Endemic Fishes of the Godavari River Basin Though the present work is aimed to study the variations of holdfast organs of caryophyllidean cestodes occurring in piscian host, but by considering the role of holdfast organs of the parasites and damaged caused by them, it is very important to save the valuable community fish. Due to many factors fishes are exposed to different stress. So that their life becomes in danger. The objective was to bring together the widely dispersed information on the resource status so as to identify the fish species under threat and to suggest means of their protection. Hence to study the Endemic & Threatened species this chapter is devoted. Endemism is the ecological state of being unique to a particular location, such as a specific island, habitat type, nation or other defined zone. i.e. it is found only in that part of the world and nowhere. Endemics can easily become endangered or extinct because of their restricted habitat and vulnerability to the actions of man. Endemism with regard to fish fauna is more in the hilly regions than in the plains. The fauna evolved and adapted is unique to this region and these regions need greater protection from deforestation and other anthropogenic effects. Endemic freshwater fishes of India deals with 225 species comprising 74 genera under 21 families and 9 orders. (Karmakar and Das, 2005b). Out of the 225 endemic species of fishes, 12 fish species are endemic to Maharashtra. Six genera of fishes are endemic to the Godavari River basin. These fishes are surviving in torrential streams all along the chain of hills ranges of Trimbak Nasik districts of Maharashtra. The genus endemic to the Western Ghats is Parapsilorhynchus Hora an assemblage of 4 species of smaller sized hillstream fishes is a predominant group. Out of these, 2 species are found in Godavari river basin, but only one is endemic. The Godavari river contains 4.05 % fish species endemic to this area. In this region especially Nasik, Ahmadnagar districts have many type localities of endemic fishes. The important representatives of endemic fishes are as follows: 198
Puntius fraseri (Hora & Misra), Rasbora labiosa Mukerji, Danio fraseri Hora & Mukerji, Parapsilorhynchus prateri Hora & Misra, Tor kulkarni Menon, Osteocheilus godavariensis Rao. Once upon a time Darna, which are tributaries of the Godavari river system were having plenty of ichthyofauna. But at present the old faunal wealth has disappeared from their original type locality e.g. Tor kulkarni Menon, Parapsilorhynchus prateri Hora & Misra, Puntius fraseri (Hora & Misra), these are the endemic species of Darna river, Deolali, Nasik Dist. During my present study continuous efforts was made to collect these species from its type locality, but all efforts are in vanished. Only 4 specimens of Puntius fraseri (Hora & Misra) was collected by A.S.Mahabal in 1978 from Man river near the boundary of Solapur and Osmanabad district. It is also observed that all the endemic species are restricted to only Western Ghat Belt i.e. hilly regions. The endemic species as follows : Puntius fraseri (Hora & Misra), Rasbora labiosa Mukerji, Danio fraseri Hora & Mukerji, Parapsilorhynchus prateri Hora & Misra Tor kulkarni Menon, Osteocheilus godavariensis Rao. 199
