Diversity of Fishes in a Freshwater Reservoir of Chhattisgarh, India

Raghav M. ¹, Dixit S. ²

¹Department of Fisheries, College of Agriculture, I.G.K.V., Raipur (C.G.) India

²Asst. Professor, Dept. of Zoology, Govt. D.B.Girls College, Pt. Ravishankar Shukla University, Raipur, C.G., India

ABSTRACT

Kumhari reservoir is one of the average productive small reservoir in Chhattisgarh. It is located near village Tilda and 22 kms from the block Kharora, in Raipur district. The small reservoir, Kumhari is situated between 21⁰ 24’ – 21⁰ 96’ N latitude and 81⁰ 36’ – 81⁰ 52’ E longitude. Agricultural lands surround this reservoir. The full surface level (FSL) is 986.58 ha and the Dead storage level (DSL) is 92.07 ha with an average water spread area, 539.23 ha. The depth is 12 m. However, as it has good water storage capacity, the reservoir is also used for stocking of cultivable fishes. Several native fishes also thrive in this reservoir along with stocked composite carp. The diversity of fish may be grouped in two categories like stocked Indian Major Carps and other native fishes. The fishes represent families like Cyprinidae, Channidae, Cichlidae, Siluridae, Percidae, Gobiidae, etc. The detailed taxonomic account of these fishes is documented in this paper.

KEY WORDS: Fresh water reservoir, Fish diversity, Raipur, Native

INTRODUCTION:

Reservoir is a low line area of a river with surrounding earthen depression with constructed dam to develop surface water sheet. To provide irrigation to the croplands several such earthen depressions are converted in to major or minor irrigation tanks. With such an effort of water harvesting and storage the water scarcity problem has been solved to certain extent. The fresh water reservoirs made with this purpose are underutilized and except water utility management no further use of such water sheets is done. In India, there are 19,370 reservoirs spread over 15 states, covering 3.15 million ha. The area is expected to grow further to 6 million ha in due course of 25 years (Anon., 1976). Average fish yields of small, medium and large reservoirs in the country are found to be 50, 12, and 11 kg respectively. Thus the overall fish yield from the reservoirs is only 20 kg per ha which is very low. State of Chhattisgarh has 1.707 million ha water area. Out of the total water spread area in Chhattisgarh 54 percent is in the form of reservoirs. Total number of reservoirs in the state are 1,690 (85,188 ha), out of which 1,657 (37,432 ha) are small, 21 (25,610 ha) medium and 12 (22,146 ha) are large ones covering an area of 56.72 percent, 20.83 percent and 22.45 percent respectively. (Annon,2008). Fish production from these resources in India is currently very low (average about 20 kg / ha /yr) against their potential. This is due to lack of understanding of reservoir ecology, proper management and exploitation policies. (Natrajan et.al., 1976)

Reservoirs and lakes could be the main resources exploited for inland fisheries. The understanding of fish faunal diversity is a major aspect for the exploitation of fresh water reservoirs and the sustainable as well as economical management (Battul et.al., 2007). Lakes in India support rich variety of fish species, which, in turn, support the commercial exploitation of the fisheries potential (Krishna et.al., 2006). Kumhari fresh water reservoir is located in Raipur district of Chhattisgarh State. Its catchment area is 725.27 Sq. km. In this paper the diversity of inhabiting fishes of this fresh water reservoir is discussed.

MATERIALAND METHODS:

The sampling of fishes was made from march to june 2009 twice in a week. Fishes were collected through landing site. The cast net and gill nets were operated with local crafts. Fishes were identified with the help of the keys of Day (1986), Datta munshi and Shrivastava (1988), Talwar and Jhingran (1991) and Jayaram (1994). Fishes were collected fresh and identification was done at the site itself. For taxonomic study and identification confirmation photographs were snapped and characters were noted along with fish formula and their morphometry. The samples were preserved in formalin.

