First report of Barilius bendelisis (Ham.-Buch.) from a west flowing river Chalakudy in Kerala

2 Pages·1998·1.5 MB·

by  K Raju Thomas

MISCELLANEOUS NOTES
References
&
Easa, P.S. C.P. Shaji (1997): Freshwater fish diversity Anamalai and Nelliampathi hill ranges (Western
in KeralapartofNilgiri Biosphere Reserve. Curr. Ghats) with notes on its Zoogeographical
Sci. 73(2): 180-182. significances. J. Bombay nat. Hist. Soc. 49: 670-
Hora, S.L. & N.C. Law (1941): The freshwater fish of 681.
Travancore. Rec. Indian Mus. XLIII: 387-393. Silas, E.G. (1951b): On a newCyprinid fish from Coorg,
Rajan, S. (1955): Notes on a collection offish from the South India. J. Zool. Soc. India. 3(1): 7-10.
headwaters of the Bhavani river, South India. J. Silas, E.G. (1952): Fishes from the high range of
Bombay nat. Hist. Soc. 53: 45-48. Travancore.J. Bombaynat. Hist. Soc. 50: 323-330.
Remadevi, K. & T.J. Indra(1986): FishesofSilentValley. Talwar, P.K. & A.G. Jhingran (1991): Inland fishes of
Rec. Zool. Surv. India. 84(1-4): 243-257. India and adjacent countries. Oxford & IBH
Silas, E.G. (1951a): On a collection of fishes from Publishing Co., New Delhi.
FIRST REPORT OF BARILIUS BENDELISIS (HAM.-BUCH.)
24.
FROM A WEST FLOWING RIVER CHALAKUDY IN KERALA
m
Barilius bendelisis (Ham.-Buch.) is one above msl in Parambikulam Wildlife
of the principal hillstream fishes in the rivers Sanctuary. Chalakudyriver is a westflowing over
ofJammu. It is characterised by eight to twelve originating from the Anaimalai hill ranges. This
dark bands descending towards the lateral line species occurs in smaller numbers, compared to
which become indistinct as spots in the adult, the related common species Barilius gatensis
and lateral line scales with two black spots at (Val.) in that locality. The temperature of the
their base. It was reported throughout India water was 24.8°C andthe dissolved oxygen value
except Kerala (Talwar and Jhingran 1991). It was 8.2 ppm.
was reported from Periyar lake, Thekkady by In Kerala, Barilius bendelisis (Ham.-
Chacko (1948), but later Jayaram (1981) and Buch.) has not been reported from west flowing
Talwar and Jhingran (1991) deemed the reports rivers. Thus, the present report of the species is
as eiToneous. Rajan (1955) reported it from the the fustreport from a west flowing river in Kerala
Bhavani river, South India, but the collection State.
site was not mentioned. Bhavani river (a
tributary of Cauvery) is one of the main east Acknowledgement
flowing rivers in Kerala.
Easa and Shaji (1995) have reported We thank Dr. K. Remadevi, Scientist,
this species from the Pambar river, Chinnar ZSI, Southern Regional Station, Chennai,
Wildlife Sanctuary, Kerala. This report for confirming the identification of our
confirmed the occurrence of this species in specimens.
Kerala and was also its first report in Kerala.
Hitherto, this species was reported only from December 12, 1997 RAJU THOMAS, K.
Bhavani and Pambar rivers, in Kerala. Both BIJU, C.R.
these rivers are east flowing. So far this species AJITH KUMAR, C.R.
has not been reported from the west flowing Bombay Natural History Society,
rivers in Kerala. Hornbill House, Dr. Salim Ali Chowk,
We record here this species from Shaheed Bhagat Singh Road,
Tekkadiar, tributary of Chalakudy river, at 540 Mumbai 400 023.
520 JOURNAL BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY, 95(3) DEC. 1998
.
MISCELLANEOUS NOTES
References
Chacko, P.L. (1948): Development of fisheries of the ibid. 33: 347-379.
