Fish diversity of Laster stream, a major tributary of river Mandakini in Central Himalaya (India) with regard to altitude and habitat specificity of fishes
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Abstract
Laster stream is a major tributary of river Mandakini, which in turn is a major tributary of river Alaknanda. Stream traverses a distance of ~40 km before joining with river Mandakini at Suryaprayag (Tilwara) in Rudraprayag district (Uttarakhand), India. Present study reports existence of twenty one indigenous fish species belonging to eight genera, three families and two orders from the Laster stream. Schizothorax richardsonii (Cyprinidae family) was the dominating species followed by S. plagiostomus, Barilius sp., Tor sp., Noemacheilus sp., Pseudecheneis sp., Glyptothorax sp. The distribution pattern (diversity and abundance) of these species had negative co-relation with the increase in stream altitude. Habitat conditions in the stream varied considerably from headwater to main stream. Present study also describes the habitat specificity of fish assemblage. Maximum species diversity (18 species) was recorded from pool habitat and was the most preferred habitat. Least species diversity (09 species) was recorded from cascade habitat. Riffle and rapid habitat recorded no difference in species diversity.
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Keywords
Fish diversity, Stream habitat, Stream gradient, Substratum heterogeneity
References
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Agarwal, N.K., Singh, G. and Singh, H. (2011). Present status of ichthyofaunal diversity of Garhwal Himalayan river Bhilangana and its tributaries with reference to changing environment. Environment Conservation Journal, 12 (3): 101-108.
Armantrout, N.B. (1999). Glossary of aquatic habitat inventory technology. American Fisheries Society.
Arunachalam, M. (2000). Assemblage structure of stream fishes in the Western Ghats (India). Hydrobiologia, 430: 1-31.
Arunachalam, M., Madhusoodanan, K., Nair, C., Vijverberg, J. and Kortmulder, K. (1997). Food and habitat partitioning among fishes in stream pools of south Indian river. International Journal of Ecology and Environmental Sciences, 23: 271-395.
Badola, S.P. (1975). Fish fauna of Garhwal hills, part II (Pauri Garhwal-U.P.). Ind. J. Zoot., 16 (1): 57-70.
Badola, S.P. (2009). Ichthyology of the central Himalaya. Transmedia Publication Media House, Bhandari Bagh, Srinagar (Garhwal), Uttarakhand.
Bisht, B., Badoni, A.K. and Bahuguna, S.N. (2009). Seasonal distribution and relative abundance of fish fauna of a small hill stream Dangchaura (Takoli) Gad, along with River Alaknanda. Our nature, 7: 182-186.
Braaten, P.J. and Berry, C.R. (1997). Fish association with four habitat types in a south Dakota Praire stream. Journal Freshwater Ecology, 12 (3): 477-489.
Day, F. (1878). The fishes of India: being a natural history of the fishes known to inhabit the seas and freshwater of India, Burma and Ceylon. Today and Tomorrow Book Agency, New Delhi.
Dobriyal, A.K. and Kumar, N. (1988). Fish and fisheries of the river Mandakini. In: R.D. Khulbe (Ed.), Prespectives in Aquatic Biology (pp 37-340). Papyrus: Publication House, Delhi.
Finger, T.R. (1982). Fish community-habitat reactions in a central New York stream. Journal of Freshwater Ecology, 1: 343-352.
Galacatoes, K., Stewart, D.J. and Ibarra, M. (1996). Fish community patterns of lagoons and associated tributaries in the Ecuadorian amazon. Copeia, 4: 875-894.
Harvey, B.C. and Stewart, A.J. (1991). Fish size and habitat depth relationship in headwater streams, Oceologia, 87: 336-342.
Jayaram, K.C. (2010). The fresh water fishes of the Indian region. Narendra Publishing House, Delhi, India.
Johal, M.S., Tandon, K.K., Tyor, A.K. and Rawal, Y.K. (2002). Fish diversity in different habitats in the streams of lower middle western Himalayas. Polish Journal of Ecology, 50 (1): 45-56.
Johnson, J.A. and Arunachalam, M. (2010). Relation of physical habitat to fish assemblages in streams of Western Ghats, India. Applied Ecology and Environment Research, 8(1): 1-10.
Moyle, P.B. and Baltz, D.M. (1985). Microhabitat use by an assemblage of California stream fishes: developing criteria for instream flow determinations. Transactions of American Fisheries Society, 114: 695-704.
Sarkar, U.K., Pathak, A.K., Sinha, R.K., Sivakumar, K., Pandian, A.K., Panday, A., Dubey, V.K. and Lakra, W.S. (2011). Freshwater fish biodiversity in the River Ganga (India): changing pattern, threats and conservation perspectives. Rev. Fish Biol. Fisheries. 22(1): 251-272. DOI 10.1007/s11 160-011-9218-6.
