21. Fish Fauna of Idukki and Neyyar Wildlife Sanctuaries Southern Kerala, India

4 Pages·2000·2.8 MB·

by  K Raju Thomas

.
MISCELLANEOUSNOTES
References
Ahlander,Erik(1988):Monotretatravancorica-enrund fishfromTravancore.Rec. IndianMus.XLIII(3):
ochmycketlitenfisk.FaunaOchFlora5:208-211 387-393.
Biju. C.R., K. RajuThomas & C.R. Ajithkumar(1999): Inasu,N.D. (1993): Sexual dimorphism ofa freshwater
OccurrenceofTetraodontravancoricus(Horaand pufferfish,Tetraodon(Monotretus)travancoricus
Nair)intheChalakudy,PeriyarandKecheryrivers, Hora and Nair, collected from Trichur district,
Kerala.J. Bombaynat. Hist. Soc. 96(1): 161. CentralKerala,J.Bombaynat.Hist.Soc. 90:523-
Britz, R. & M. Kottelat (1999): Carinotetraodon 524.
imitator, anewfreshwaterpufferfish from India RemaDevi,K.,T.J.Indra&K.J.Emilyamma(1996):On
(Teleostei:Tetraodontiformes).J.South.AsianNat. the fish collections from Kerala, deposited in
Hist. 4(1):39-47,9fig. SouthernRegional Station,Zoological Surveyof
Hora,S.L.&K.K.Nair(1941):Notesonthefishesinthe IndiabyNRMStockholm.Rec. zool. Surv. India
IndianMuseumXLI,Newrecordsoffreshwater 95(3-4): 129-146.
21. FISH FAUNAOF IDUKKI ANDNEYYARWILDLIFE SANCTUARIES
SOUTHERN KERALA, INDIA
Kerala state, though small, has 44 rivers, (1996) recorded six species in addition to
and a large number of dams have been Chacko’s (1948) list. Menon and Jacob (1996)
constructed across many rivers in order to use described a new Cyprinid fish Crossocheilus
thewaterforirrigationandhydroelectricprojects. periyarensis from PTR. Zacharias et al. (1996)
Thesedamsaremostlyintheforests,hencetheir collected 35 species from PTR. Very recently,
catchment areas have to be protected. Keeping Zacharias and Minimol (1999) reported
this in mind, forests around many reservoirs of NemacheilusmenoniasanewspeciesfromPTR.
dams have been constituted as wildlife FishfaunastudiesofChinnarWildlifeSanctuary
sanctuaries. Such sanctuaries are intended to were carried out by Easa and Shaji (1996) and
ensure preservation of natural conditions RajuThomas etal. (1999a). Recently Biju etal.
necessary to protect nationally significant (1999) recorded 40 fish species from the
species, biotic communities orphysical features ParambikulamWildlifeSanctuary.Ichthyofaunal
ofthe environment (Basha 1997). studies of the Eravikulam National Park were
The freshwater fish fauna studies of undertaken by Raju Thomas et al.(1999b). The
sanctuariesandnationalparksinsouthernKerala presentstudygivesinformationonthestatusand
have gained the attention ofvarious researchers distribution of fishes in the Idukki and Neyyar
in the past, of which several studies were Wildlife Sanctuaries.
conducted in the Periyar Tiger Reserve (PTR). Idukki Wildlife Sanctuary is situated in
Raj (1941a, b) described three new fish from Idukki district above the Idukki arch dam (9°
Periyar lake, namely Lepidopygopsis typus, 45'-9° 55' N; 76° 50’-77° 05' E). The Sanctuary
Barbus (Puntius) ophicephalus and Barbus is drained by Periyar river and its tributary
(Puntius) micropogon periyarensis. Chacko Cheruthoni river. Idukki reservoir is formed by
(1948) listed 35 species of fishes from Periyar theconstructionofthreedamsacrossPeriyarand
lake (PTR), and according to himmahseer (Tor Cheruthoni river. Cherian (1990) studied the
khudree)isthecommonestfishinthelake. Indra impact ofreduction inthe water flow below the
andRemaDevi(1990)collected 19speciesfrom Idukkidams,inthePeriyarriver.Detailedstudies
Thekkady Wildlife Reserve (PTR). Arun et al. conducted by Kurup (1983) on the dead
JOURNAL, BOMBAYNATURAL HISTORYSOCIETY, 97(3),DEC. 2000 443
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MISCELLANEOUS NOTES
specimensfromthesewatersin 1980-83revealed Peppara WLS (north) and Agasthya Vanam
thatthe fishes had dieddue to the high levels of Biological Park, Thiruvananthapuram district,
toxicity in the water. The state boundaries of the Sanctuary are the
Neyyar Wildlife Sanctuary is the Mundanthurai and Kalakkad Sanctuaries in
southernmost protected area ofKerala (8° 30'- Tamil Nadu (Nair 1991). This Sanctuary is
8° 37 N, 77° 8'-77° 17' E). It is very near to drainedby the Neyyar river and its tributaries.