Periyar lake J. Bombay nat. Hist. Soc. 48: 191- Rajan, S. (1955): Notes on a collection offish from the
192. headwatersofthe Bhavaniriver, SouthIndia, ibid.
&
Easa, P.S. C.P. Shaji (1993): Fresh water fishes of 53: 45-48.
Pambarriver, ChinnarWildlife Sanctuary, Kerala Silas, E.G. (1951a): On a collection of fishes from
J. Bombay nat. Hist. Soc. 93: 304-306. Anamalai and Nelliampathi hill ranges (Western
Hora, S.L. & N.C. Law (1941): The fresh water fish of Ghats) with notes on its zoogeographical
Travancore. Rec. Indian Mus. XLIII: 387-393. significance, ibid. 49: 670-681
Hora, S.L. & K.K. Nair(1941): Newrecords freshwater Silas, E.G. (1951b): Fishes from the high range of
fishes from Travancore. ibid. 43: 387-393. Travancore. ibid. 50: 323-330.
&
John, C.C. (1936): Fishes ofTravancore. J. Bombay nat. Talwar, P.K. A.G. Jhingran (1991): Inland fishes of
Hist. Soc. 38: 702-733. India and adjacent countries. Oxford & IBH
Pillay, R.S.N. (1929): A list offishes from Travancore. Publishing Co.,NewDelhi.
NEW RECORD OF A RARE LOACH NOEMACHEILUS MONILIS FROM
25.
ANAIMALAI HILLS, WESTERN GHATS, TAMIL NADU
Noemacheilus monilis was originally the Cauvery system. This is the first record of
described by Hora in 1921, based on two this species south of the Palghat Gap in the
specimens collected from Bhavani river, Anaimalai Hills.
mm
Mettupalayam, Nilgiris. Ithas subsequentlybeen Description: 1 ex., 39.0 SL, Reg. No.
reported only once from the same locality by F. 5218, ZSI/SRS, Chinnar River, Anaimalai
Rajan (1955) who found only two specimens. Hills, 7.viii.1997, Coll. M.B. Raghuanathan.
&
Rajan (1965) also studied its ecology and food D. 3/8; P. 1/9 1/10; V. 8; A. 3/5; C. 19;
habits. The fish were found to feed on L. 1. complete.
ephemeropteran and dipteran larvae, besides The morphometric details ofthe specimen
coleopterans and hemipterans. Jayaram et al. are as follows (in mm): Total length 49.0,
(1982) in their fish fauna ofthe Cauvery system standard length 39.0, headlength 9.8, body depth
listed this species only on the basis of earlier 5.6, length ofsnout 4.0, eye diameter 2.0, inter-
records. Menon (1987), in his revision of orbital width 2.8, length ofbarbels: inner rostral
Noemacheilus, based his description of N. 3.6, outer rostral 4.5, maxillary 3.2, predorsal
monilis on the two type specimens only. The distance 20.2, post-dorsal distance 19.3, distance
extensive faunal collections from the Nilgiris, from pectoral fin base to pelvic fin base 11.3,
made by the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) from pelvic fin to anal fin 10.2, from anus to
have no representatives ofthis species. However, anal fin 1.9, length ofcaudalpeduncle 5.3, height
Easa and Shaji (1997) reported its presence in of caudal peduncle 4.5, height of dorsal fin 6.4,
abundance in part of the Nilgiri Biosphere length ofpectoral fin 7.4, length ofpelvic fin. 6.2,
Reserve in Kerala. All the reports so far have length of anal fin 5.6.
been from areas of the Nilgiris north of the In all the biometric characters, body
Palghat Gap in the Western Ghats. proportions and colour pattern, the specimen
During a recent survey of the Indira agrees with the description given by Menon
Gandhi Wildlife Sanctuary by the ZSI, the third (1987). The only difference observed, also
author collected this species from the Chinnar, a mentioned by Rajan (1955), is the presence of 8
small rivulet flowing eastwards and draining into branched rays in the dorsal fin.
JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY, 95(3), DEC. 1998 521