gather data and essentially to developthe concepts of the number of previous (from 1990to 1995) and present fish species inhabiting theperennial freshwater body of the area. Collecteddata demonstrated that 45 species from 29 generaand 18 families were found fewer than 8 ordersduring the period from 1990 – 1995 year, whereas34 species from 21 genera and 12 families fewerthan7 orders are recorded presently (Table 1). Thepresent database of ichthyofauna clearly indicatedthat 11 fish species, 8 genera, 6 families and 1 orderhave lost from the investigated area during this

period (Fig. 2). This 11 species of fish that havemost possibly become locally are primarilylargepopulation size of fishes having high consumptionvalue and subjected to heavyharvesting and affectedby various anthropogenic activities such as: unethicalover fishing, using of chemicals and poisons,dynamiting and habitat destruction of naturalspawning and breeding grounds of the fishes.Human activity is causing the extinction of animal,plant and microbial species at rates that are athousand times greater than those which would haveoccurred naturally (Wilson, l988). Basically, thisagricultural based study area associated withprofuse application of various chemicals, poisonsand drugs as fertilizer, pesticides, insecticides,herbicides and antibacterial agents in agriculturalfield that largely pollute perennial water body andultimately exerting growing pressure on living aquaticresources (like: planktonic, benthic and vegetativefood of fish) present in the different niches of aquaticecosystem and driven significant biodiversity declineor loss through bioaccumulation andbiomagnifications of pollutants.Despiteenvironmental damage caused by losing theecosystem balance, the fish yield has also beendrastically decline due to losing a number ofcommercially important fish species from this zone.Pimbert (1993) acknowledges that most of thespecies important for the maintenance of ecologicalprocesses are located in human-managedecosystems such as agricultural and forestry land.

CONCLUSIONOn the whole, taking into account, fish

biodiversity conservation represents another majorenvironmental challenge at the global level, and willcontinue under threat if there is no strenuous policyaction to curb human activity. Few importantmanagement plans have been considered from thestudy for the conservation of fish biodiversity in thefreshwater body which should be inserted into thefishery policies of the Government, such as,identification and listing of threatened andendangered fish species of freshwater body,determination of population size and distribution, findout the breeding behavior of threatened fish specieswhich is essential for both ex situ and in situconservation of the species, development oftechniques of captive breeding and bloodstockmaintenance of fishes of potential economicimportance.

Fish Diversity in Freshwater Perennial

Tabl

e 1. L

ist o

f fish

spec

ies r

epor

ted

from

the p

eren

nial

pon

ds o

f Ram

naga

r, E

ast M

idna

pore

Dist

rict

of W

est B

enga

l, In

dia A

vaila

bilit

y SL

. N

o.

Scie

ntifi

c na

me

Com

mon

nam

e L

ocal

nam

e Sy

stem

atic

pos

ition

C

ateg

ory

19

90 -

1995

20

06

A) O

rd.:

Ost

eogl

ossi

form

es

1.

Not

opte

rus c

hita

la

Chi

tal

Chi

tal

Fam

. - N

otop

terid

ae

N &

F*

+ -

2.

Not

opte

rus n

otop

teru

s Fa

lui

Fali

Fam

. - N

otop

terid

ae

N&

F*

+ +

B) O

rd.:

Cyp

rini

form

es

3.

Ambl

ypha

ryng

odon

mol

a M

oral

a C

huna

Fa

m. -

Cyp

rinid

ae

N,O

& F

***

+ +

4.

Cat

la c

atla

C

atla

K

atla

Fa

m. -

Cyp

rinid

ae

N&

F**

+

+ 5.

C

irrh

ina

mri

gala

M

rigal

M

rigel

Fa

m. -

Cyp

rinid

ae

N&

F**

+

+ 6.

C

teno

phar

yngo

don

idel

la

Gra

ss c

arp

Gra

ss c

arp

/Ghe

so ru

i Fa

m. -

Cyp

rinid

ae

E& F

**

+ +

7.

Cyp

rinu

s car

pio

Com

mon

car

p /C

yprin

us

Am

eric

an ru

i /C

yprin

us

Fam

. - C

yprin

idae

E&

F**

+

+

8.

Esom

us d

anri

cus

Dad

hikh

a /D

anrik

a Th

adia

Fa

m. -

Cyp

rinid

ae

N,O

& F

***

+ -

9.

Hyp

opth

alm

icth

ys m

olitr

ix

Silv

er c

arp

Silv

er c

arp

Fam

. - C

yprin

idae

E

& F

**

+ +

10.