Table1 Table1(contd)
FISHESCOLLECTEDFROMIDUKKINEYYAR FISHESCOLLECTEDFROMIDUKKINEYYAR
WILDLIFESANCTUARIESANDTHEIRABUNDANCE WILDLIFESANCTUARIESANDTHEIRABUNDANCE
S.No. Species Idukki Neyyar S.No. Species Idukki Neyyar
I.Family:Anguillidae VII.Family:Heteropneustidae
1. Anguillabengalensis(Gray) ++ + 32. Heteropneustesfossilis(Bloch) + -
II.Family:Cyprinidae VIII.Family:Siluridae
2. Catlacatla(Ham.) ++ ++ 33. Ompokbimaculatus(Bloch) ++ ++
3. CyprinuscarpiocommunisLinn. +++ ++ 34. Wallagoattu(Schneider) ++ ++
4. Hypselobarbuscurmuca(Ham.) +++ -
5. H.kuraliMenon&RemaDevi ++ ++ IX.Family:Sisoridae
6. Labeorohita(Ham.) ++ ++ 35. Glyptothoraxmadraspatanus(Day) + -
7. Barbodescarnaticus(Jerdon) ++ ++
8. B.saranasubnasutus(Val.) ++ ++ X.Family:Belonidae
9. Puntiusamphibius(Val.) +++ +++ 36. Xenentodoncancila(Ham.) ++ ++
10. P.arulius(Jerdon) - +++
11. P.filamentosus(Val.) +++ +++ XI.Family:Aplocheilidae
12. P.melanampyx(Day) ++ ++ 37. Aplocheiluslineatus(Val.) +++ +++
13. P.ticto(Ham.) +++ -
14. Torkhudree(Sykes) +++ +++ XII.Family:Nandidae
15. Salmostomaboopis(Day) - ++ 38. PristolepismarginataJerdon - ++
16. BariliusbakeriDay ++ +++
17. B.gatensis(Val.) ++ ++ XIII.Family:Ambassidae
18. Danioaequipinnatus(McClelland) +++ ++ 39. Parambassisthomassi(Day) +++ ++
19. D.malabaricus(Jerdon) - +++
20. Parluciosomadaniconius(Ham.) ++++ +++ XIV.Family:Cichlidae
21. Garramullya(Sykes) +++ +++ 40. Etroplusmaculatus(Bloch) +++ +++
41. E.suratensis(Bloch) ++ +
III.Family:Balitoridae 42. Oreochromismossambica(Peters) +++ +++
22. Bhavaniaaustralis(Jerdon) ++ ++
23. NoemacheilusguentheriDay ++ ++ XV.Family:Gobidae
24. N.triangularisDay ++ ++ 43. Glossogobiusgiuris(Ham.) ++ -
IV.Family:Cobitidae XVI.Family:Channidae
25. Lepidocephalusthermalis(Val.) - ++ 44. Channamarulius(Ham.) ++ +
45. C.orientalis(Bloch&Schneider) + +
V.Family:Bagridae
26. Horabagrusbrachysoma(Gunther) + XVII.Family:Mastacembelidae
27. Mystusarmatus(Day) +++ ++ 46. Mastacembelusarmatus(Lacepede) ++ ++
28. M.malabaricus(Jerdon) - ++
29. M.oculatus(Val.) +++ ++ Total 40 38
30. M. vittatus(Bloch) + -
VI.Family:Claridae (+)_yery rare> (++)= Rare, (+++)= Common, (++++)
31 ClanasbatrachusLinn + - Verycommon,(-)=Absent
444 JOURNAL BOMBAYNATURAL HISTORYSOCIETY, 97(3), DEC 2000
MISCELLANEOUSNOTES
SampleswerecollectedfromOctober 1998 Anguilla bengalensis, Etroplus suratensis,
toApril 1999to studythe status anddistribution Channa marulius and C. orientalis.