RESULT AND DISCUSSION:

This work is based on primary study on fish resources of fresh water reservoir Kumhari. No such account on the fishes is available for reservoirs of Chhattisgarh. Major group of fishes found in this reservoir have commercial value. Total 39 fish species were observed in the reservoir, out of 39 species 2 belong to the order Osteoglossiformes (2 species of Notopteridae) 18 species belong to the order Cypriniformes (18 species of Cyprinidae), 13 species belong to the order Siluriformes (2 species of Siluridae, 6 species of Bagridae, 1 species of Schilbeidae, 1 species of Pangasiidae, 1 species of Saccobranchidae and 2 species of Claridae), 9 species belong to the order Perciformes (2 species of Centropomidae, 1 species of Nandidae, 2 species of Cichlidae, 3 species of Anabantidae and 1 species of Gobiidae) and 1 species belong to the order Mastacembeliformes (1 species of Mastacembelidae) (Fig 4.8). With the exception of a few small species of carp minnows, all others are fairly well known and do not call any special comments from a systematic point of view.

A total 39 different species belonging to 5 orders, 14 families and 28 genera were recorded from this region. In the erstwhile reservoirs of Madhya Pradesh (including Chhattisgarh) a total of 191 species of fishes were recorded on the basis of study done by various scientists from 1940 to 2001 (Dubey, 2007). However in Chhattisgarh a total of 95 species were recorded by different scientists viz. Hora (1940), David (1959) Jayram and Majumdar (1976), Vardia (1991), Singh and Chari (2006), Omprakash (2004), Desai and Shrivastava (2004), Dev (2008), Dahire (2008).

The cultivable species of Indian Major Carps were also thriving with such wild fishes but the proper growth in this species was not observed. This may be due to food competition. Even though IMC were stocked in the reservoir no supplementary food is provided. The status of all the fishes found in this reservoir is common and abundant.

Table: - Taxonomic details of fish fauna in Kumhari reservoir

Phylum - Vertebrata

Sub-phylum - Craniata

Super class - Gnathostomata

Series - Pisces

Class - Teleostomi

Sub-class - Actinopterygii

S. No.	Scientific name	Local name	English name
1.	Notopterus notopterus (Ham.)	Patola	Feather back
2.	Notopterus Chitala (Hamilton)	Patola	Humped feather
3.	Labeo rohita (Ham- Buch)	Rohu	Rohu
4.	Labeo calbasu (Ham-Buch)	Kalbaz	Calbasu
5.	Labeo boga (Bloch)	Lohi	Boga Labeo
6.	Hypophthalmichthys molitrix	Silvar carp	Silvar carp
7.	Arichtisthys nobilis (Bloch)	Bighead	Big head
8.	Ctenopharyngodon idella	Grass carp	Grass carp
9.	Cyprinus carpio (Linn)	Carpio	Common carp
10.	Puntius sarana (Ham-Buch)	Kotra	Olive barb
11.	Puntius sophore (Ham.)	Kotri	Stigma barb
12.	Puntius ticto (Ham)	Kotri	Ticto barb
13.	Amblypharyngodon mola (Ham)	Mohroli	Mola carplet
14.	Catla catla (Ham.)	Katla	Catla
15.	Cirrhinus mrigala (Ham.)	Mrigal	Mrigal
16.	Cirrhinus reba (Ham)	Borai	Reba carp
17.	Parluciosoma daniconius (Ham-Buch)	Dandai	Blackine Rasbora
18.	Danio devario (Ham.-Buch.)	Amac-haini or Kotri	Devario danio
19.	Ompok bimaculatus (Bloch)	Bolia	Butter cat fish
20.	Wallago attu (Schneider)	Padhin	Fresh water shark
21.	Mystus bleekeri (Day)	Tengna	Day,s Mystus
22.	Mystus cavasius (Ham.)	Jaliya tenga	Dwarf Cat fish
23.	Mystus tengara (Ham.)	Tengra	Tengara mystus
24.	Mystus aor (Ham.)	Singhar	Long whiskered cat fish
25.	Mystus vittatus (Bloch)	Tengra	Striped dwarf cat fish
26.	Mystus seenghala (Sykes)	Tengra	Gaint river cat fish
27.	Eutropiichthys vacha (Ham-Buch)	Bachra	Vacha
28.	Pangasius pangasius (Ham.)	Pagaj	Pangash
29.	Heteropneutes fossilis (Bloch)	Singhi	Stinging cat fish
30.	Clarias batrachas (Linn.)	Mangur	Air breathing cat fish
31.	Clarias gariepinus	Thailand magur	North Africa Catfish
32.	Chanda nama (Ham.)	Chan-deni	Glassy perchlet
33.	Chanda ranga (Ham.)	Chan-deni	Glassy perchlet
34.	Oreochromis mossambicus (Peters)	Tilapia	Mozambi-que tilapia
35.	Oreochromis niloticus (Linnaeus)	Tilapia	Nile tilapia
36.	Anabas testudineus (Bloch)	Kimi	Climbing perch
37.	Anabas oligolepis (Bleeker)	Kinni	Gangetic koi
38.	Colisa fasciatus (Bl. & Schm).	Gourami	Bandel colisa
39.	Glossogobius giuris (Ham)	Dheshra	Bareyed goby