Schlosser, I.J. (1987): The role of predation in age and size related habitat use by stream fishes. Ecology, 68: 651-659.
Schoener, T.W. (1974). Resource partition in ecological communities. Science, 185: 27-39.
Sehgal, K.L. (1999). Coldwater fish and fisheries in the Himalayas: rivers and streams. Technical paper. No 385, Fisheries Rome, FAO : 41-63.
Sharma, R.C. (1984). Icthyofauna of the snowfed river Bhagirathi of Garhwal Himalaya. Utter Pradesh J. Zool., 4 (2): 208-212.
Singh, H.R., Badola, S.P. and Dobriyal, A.K. (1987). Geographical distribution list of Icthyofauna of Garhwal Himalaya with some new records. J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc., 84(1): 126-132.
Singh, N. and Agarwal, N.K. (1991). The SEM surface structure of the adhesive organ of Pseudoechneis sulcatus McClelland (Teleosti: sisoridae) from Garhwal Himalayan hillstream. Acta Icthyologica et. Piscatorial, 21 (2): 29-35.
Singh, N. and Agarwal, N.K. (1993). Organ of adhesion in four hillstream fishes: A comparative morphology study. In: H.R. Singh (Ed.), Advances in Limnology. (pp 311-316), Delhi: Narendra Publishing House.
Singh, N., Agarwal, N.K. and Singh, H.R. (1993). SEM investigation on the adhesive apparatus of Garra gotyla gotyla (Family: Cyprinidae) from Garhwal Himalaya. In: H.R. Singh (Ed.), Advances in Fish Biology. (pp 281-291), Delhi: Hindustan Publishing Corporation.
Suarez, Y.R., Souza, M.M., Ferreira, F.S., Pereira, M.J., Silva, E.A., Ximenes, L.Q.L., Azevedo, L.G., Martins, O.C. and Junior, S.E.L. (2011). Patterns of species richness and composition of fish assemblages in streams of the Ivinhema river basin, upper Parana river. Acta Limnologica Brasiliensia, 23 (2): 177-188.
Talwar, P.K. and Jhingran, A.G. (1991). Inland fishes of India and adjacent countries. Vols. 1 and 2, Oxford & IBH Publishing house, New Delhi.
Thomas, D.A. and Hayes, D.B. (2006). A comparison of fish community composition of headwater and adventitious streams in a coldwater river system. Journal of Freshwater Ecology, 21(2): 265-275.
Tilak, R. (1987). The fauna of India. Pisces (Teleostomi). Sub family Schizothoracinae. Zoological Survey of India.
Himalaya, Garhwal). Environment Conservation Journal, 13 (3): 117-124.
Agarwal, N.K., Singh, G. and Singh, H. (2011). Present status of ichthyofaunal diversity of Garhwal Himalayan river Bhilangana and its tributaries with reference to changing environment. Environment Conservation Journal, 12 (3): 101-108.
Armantrout, N.B. (1999). Glossary of aquatic habitat inventory technology. American Fisheries Society.
Arunachalam, M. (2000). Assemblage structure of stream fishes in the Western Ghats (India). Hydrobiologia, 430: 1-31.
Arunachalam, M., Madhusoodanan, K., Nair, C., Vijverberg, J. and Kortmulder, K. (1997). Food and habitat partitioning among fishes in stream pools of south Indian river. International Journal of Ecology and Environmental Sciences, 23: 271-395.
Badola, S.P. (1975). Fish fauna of Garhwal hills, part II (Pauri Garhwal-U.P.). Ind. J. Zoot., 16 (1): 57-70.
Badola, S.P. (2009). Ichthyology of the central Himalaya. Transmedia Publication Media House, Bhandari Bagh, Srinagar (Garhwal), Uttarakhand.
Bisht, B., Badoni, A.K. and Bahuguna, S.N. (2009). Seasonal distribution and relative abundance of fish fauna of a small hill stream Dangchaura (Takoli) Gad, along with River Alaknanda. Our nature, 7: 182-186.
Braaten, P.J. and Berry, C.R. (1997). Fish association with four habitat types in a south Dakota Praire stream. Journal Freshwater Ecology, 12 (3): 477-489.
Day, F. (1878). The fishes of India: being a natural history of the fishes known to inhabit the seas and freshwater of India, Burma and Ceylon. Today and Tomorrow Book Agency, New Delhi.