offishfauna. Samplingwasdoneusingcastnets,
hooks and a modified form ofcastnet for small Acknowledgements
fish. The specimens were preserved in 10%
formalin. WethanktheUSFishandWildlifeService
A total of 40 species belonging to 16 and the Ministry of Environment and Forests,
families and 29 genera were collected from the Govt of India, for sponsoring the project on
Idukki Sanctuary, and 38 species belonging to “Ecology ofhill streams ofthe Western Ghats
13 families and 26 genera were recorded from with special reference to fish community”.
the Neyyar Sanctuary (Table 1). Three culture Dr. K. Rema Devi, Scientist, Zoological Survey
fishes were collected fromboth the sanctuaries. of India, Chennai for confirming our
Most of the species are widely distributed in identifications. Mr. J.C. Daniel, Hon. Secretary,
KeralaandotherpartsoftheWesternGhats.The Dr. Asad R. Rahmani, Director and Dr. B.F.
followingeightspecieswerecollectedonlyfrom Chhapgar of the BNHS, for encouragement.
the Idukki WLS: Hypselobarbus curmuca, Dr. R. Sugathan, Thattekad Bird Sanctuary,
Puntius ticto, Horabagrus brachysoma, Mystus Kerala, Drs. S. Alagarajan, Ranjit Manakadan,
vittatus, Clarias batrachus, Heteropneustes S. Balachandran and G. Maheswaran of the
fossilis, Glyptothorax madraspatanus and BNHS, and the forest officials of Idukki and
Glossogobiusgiuris.Afewspecieswerecollected NeyyarWildlife Sanctuaries for help.
only from the Neyyar WLS, namely Puntius
arulius, Daniomalabaricus, Salmostomaboopis, April 26, 2000 K. RAJU THOMAS
Lepidocephalusthermalis,Pristolepismarginata C.R. BIJU*
andMystusmalabaricus. Theabundanceofthese C.R. AJITHKUMAR
species is given in Table I. Hypselobarbus Bombay NaturalHistory Society,
curmuca was seen abundantly in Idukki WLS HornbillHouse, S.B. Singh Road,
and Tor khudree was collected in plenty from Mumbai 400 023, Maharashtra, India.
Idukki reservoir and below Meenmutty ^PresentAddress: Chemmandaparambil (H),
waterfalls, Neyyar WLS. Glyptothorax P.O. Chembuchira 680 684,
madraspatanus, Clarias batrachus, Thrissur (Dt), Kerala, India.
Heteropneustes fossilis, Horabagrus M. JOHN GEORGE
brachysoma, Channa orientalis and Mystus Mar Thoma Collegefor Women,
vittatus were foundtobe very rare in the Idukki Perumbavoor, Ernakulam,
WLS. InNeyyarWLS,theveryrarespecieswere Kerala 683542, India.
ReferENCES
Arun,L.K.,C.P.Shaji&P.S.Easa(1996):Recordofnew Fishes of Parambikulam Wildlife Sanctuary,
fishesfromPeriyarTigerReserve.J.Bombaynat. PalakkadDistrict,Kerala.J.Bombaynat.Hist.Soc.
Hist. Soc. 93(1): \03. 96(1):82-87.
Basha, S.C. (1997): Management and Conservation of Chacko,P.I.(1948):DevelopmentoffisheriesofthePeriyar
Wildlife.TheNaturalResourcesofKerala.EdsK. lake.J. Bombaynat. Hist. Soc. 48: 191-192.
BalachandranThampi,N.M.NayarandC.S.Nair. Cherjan,P.T.(1990):Studiesonsomeecologicalimpacts
World Wide Fund for Nature-India, ofthe reduction in the flow ofwater below the
Thiruvananthapuram. Idukki dams, in the Periyarriver in Kerala Rec.
Bijtj, C.R., K. RajuThomas &C.R. Ajithkumar(1999): zool. Surv. India86(3& 4):437-442.
JOURNAL, BOMBAYNATURAL HISTORYSOCIETY, 97(3),DEC. 2000 445
.