Threatened Fishes of Godavari River Basin The present study reveals that about 9.46 % threatened fish species occurring in the Godavari River Basin, need immediate protection and failing which the chances of these fishes becoming extinct are very high. Many valuable species like Puntius fraseri (Hora & Misra), Barilius evezardi Day, Danio fraseri Hora & Mukerji, Labeo fimbriatus (Bloch), Labeo porcellus (Heckel), Labeo potail (Sykes), Tor khudree (Sykes) are considered on the verge of extinction. The hatching period of Tor spp. is known to be (80 hours) a delicate period. After hatching it has to pass through 6 days semiquiscent stage. At this critical phase the fish faces adverse conditions of environment and has low fecundity and high mortality. Hence the Tor spp. must be protected at egg and fry stage. Further, Puntius fraseri (Hora & Misra) has not been recorded for the last 70 years after its discovery from its type locality. It has been evident that Dr. Fraser had studied ichthyofauna of Darna river in details in 1935 and Hora & Misra (1939) came out with a series of reports indicating that during one year survey, plenty of fish fauna like Rasbora labiosa Mukerji, Parapsilorhynchus prateri Hora & Misra, Tor kulkarni Menon, Danio fraseri Hora & Mukerji, Labeo porcellus (Heckel), Puntius fraseri (Hora & Misra) were collected at Narsullah wadi, Deolali, in different seasons, at various localities. In order to explore the fish fauna of Darna river, a tributary of Godavari river, murdering at Deolali, Nasik district of Maharashtra, frequent surveys were conducted by Dr. G.M.Yazdani, late Dr.D.F.Singh and Dr.B.E.Yadav, ZSI, Pune. It has been noticed that the said fishes could not be collected during my visits to Darna river, moreover nalla joining to Darna river has vanished and the locality is now converted into Deolali cantonment Bazar. Many valuable fishes are lost while some became vulnerable in the type locality due to degradation of habitats. This is a classic example of modern development and its impact on fishes. Freshwater fishes face a number of environmental threats today. Recently Menon (2004) listed 74 threatened fishes of India. The threatened status of the species, 200
Endangered, Vulnerable or Rare, is indicated under this section. The categories followed as per IUCN definitions are given below : According to IUCN criteria, the fishes of Godavari river can be grouped into two categories : Threatened and Non-threatened. The category threatened is further divided into 1) Critically Endangered (CR) 2) Endangered (EN) 3) Vulnerable (VU). The Nonthreatened category is divided into 1) Low Risk-nearly threatened (LR-nt) and 2) Low Risk-least concern (LR-lc). These criteria are more applicable to a single river. Since I had covered 9 rivers, I adopted the IUCN criteria with some modifications. In the analysis, I classified the species based on restricted distribution of the species, area of occupancy of the species and the number of species recorded. The criteria adopted are as follows : Critically Endangered : a) Species with distribution restricted to a single river b) area of occupancy limited to a single location in that river and c) the number of species estimated to be less than five in the collection site. Endangered : a) species with distribution restricted to 1-2 rivers, b) area of occupancy of less than 3 collection sites in the rivers from where