Table: - Comparison of Ichthyofauna as reported by different workers in the Mahanadi Basin

S. No.	Fish species	Hora (1940)	Jayaram and Majumdar (1976)	Singh, S. (2004)	Omprakash (2004)	Dev (2008)	Present Study
							Kumhari Reservoir
1	Anabas testudineus (Bloch)	-	-	+	+	+	+
2	Anabas oligolepis (Bleeker)	-	-	+	+	+	+
3	Amblypharyngodon mola (Ham.)	+	+	+	+	+	--
4	Amblyceps mangois (Ham.)	+	-	-	-	-	-
5	Aspidoparia morar (Ham.)	-	+	-	-	-	-
6	Ailia coila (Ham.-Buch)	-	+	-	-	-	-
7	Badis badis (Ham.)	+	+		-	-	-
8	Bagarius bagarius	+	+	-	+	-	-
9	Barilius bendelesis (Ham.)	+	+	+	+	+	-
10	Barilius barna (Ham.)	+	+	-	-	-	-
11	Barilius barila (Ham.- Bush.)	-	-	-	-	-	-
12	Barilius vagra (Ham.)	-	+	-	-	-	-
13	Catla catla (Ham. )	-	+	+	+	-	+
14	Cirrhinus mrigala (Ham. )	-	-	+	+	-	+
15	Cirrhinus reba(Ham. )	-	-	+	+	+	+
16	Chela (Laubuca) laubuca (Ham.)	+	-	-	-	-	-
17	Ctenopharyngodon idella (Val.)	-	-	+	+	+	+
18	Channa gachua (Ham.)	+	-	+	+	+	-
19	Channa marulius (Ham.)	-	-	+	+	+	-
20	Channa orientalis(Bloch and Schn.)	-	-	-	-	-	-
21	Channa punctatus (Bloch)	+	+	+	+	+	-
22	Channa striatus (Bloch)	-	+	+	+	+	-
23	Chanda nama (Ham.)	-	+	+	+	+	+
24	Chanda ranga (Ham.)	+	+	+	+	+	+
25	Clarias batrachus (Linn)	+	-	+	+	+	+
26	Clarias gariepinus (Bloch)	-	-	+	-	+	+
27	Clupisoma bastari (Datta and Karmakar)	-	-	-	-	-	-
28	Clupisoma garua (Ham.-Buch)	-	+	-	-	-	-
29	Colisa faciatus (Bl. & Schn.)	-	-	+	+	+	+
30	Cyprinus carpio (Linn.)	-	-	+	+	+	+
31	Denio devario (Ham.)	-	-	+	+	+	+
32	Danio aequipinnatus (Ham.)	+	-	-	-	-	-
33	Denio (Brachydenio) rerio (Ham.)	+	+	-	-	-	-
34	Garra annandalei	-	-	+	+	-	-
35	Esomos danricus (Ham.)	+	+	-	-	-	-
36	Eriethistes hara (Ham.)	+	-	-	-	-	-
37	Eutropiichthys vacha (Ham.-Buch)	-	+	+	+	+	-
38	Gagata cenia (Ham.)	-	+	-	-	-	-
39	Garra gotyla gotyla (Gray)	-	-	-	-	-	-
40	Garra mullya (Sykes)	+	-	-	-	-	-
41	Glossogobius giuris (Ham.)	+	+	+	+	+	+
42	Gonialossa manmina (Ham.)	-	+	-	-	-	-
43	Gudusia chapra (Ham.)	-	-	+	+	+	-
44	Gonoproktopterus kolus (Sykes)	-	-	+	+	+	-
45	Heteropneustes fossilis (Bloch)	+	-	+	+	+	+
46	Hypophthalmichthys molitrix (Val.)	-	-	+	+	+	+
47	Arichtisthys nobilis (Rich.)	-	-	+	+	+	-
48	Labeo angra(Ham. )	-	-	+	+	+	-
49	Labeo bata (Ham. )	-	+	+	+	+	+
50	Labeo boga (Bloch)	-	-	+	+	+	+
51	Labeo boggut (Sykes)	+	-	+	+	+	-
52	Labeo calbasu (Ham.)	-	-	+	+	-	+
53	Labeo fimbriatus (Bloch)	-	-	-	-	-	-
54	Labeo gonius (Ham.)	-	-	+	+	+	-
55	Labeo rohita (Ham.)	-	+	+	+	+	+
56	Lepidocephalichthys guntea (Ham.)	+	+	+	+	+	-
57	Macrognathus aculeatus (Bloch)	+	+	+	+	-	-
58	Mastacembelus pancalus (Ham.)	+	+	+	+	-	-