MISCELLANEOUSNOTES
Easa, P.S. & C.P. Shaji (1996): Freshwater fishes of Raj, S.B. (1941b): Two new Cyprinid fishes from
Pambarriver,ChinnarWildlifeSanctuary,Kerala. Travancore,southIndia,withremarksonBarbus
J. Bombaynat. Hist. Soc. 93(2): 304 306. (Puntius)micropogonCuv.&Val.Rec.Ind.Mus.
Indra,T.J.&K.RemaDevi(1990):Onasmallcollection 43:375-386.
offishfromThekkadyWildlifeSanctuary,Western RajuThomas,K.,C.R.Biju&C.R.Ajithkumar(1999a):
Ghats.Rec.zool. Surv. India. 87(3):249-257. AdditionstothefishfaunaofPambarriver,Kerala.
Kurup,M.B.(1983):Studiesonthesystematicsandbiology J. Bombaynat. Hist. Soc. 96(2):330-332.
ofthefishesoftheVembanadlake.Ph.D.Thesis, RajuThomas,K.,C.R.Biju.,C.R.Ajithkumar&M.John
UniversityofCochin,Kochi.Pp.300. George (1999b): Ichthyofauna of Eravikulam
Menon, A.G.K. & P.C. Jacob (1996): Crossocheilus National Park with notes on trout culture in
periyarensisanewCyprinidfishfromThanikudy Rajamalai, Munnar, Kerala.J. Bombaynat. Hist.
(Thekkady), Kerala, India. J. Bombay nat. Hist. Soc. 96(2): 199-202.
Soc. 93(1):62-64. — Zacharias,V.J.,A.K.Bhardwaj&P.C.Jacob(1996):Fish
Nair, S.C. (1991): The Southern Western Ghats a faunaofPeriyarTigerReserveJ.Bombaynat.Hist.
biodiversity conservation plan, INTACH, 'New Soc. 93(1):39-43.
Delhi. Zacharias, V.J. &K.C. Minimol(1999): Noemacheilus
Raj, S.B. (1941a): AnewgenusofSchizothoracinefish menoni, a new species offish from Malappara,
fromTravancore, southIndia. Rec. Ind. Mus. 43: PeriyarTigerReserve,Kerala.J.Bombaynat.Hist
209-214. Soc. 96(2):288-290.
22. ECTEINASCIDIA SLUITERIHERDMAN (PEROPHORIDAE), A NEW RECORD
OFACOLONIALASCIDIAN(PROCHORDATA)TO INDIANWATERS
(With one text-figure)
A colonial ascidian, Ecteinascidiasluiteri Synonymy: Ecteinascidia sluiteri
Herdman 1906isreportedforthefirsttimefrom Herdman, 1906, p. 300. Tokioka, 1950, p. 126.
Ervadi coastofTamilNadu, India. So faronly4 Millar, 1975, p. 267. Kott, 1985, p. 98.
species ofthe genus Ecteinascidia are reported Taxonomy: Class: Ascidiacea, Order:
fromIndia(Das 1938; Renganathan 1984, 1986; Enterogona, Suborder: Phlebobranchia, Family:
Renganathan and Krishnaswamy 1985). Of Perophoridae, Genus: Ecteinascidia, Species:
these, Ecteinascidia bombayensis was reported sluiteri.
from the west coast, whereas the other three Description: The colony consists of
species, Ecteinascidia garstangi, E. imperfecta, uprightzooids, 0.7 x 0.3 cm, attachedby a short
E. krishnani were from the east coast. The stalk fromtheposteroventral comer ofthe body
specimen studied has been deposited in the to a common basal mat of stolons. Branchial
NationalCollectionsoftheZoologicalSurveyof apertureterminalandatrialaperturesubterminal.
India, Chennai (AS. 16). Bothapertures onvery low, conical siphons and
haveinconspicuouslobes.Testtransparent,firm,
Ecteinascidia sluiteri Herdman 1906 naked Zooids arepale greeninlife,butbecome
Occurrence and distribution: A few colourless in preservative.
individuals of a damaged colony attached to The body wall is thin, delicate,
calcrete stones were collected from the littoral vascularised, andthe arrangement ofmuscles is
zone ofthe Ervadi coast (9° IP N; 78° 43’ E). peculiar, inthatthe transverse muscles are short
This species has been previously reported from and grouped to form three longitudinal bands
Sri Lanka (Herdman 1906), Palau Islands (onemid-dorsalandtwolateral).Ontheleftside,
(Tokioka 1950), Singapore (Millar 1975) and the band does not extend beyond the gut loop.
Australia (Kott 1985). Circular and longitudinal muscles are present
446 JOURNAL, BOMBAYNATURAL HISTORYSOCIETY, 97(3), DEC. 2000