Hyp

opth

alm

icth

ys n

obili

s B

ighe

ad c

arp

Big

head

car

p Fa

m. -

Cyp

rinid

ae

E &

F**

+

+ 11

. La

beo

bata

B

ata

Bat

a Fa

m. -

Cyp

rinid

ae

N &

F**

+

+ 12

. La

beo

Cal

basu

C

alba

su

Cal

baus

h Fa

m. -

Cyp

rinid

ae

N &

F**

* +

- 13

. La

beo

rohi

ta

Roh

u R

uhi

Fam

. - C

yprin

idae

N

& F

**

+ +

14.

Punt

ius c

hola

Pu

nti

Ker

rund

i Fa

m. -

Cyp

rinid

ae

N O

& F

**

+ +

15.

Punt

ius s

aran

a Pu

nti

Swar

na p

unti

Fam

. - C

yprin

idae

N

& F

**

+ +

16.

Punt

ius t

icto

Pu

nti

Tita

pun

ti Fa

m. -

Cyp

rinid

ae

N, O

& F

**

+ +

17.

Rasb

ora

dani

coni

us

Mor

ala

Mou

rala

Fa

m. -

Cyp

rinid

ae

N, O

& F

***

+ +

18.

Salm

osto

ma

sard

inel

la

Che

la

Jhol

a Fa

m. -

Cyp

rinid

ae

N &

F*

+ -

C)

Ord

.: Si

luri

form

es

19.

Cla

rius

bat

rach

us

Mag

ur

Mag

ur

Fam

. - C

larii

dae

N &

F**

* +

+ 20

. C

lari

as g

arie

pinu

s Th

ai m

agur

Th

ai m

agur

Fa

m. -

Cla

riida

e E

& F

* +

+ 21

. H

eter

opne

uste

s fos

silis

Si

ngi

Sing

i Fa

m. -

Het

erop

neus

tidae

N

& F

***

+ +

22.

Mys

tus m

enod

a A

rr t

engr

a A

rr

Fam

. - B

agrid

ae

N &

F**

+

-

258

Int. J. Environ. Res., 2(3): 255-260, Summer 2008

259

Ava

ilab

ilit

y S

L.

No

Sci

enti

fic

nam

e C

omm

on n

ame

Loc

al n

ame

Sys

tem

atic

pos

itio

n

Cat

egor

y

1990

- 1

99

2006

.

5

23

. M

ystu

s te

ngar

a T

engr

a T

engr

a F

am. -

Bag

rida

e N

& F

* +

+

24

. M

ystu

s vi

ttat

us

Ten

gra

Bit

engr

a F

am. -

Bag

rida

e N

& F

* +

+

25

. P

anga

sius

sut

chi

Pan

gus

/Afr

ican

pan

gus

pang

us

Fam

. - C

lari

idae

E

, O &

F*

+

+

26.

Wal

lago

att

u B

oal

Bal

ia

Fam

. - S

ilir

idae

N

& F

***

+

- D

) O

rd.:

Ch

ann

ifor

mes

27

. C

hann

a m

arul

ius

S

al

Sha

l F

am. -

Cha

nnid

ae

N &

F**

+

+

28

. C

hann

a or

ient

alis

C

hang

C

hang

F

am. -

Cha

nnid

ae

N &

F**

+

+

29

. C

hann

a pu

ncta

tus

Lat

a L

ayta

F

am. -

Cha

nnid

ae

N &

F**

+

+

30

. C

hann

a st

riat

us

Sho

l S

hol

Fam

. - C

hann

idae

N

& F

**

+

+

E)

Ord

.: S

ymb

ran

chif

orm

es

31.

Mon

opte

rus

cuch

ia

Ban

B

an

Fam

. - S

ymbr

anch

idae

N &

F*

+

- F

) O

rd.:

Per

cifo

rmes

32

. A

naba

s te

stud

ineu

s

Koi

K

oi

Fam

. - A

naba

ntid

ae

N &

F**

* +

+

33

. C

hand

a na

ma

C

hand

a C

hada

F

am. -

Cha

ndid

ae

N, O

& F

***

+

+

34.

Cha

nda

rang

a C

hand

a C

hada

F

am. -

Cha

ndid

ae

N, O

& F

***

+

+

35.

Col

isa

fasc

iata

C

olis

a K

hals

ha

Fam

. - B

elon

tida

e N

, O &

F**

* +

+

36

. G

loss

ogob

ius

giur

is

Bel

ey

Bal

kira

F

am. -

Gob

iida

e N

& F

* +

-

37.