59	Mastacembelus armatus (Lacepede)	+	+	+	+	-	+
60	Mystus aor (Ham.)	+	-	+	+	-	+
61	Mystus seenghala (Sykes)	-	+	+	+	-	+
62	Mystus bleekeri (Day)	-	-	+	+	+	+
63	Mystus tengara (Ham.)	+	+	+	+	-	+
64	Mystus vittatus (Bloch)	+	+	+	+	-	+
65	Mystus cavassius (Ham.)	+	+	+	+	-	+
66	Nandus nandus (Ham.)	+	-	+	+	+	+
67	Noemacheilus botia (Ham.)	+	-	+	+	-	-
68	Noemacheilus denisonnii (Day)	+	-	-	-	+	-
69	Notopterus chitala (Ham.)	-	-	+	+	+	+
70	Notopterus notopterus (Pallas)	-	+	+	+	+	+
71	Ompok bimaculatus (Bloch)	-	+	+	+	+	+
72	Oreochromis mossambica (Peters)	-	-	+	+	+	+
73	Oreochromis niloticus (Linn.)	-	-	+	+	+	+
74	Orichthys cosuatus (Ham.)	+	-	-	-	-	-
75	Osteobrama cotio (Ham.)	-	+	+	+	+	-
76	Osteobrama vigorsii (Sykes)	-	-	-	-	-	-
77	Pangasius pangasius (Ham.)	-	-	+	+	+	+
78	Pseudeotropius atherinoides (Bloch)	+	-	+	+	-	-
79	Parluciosoma daniconius (Ham.-Buch.)	+	+	+	+	+	-
80	Puntius chola (Ham.)	-	-	+	+	+	+
81	Puntius dorsalis (Jerdon)	+	-	+	+	+	-
82	Puntius gelius (Ham.)	+	+	-	-	-	-
83	Puntius guganio (Ham.)	+	-	-	-	-	-
84	Puntius phutunio (Ham.-Buch.)	-	-	-	-	-	-
85	Puntius sarana (Ham.)	+	+	+	+	+	+
86	Puntius sophore (Ham.)	+	+	+	+	+	+
87	Puntius tetrarupagus (McClelland)	+	-	-	-	-	-
88	Puntius ticto (Ham.)	+	+	+	+	+	+
89	Rita rita (Ham.)	-	-	+	+	+	-
90	Rita chrysea (Day)	-	+	-	-	-	-
91	Rhinomugil corsula (Ham.)	-	+	+	+	-	-
92	Salmostoma bacaila (Ham.)	+	+	+	+	+	-
93	Salmostoma phulo (Ham.- Bush)	-	-	-	-	-	-
94	Tor tor (Ham.- Bush)	-	-	-	-	+	-
95	Wallago attu (Bl. And Schn.)	-	+	+	+	+	+
96	Xenentoden cancila (Ham.)	+	+	+	+	+	-

Fig. Location of sampling sites

CONCLUSION:

Total 39 different fish species were recorded in this reservoir out of which order cypriniformes leads with 18 species of family cyprinidae found dominant followed by order Siluriformes with 13 species whereas order Perciformes contributed 9 species followed bu Order Osteoglossiformes with 2 species and Mastacembeliformes by 1 species. Major carps contributed major role in the catch of the reservoir because of the stocking while as others are native species of the reservoir and its surrounding catchments.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS:

The authors are thankful to The Head, Department of Fisheries to provide necessary facilities to carry out this work in the department. We also thankful to Director Fisheries, C.G. Govt. to provide all necessary data and facilities.

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Received on 14.12.2009

Accepted on 28.12.2009

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