Dobriyal, A.K. and Kumar, N. (1988). Fish and fisheries of the river Mandakini. In: R.D. Khulbe (Ed.), Prespectives in Aquatic Biology (pp 37-340). Papyrus: Publication House, Delhi.
Finger, T.R. (1982). Fish community-habitat reactions in a central New York stream. Journal of Freshwater Ecology, 1: 343-352.
Galacatoes, K., Stewart, D.J. and Ibarra, M. (1996). Fish community patterns of lagoons and associated tributaries in the Ecuadorian amazon. Copeia, 4: 875-894.
Harvey, B.C. and Stewart, A.J. (1991). Fish size and habitat depth relationship in headwater streams, Oceologia, 87: 336-342.
Jayaram, K.C. (2010). The fresh water fishes of the Indian region. Narendra Publishing House, Delhi, India.
Johal, M.S., Tandon, K.K., Tyor, A.K. and Rawal, Y.K. (2002). Fish diversity in different habitats in the streams of lower middle western Himalayas. Polish Journal of Ecology, 50 (1): 45-56.
Johnson, J.A. and Arunachalam, M. (2010). Relation of physical habitat to fish assemblages in streams of Western Ghats, India. Applied Ecology and Environment Research, 8(1): 1-10.
Moyle, P.B. and Baltz, D.M. (1985). Microhabitat use by an assemblage of California stream fishes: developing criteria for instream flow determinations. Transactions of American Fisheries Society, 114: 695-704.
Sarkar, U.K., Pathak, A.K., Sinha, R.K., Sivakumar, K., Pandian, A.K., Panday, A., Dubey, V.K. and Lakra, W.S. (2011). Freshwater fish biodiversity in the River Ganga (India): changing pattern, threats and conservation perspectives. Rev. Fish Biol. Fisheries. 22(1): 251-272. DOI 10.1007/s11 160-011-9218-6.
Schlosser, I.J. (1987): The role of predation in age and size related habitat use by stream fishes. Ecology, 68: 651-659.
Schoener, T.W. (1974). Resource partition in ecological communities. Science, 185: 27-39.
Sehgal, K.L. (1999). Coldwater fish and fisheries in the Himalayas: rivers and streams. Technical paper. No 385, Fisheries Rome, FAO : 41-63.
Sharma, R.C. (1984). Icthyofauna of the snowfed river Bhagirathi of Garhwal Himalaya. Utter Pradesh J. Zool., 4 (2): 208-212.
Singh, H.R., Badola, S.P. and Dobriyal, A.K. (1987). Geographical distribution list of Icthyofauna of Garhwal Himalaya with some new records. J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc., 84(1): 126-132.
Singh, N. and Agarwal, N.K. (1991). The SEM surface structure of the adhesive organ of Pseudoechneis sulcatus McClelland (Teleosti: sisoridae) from Garhwal Himalayan hillstream. Acta Icthyologica et. Piscatorial, 21 (2): 29-35.
Singh, N. and Agarwal, N.K. (1993). Organ of adhesion in four hillstream fishes: A comparative morphology study. In: H.R. Singh (Ed.), Advances in Limnology. (pp 311-316), Delhi: Narendra Publishing House.
Singh, N., Agarwal, N.K. and Singh, H.R. (1993). SEM investigation on the adhesive apparatus of Garra gotyla gotyla (Family: Cyprinidae) from Garhwal Himalaya. In: H.R. Singh (Ed.), Advances in Fish Biology. (pp 281-291), Delhi: Hindustan Publishing Corporation.
Suarez, Y.R., Souza, M.M., Ferreira, F.S., Pereira, M.J., Silva, E.A., Ximenes, L.Q.L., Azevedo, L.G., Martins, O.C. and Junior, S.E.L. (2011). Patterns of species richness and composition of fish assemblages in streams of the Ivinhema river basin, upper Parana river. Acta Limnologica Brasiliensia, 23 (2): 177-188.
Talwar, P.K. and Jhingran, A.G. (1991). Inland fishes of India and adjacent countries. Vols. 1 and 2, Oxford & IBH Publishing house, New Delhi.
Thomas, D.A. and Hayes, D.B. (2006). A comparison of fish community composition of headwater and adventitious streams in a coldwater river system. Journal of Freshwater Ecology, 21(2): 265-275.
Tilak, R. (1987). The fauna of India. Pisces (Teleostomi). Sub family Schizothoracinae. Zoological Survey of India.
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Fish diversity of Laster stream, a major tributary of river Mandakini in Central Himalaya (India) with regard to altitude and habitat specificity of fishes. (2013). Journal of Applied and Natural Science, 5(2), 369-374. https://doi.org/10.31018/jans.v5i2.334