Nan

dus

nand

us

Bhe

da

Ved

a F

am. -

Nan

dida

e N

& F

* +

-

38.

Ore

ochr

omis

m

ossa

mbi

cus

T

ilap

ia

Til

apia

F

am. -

Cic

hlid

ae

E &

F*

+

+

39.

Ore

ochr

omis

ni

loti

cus

Nil

otic

a N

ilot

ica

Fam

. - C

ichl

idae

E

& F

**

+

+

40.

Rhi

nom

ugil

cor

sula

K

hars

ula

Kha

rsul

a F

am. -

Mug

ilid

ae

N &

F*

+

- G

) O

rd.:

Mas

tace

mb

elif

orm

es

41.

Mas

tace

mbe

lus

acul

eatu

s

Goi

chi

Tur

i/P

akal

F

am.

-

Mas

tace

mbe

lida

e N

& F

**

+

+

42.

Mas

tace

mbe

lus

arm

atus

P

anka

l T

uri/

Pak

al

Fam

. -

M

asta

cem

beli

dae

N &

F**

+

+

Tabl

e 1. L

ist o

f fish

spec

ies r

epor

ted

from

the p

eren

nial

pon

ds o

f Ram

naga

r, E

ast M

idna

pore

Dist

rict

of W

est B

enga

l, In

dia-

Con

tinue

d

02468

1012141618

Osteoglo

ssifor

mes

Cyprinifo

rmes

Silurifo

rmes

Channifo

rmes

Symbranchi

formes

Percifo

rmes

Mastace

mbeliform

es

Atherinifo

rmes

Name of Orders

Num

ber

Family (1990-1995)

Genus (1990-1995)

Species (1990-1995)

Family (Present)

Genus (Presen)

Species (Presen)

260

Establishment of hatcheries for bloodstockmaintenance to in situ conservation and aquaranching as a substitute for their naturalrecruitment. However, over fishing, chemicals,agricultural runoff and other forms of pollution aremost important causes of fish biodiversity loss,which should be restricted for the conservation offreshwater fish biodiversity. From this point of view,it may be concluded that the zone wise databaseof this information and their implementationthrough Government and various Non-GovernmentOrganizations would be a key tools for conservationof freshwater fish biodiversity.

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Dudgeon, D. (2000a). Large-scale hydrological alterationsin tropical Asia: prospects for riverine biodiversity.BioScience, 50, 793-806.

Dudgeon, D. (2000b). The ecology of tropical Asianstreams in relation to biodiversity conservation. Ann.Rev. Eco. Sys, 31, 239-263.

Dudgeon, D. (2000c). Riverine wetlands and biodiversityconservation in tropical Asia. (In B. Gopal, W. J. Junk &J. A. Davis (Eds.), Biodiversity in wetlands: assessment,

function, and conservation (35-60), The Netherlands:Backhuys Publishers)

Dudgeon, D. (2000d). Riverine biodiversity in Asia: achallenge for conservation biology. Hydrobiologia. 418,1-13.

Dudgeon, D. (2002a). Fisheries: pollution and habitatdegradation in tropical Asian rivers. (In I. Douglas (Ed.),Encyclopaedia of global environmental change (3, 316-323), UK: John Wiley)

Dudgeon, D. (2002b). The most endangered ecosystemsin the world? Conservation of riverine biodiversity inAsia. Verhandlungen Internationale VereinigungLimnologie, 28, 59-68.

Jayaram, K.C. (1981). Fresh water fishes of Indiahandbook. (Calcutta: Zoological survey of India)

Jayaram, K.C. (1999). The freshwater fishes of the Indianregion. (New Delhi: Narendra Publishing House)

Pimbert, M. (1993). Protected Areas, Species of SpecialConcern, and WWF. (Switzerland: WWF-International)

Postel, S. & Richter, B. (2003). Rivers for life: managingwater for people and nature. (Washington: Island Press)

Sen, T. K. (1992). Freshwater fish. State fauna series 3:Fauna of West Bengal. (Calcutta: Zoological Survey ofIndia)Talwar, P.K. & Jhingran, A.G. (1991). Inland fishes ofIndia and adjacent countries. (New Delhi: Oxford & IBHPublishing Co)

UNEP. (1992). Global Biodiversity Strategy: Guidelines forAction to Save, Study, and Use Earth’s Biotic WealthSustainably and Equitably. (Washington: DC)

Wilson, E.O. (l988). Biodiversity. (Washington:National Academy Press)

Bhakta, J. N. et al.

Fig. 2. Ichthyofauna of investigated area under different orders clearly indicating the loss of fish species