they are recorded and c) the number of species estimated to be less than 5 in the collection sites. Vulnerable : a) species with distribution restricted to 3-5 rivers b) area of occupancy of less than 10 collection sites in the rivers from where they were collected and c) the number of species estimated to be less than 10 in the collection sites. Low Risk-nearly threatened : a) species with wide distribution in 5-9 rivers b) area of occupancy of more than 15 collection sites in the rivers from where they were recorded and c) the number of species estimated to be less than 15 in the collection sites. Low Risk-least concern : a) species with wide distribution in more than 9 rivers b) area of occupancy of more than 15 collection sites in the rivers from where they were recorded and c) the number of species estimated to be more 15 in the collection sites. Extinct (Ex) : Species not located in the wild for the last 50 years. 201
Table. 47: List of the Threatened fishes of Godavari River as follows: Sr.No. Species Status 1 Chitala chitala (Ham-Buch) Vulnerable 2 Rasbora caverii (Jerdon) Rare 3 Thynnichthys sandkhol (Sykes) Rare 4 Tor khudree (Sykes) Endangered 5 Osteobrama neilli (Day) Endangered 6 Rohtee ogilbii (Sykes) Vulnerable 7 Puntius jerdoni (Day) Endangered 8 Cirrhinus cirrhosus (Bloch) Endangered 9 Labeo porcellus (Keckel) Vulnerable 10 Labeo pangusia (Ham-Buch) Vulnerable 11 Schismatorhynchus nukta (Sykes) Rare 12 Pangasius pangasius (Ham-Buch) Vulnerable 13 Bagarius bagarius (Ham-Buch) Vulnerable 14 Gagata itchkeea (Sykes) Rare SYSTEMATIC LIST, ABUNDANCE, STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION OF FRESHWATER FISHES OF GODAVARI RIVER BASIN CR-Critically Endangered, EN-Endangered, VU-Vulnerable, LR-nt-Low Risk-nearly threatened, LR-Ic-Low Risk-least concern, INTR-Introduced, + = Very rare, ++ = Rare, +++ = Common, ++++ = Very common *Indicates the species actually not collected, so abundance and status not given. Table. 48 Sr.No. Species Abundance Status Western Ghat 202 Deccan Plateau 1 Notopterus notopterus (Pallas) +++ LR-lc + + + 2 Chitala chitala (Ham-Buch) ++ Vu + + + 3 Anguilla bengalensis bengalensis + CR - + + (Gray & Hardwicke) 4* Goniolosa manmina (Ham-Buch) - - - - + 5 Hypothalmichthys molitrix (Val.) +++ INTR + + - 6 Hypothalmichthys nobilis (Richardson) ++ INTR - + - 7 Salmophasia acinaces (Valenciennes) ++ Vu + - - 8 Salmophasia bacaila (Ham-Buch) +++ LR-nt + + - 9 Salmophasia boopis (Day) ++++ LR-lc + + - 10 Salmophasia clupeoides (Bloch) +++ LR-nt + + + 11* Salmophasia horai (Silas) - - - - + 12 Salmophasia phulo phulo (Ham-Buch) +++ LR-nt + + + 13 Salmophasia novacula (Val.) ++ Vu + - - 14 Salmophasia untrahi (Day) ++ Vu + - - 15 Aspidoparia morar (Ham-Buch) +++ LR-lc + + + 16 Barilius barna (Ham-Buch) +++ LR-nt + + - 17* Barilius barila (Ham-Buch) - - - - + 18 Barilius bendelisis (Ham-Buch) ++++ LR-lc + + + Central Highland
19 Barilius evezardi Day + En - + - 20 Chela cachius (Ham-Buch) +++ LR-nt + + + 21 Chela laubuca (Ham-Buch) ++ Vu + + - 22* Chela (Neochela) dadiburjori (Menon) - - - - + 23 Esomus danricus (Ham-Buch) +++ LR-nt - + + 24 Devario aequipinnatus McClelland ++++ LR-lc + + + 25* Devario devario (Ham-Buch) - - - - + 26 Devario fraseri Hora & Mukerji ++ En + - - 27 Devario malabaricus (Jerdon) +++ LR-nt + - - 28 Brachydanio rerio (Ham-Buch) +++ LR-nt - + + 29 Rasbora caverii (Jerdon) ++ Vu + - - 30 Rasbora daniconius (Ham-Buch) ++++ LR-lc + + + 31 Rasbora labiosa Mukerji ++ Vu + - - 32 Rasbora rasbora (Ham-Buch) ++ Vu - - + 33 Amblypharyngodon mola (Ham-Buch) +++ LR-nt + + + 34* Amblypharyngodon microlepis - - - - + (Bleeker) 35 Ctenopharyngodon idellus (Val.) +++ INTR + + + 36 Cyprinus carpio Linnaeus +++ INTR + + + 37 Thynnichthys sandkhol (Sykes) + CR - + + 38 Tor khudree (Sykes) ++ LR-nt + + + 39* Tor tor (Ham-Buch) - - - - + 40* Tor mussulah (Sykes) - - - - + 41* Osteobrama bakeri Day - - - + - 42* Osteobrama bhimensis Singh & - - - + - Yazdani 43 Osteobrama cotio cotio (Ham-Buch) +++ LR-lc + + + 44 Osteobrama cotio cunma (Day) ++ En + - - 45 Osteobrama cotio peninsularis Silas ++ Vu - + - 46 Osteobrama dayi (Hora & Misra) ++ CR - + - 47 Osteobrama neilli (Day) ++ En - + - 48 Osteobrama vigorsii (Sykes) ++++ LR-lc + + + 49 Rohtee ogilbii Sykes ++ Vu + + - 50 Oreichthys cosuatis (Ham-Buch) ++ Vu - - + 51 Puntius amphibius (Valenciennes) +++ LR-nt + + + 52 Puntius bimaculatus (Bleeker) ++ Vu - + - 53 Puntius chola (Ham-Buch) +++ LR-nt + + + 54 Puntius conchonius (Ham-Buch) + + + + + 55 Puntius dorsalis (Jerdon) ++ Vu - + - 56 Puntius fraseri (Hora & Misra) ++ CR + - - 57 Puntius jerdoni (Day) ++ En + + - 58 Puntius melanostigma (Day) +++ LR-nt + + - 59 Puntius parrah Day ++ Vu + + - 60 Puntius sarana sarana (Ham-Buch) +++ LR-nt + + + 61 Puntius sophore (Ham-Buch) ++++ LR-lc + + + 62 Puntius ticto (Ham-Buch) ++++ LR-lc + + + 63 Puntius vittatus Day + Vu - + + 64 Gonoproktopterus kolus (Sykes) +++ LR-nt + + + 65* Osteochilichthys godavariensis Rao - - - + - 66 Cirrhinus cirrhosa (Bloch) ++ CR + + - 67 Cirrhinus fulungee (Sykes) ++ Vu + + - 203
68 Cirrhinus mrigala (Ham-Buch) +++ LR-lc + + + 69 Cirrhinus reba (Ham-Buch) +++ LR-nt + + + 70 Catla catla (Ham-Buch) +++ LR-lc + + + 71 Labeo bata (Ham-Buch) ++ Vu - + - 72 Labeo boggut (Sykes) +++ LR-nt + + + 73 Labeo calbasu (Ham-Buch) +++ LR-nt + + + 74 Labeo fimbriatus (Bloch) ++ Vu - + - 75 Labeo gonius (Ham-Buch) +++ LR-nt + + - 76 Labeo pangusia (Ham-Buch) ++ En + - - 77 Labeo potail (Sykes) ++ En - + - 78 Labeo porcellus (Heckel) ++ Vu - + - 79 Labeo rohita (Ham-Buch) ++++ LR-lc + + + 80 Schismatorhynchus nukta (Sykes) ++ En - + - 81 Crossocheilus latius latius (Ham- +++ LR-nt + + + Buch) 82 Garra mullya (Sykes) ++++ LR-lc + + + 83 Garra gotyla gotyla (Gray) ++ LR-nt + - + 84 Parapsilorhynchus prateri Hora & + En + - - Misra 85 Parapsilorhynchus tentaculatus ++ LR-nt + - - Annandale 86 Acanthocobitis botia (Ham-Buch) ++++ LR-lc + + + 87 Acanthocobitis moreh (Sykes) ++ Vu - + + 88 Nemacheilus anguilla Annandale +++ LR-lc + + - 89 Nemacheilus monilis Hora + CR + + - 90 Schistura denisoni denisoni (Day) +++ LR-nt + + + 91 Nemachilichthys ruppelli (Sykes) ++ Vu - + - 92 Oreonectes (Oreonectes) evezardi +++ LR-nt + + - (Day) 93 Lepidocephalus guntea (Ham-Buch) ++++ LR-lc + + + 94 Lepidocephalus thermalis +++ LR-nt + + + (Valenciennes) 95 Rita kuturnee (Sykes) +++ LR-nt + + + 96 Rita gogra (Sykes) ++ LR-nt + + - 97* Rita rita (Ham-Buch) - - - - + 98 Sperata aor (Ham-Buch) ++ Vu - + - 99 Sperata seenghala (Sykes) +++ LR-nt + + + 100 Mystus bleekeri (Day) ++++ LR-lc + + + 101 Mystus cavasius (Ham-Buch) ++++ LR-lc + + + 102 Mystus malabaricus (Jerdon) ++ Vu + - - 103 Mystus oculatus (Valenciennes) ++ En - + - 104* Mystus tengara (Ham-Buch) - - - + - 105 Mystus vittatus (Bloch) +++ LR-nt + + + 106 Neotropius atherinoides (Bleeker) + Vu - + - 107 Ompok bimaculatus (Bloch) ++++ LR-lc + + + 108 Wallago attu (Schneider) +++ LR-nt + + + 109* Ailia coila (Ham-Buch) - - - - + 110 Clupisoma garua (Ham-Buch) + Vu + - - 111 Clupisoma taakree taakree (Sykes) +++ LR-nt + + + 112 Eutropiichthys goongwaree (Sykes) ++ Vu - + - 113* Eutropiichthys vacha (Ham-Buch) - - - - + 114 Silonia childreni (Sykes) ++ LR-nt - + - 204
115* Silonia silondia (Ham-Buch) - - - - + 116 Amblyceps mangois (Ham-Buch) + CR - - + 117* Pangasius pangasius (Ham-Buch) - - - + + 118* Bagarius bagarius (Ham-Buch) - - - - + 119 Gagata itchkeea (Sykes) ++ En + - - 120 Glyptothorax lonah (Sykes) ++ LR-nt + + - 121 Glyptothorax conirostrae poonaensis ++ Vu + - - Hora 122 Clarias batrachus (Linnaeus) ++++ LR-lc + + + 123 Heteropneustes fossilis (Bloch) +++ LR-nt + + + 124 Rhinomugil corsula (Ham-Buch) ++ LR-nt + + 125 Xenentodon cancila (Ham-Buch) ++++ LR-lc + + + 126 Aplocheilus lineatus (Valenciennes) +++ LR-nt + + 127 Gambusia affinis (Baird & Girard) +++ LR-nt + + + 128 Poecilia (Lebistes) reticulatus (Peters) ++ INTR + 129* Monopterus cuchia (Ham-Buch) - - - + - 130 Macrognathus pancalus (Ham-Buch) ++++ LR-lc + + + 131* Macrognathus aral (Bloch & - - + Schneider) 132* Macrognathus guentheri (Day) - - + 133 Mastacembelus armatus (Lacepede) ++++ LR-lc + + + 134 Chanda nama Ham-Buch. +++ LR-nt + + + 135 Parambassis ranga (Ham-Buch) ++++ LR-lc + + + 136 Parambassis baculis (Ham-Buch) ++ Vu - + - 137 Badis badis (Ham-Buch) ++ Vu - - + 138 Nandus nandus (Ham-Buch) ++ Vu - - + 139 Etroplus maculatus (Bloch) ++ En - + - 140 Etroplus suratensis (Bloch) +++ LR-nt - + - 141 Oreochromis mossambica (Peters) +++ INTR + + + 142 Glossogobius giuris (Ham-Buch) +++ LR-lc + + + 143 Anabas testudineus (Bloch) ++ En - + + 144* Colisa fasciatus (Bloch & Schneider) - - - - + 145 Channa marulius (Ham-Buch) +++ LR-lc + + - 146 Channa orientalis Bloch & Schneider ++++ LR-lc + + + 147 Channa punctatus (Bloch) ++++ LR-lc + + + 148 Channa striatus (Bloch) +++ LR-nt + + + Table 49: Orderwise fish species distribution in three biogeographic regions of Maharashtra State. Sr.No Orders Western Ghats Deccan Plateau Satpuda Ranges of Maharashtra. 1 Osteoglossiformes 2 2 2 2 Anguilliformes - 1 1 3 Clupeiformes - - 1 4 Cypriniformes 61 68 47 5 Siluriformes 16 19 17 6 Mugiliformes - 1 1 7 Beloniformes 1 1 1 8 Cyprinodontiformes 3 2 1 9 Synbranchiformes 2 3 4 10 Perciformes 8 12 11 205
Table 50: Orderwise fish species restricted to any one geographical region in Maharashtra State. Sr.No Orders Western Ghats Deccan Plateau Satpuda Ranges of Maharashtra. 1 Osteoglossiformes - - - 2 Anguilliformes - - - 3 Clupeiformes - - 1 4 Cypriniformes 12 14 9 5 Siluriformes 6 4 6 6 Mugiliformes - - - 7 Beloniformes - - - 8 Cyprinodontiformes 1 - - 9 Synbranchiformes - 1 2 10 Perciformes - 3 3 EXOTIC FISHES OF GODAVARI RIVER BASIN The different exotic fishes acclimatized in Godavari River Basin as per A. Biju Kumar (2000) as follows: 1. Hypothalmichthys molitrix (Val.) 2. Hypothalmichthys nobilis (Richardson) 3. Cyprinus carpio Linnaeus 4. Ctenopharyngodon idella (Val.) 5. Gambusia affinis (Baird & Girard) 6. Lebistes reticulates (Peters) 7. Oreochromis mossambica (Peters) 206