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FISH FAUNA OF TRIPURA, NORTH-EASTINDIA R.P. Barman2 Keywords: Tripura,fishfauna,biogeography Thepresentpaperdealswithasynopsisof129fishspeciesunder78genera,33familiesand 11orders fromtheriversofTripuragivingtheirscientificnamesalongwithlocalandEnglishnames.Biogeography ofthesefishesarealsodiscussed. Tripura is a hilly state lying in the sub- solidated accountofall the fishes so farknown Himalayanzone; its variousphysiographicalna- from Tripura. This account includes the fishes turehascontributedtotheformationofadiverse collectedby me and the fishes recordedby ear- fish fauna. Aperusalofthe existing literatureon lierworkers,namely Nair(1977), Datta (1977), the fishfaunaofTripurashowsthattherehasnot Lipton(1983-84),Bhattacharya(1988)andBar- been a comprehensive survey of the fish fauna man(1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992). Therivers potential andthere isnoconsolidated accountof of Tripura flow to the river Meghna in the fishes of the state. This region deserves an Bangladeshandthetopographicalconditionand extensivefishfaunalsurveytoassessspeciesnew hydrology hardly allow any riverine fishery tothe state andevennew to science. Anattempt withinTripura. Itis interestingtonotethatmost has, therefore, been made to conduct at a ofthe fishesofTripuraare commontoboththe thorough surveyofthefish faunalresources and Indo-Gangetic drainage and south-east Asian to prepare a consolidated account of the fish fishes. The occurrence of these fishes in the faunaofTripura.Threefieldsurveys(1985, 1989 sub-Himalayan region of Tripura is of special and 1990) covered almost all the important fish significance in the geography of fishes of the landing centres ofthe state. In thepreparationof North-Eastern India and that of the Indo- the present list offishes, I have also included all Malayan Archipelago. Thepresence ofsomeof thefishesrecordedbyearlierworkersinaddition the marine and estuarine fishes such as to my own collections. The fishes collected Pisodonophisboro HilsailishaandNematolosa , belong to 129 species under 78 genera, 32 nasus etc. in the rivers of Tripura may be ex- families and 11 orders, and comprise both plainedthatthesefishesmayhavemigratedfrom riverine and torrential stream forms, along with theBayofBengalthroughtheRiverGumtiwhich some freshwater-visiting marine fishes or, in falls into the River Meghna (in Comilla district otherwords, migratoryspecies. Thelistoffishes ofBangladesh)whichinturnfallsintotheBayof is given in Table 1 with scientific name, as well Bengal. Besides this River Gumti, the largest as local andEnglishnames. river of Tripura, the state has two tidal rivers, namely,theFennyandtheMuhuri,throughthese DiscussionandBiogeography twotidal rivers migrationofsome marine fishes This study is an attempt to provide a con- might be possible. The detailed systematic studiesof 129fishspeciesunder33 families and 1AcceptedJanuary 1992. 2ZoologicalSurveyofIndia,27,JawaharlalNehruRoad, 11 orders have alreadybeen completed and will Calcutta700016. be incorporatedinthe State FaunaofTripura. 38 JOURNAL, BOMBAYNATURALHIST.SOCIETY, Vol.91 (1994) Table 1 Scientificnames Localnames Englishnames Family: Anguillidae Anguillabengalensis bengalensis (Gray&Hardwicke) Eel Long-finnedeel Family: Ophichthidae 2. Pisodonophisboro (Hamilton-Buchanan) Ghaoura Low-finnedeel Family:Clupeidae 3. Hilsailisha (Hamilton-Buchanan) Dish Indianshad,Hilsashad 4. Gudusiachapra (Hamilton-Buchanan) Khoira,Chapila Gangesshad 5. Nematolosanasus(Bloch) Nil Bloch’sgizzardshad Family: Notopteridae 6. Notopteruschitala (Hamilton-Buchanan) Chital Humpedfeatherfish 7. Notopterusnotopterus (Pallas) Phouli Featherbackfish Family:Cyprinidae 8. Chela(Chela)cachius Chapkhowari, Chela (Hamilton-Buchanan) Kachhi 9. Chela(Chela)laubuca Chapkhowari, Wingedrasbora (Hamilton-Buchanan) Dankena,Layubuka 10. Salmostomabacaila (Hamilton-Buchanan) Chela,Jellahri Chela 11. Salmostomaclupeoides (Bloch) Selkona Chela 12. Hypophthalmichthysmolitrix (Valenciennes) Silvercarp Silvercarp 13. Esomusdanricus (Hamilton-Buchanan) Darkina Flyingbarb 14. Danioaequipinnatus (McClelland) Ghila Giantdanio 15. Daniodangila (Hamilton-Buchanan) Naptamach Danio FISHFAUNAOFTRIPURA,NORTH-EASTINDIA 39 Table 1 (Contd.) Scientificnames Localnames Englishnames 16. Daniodevario (Hamilton-Buchanan) Bashpata Danio 17. Daniorerio (Hamilton-Buchanan) Anju Zebrafish 18. Rasboradaniconiusdaniconius (Hamilton-Buchanan) Darkina Commonrasbora 19. Rasboraelanga (Hamilton-Buchanan) Elang Rasbora 20. Aspidopariajaya (Hamilton-Buchanan) Chola,Barila Aspidoparia 21. Aspidopariamorar (Hamilton-Buchanan) Morari,Morar Aspidoparia 22. Amblypharyngodonmola (Hamilton-Buchanan) Maka Mola,Indiancaiplet 23. Bariliusbarila (Hamilton-Buchanan) Gilland,Caedra Hilltrout 24. Bariliusbama (Hamilton-Buchanan) Bhola,Ghol Hilltrout 25. Bariliusbendelisis (Hamilton-Buchanan) Khoksa,Joia Hilltrout 26. Bariliusgatensis (Valenciennes) Nil Rivercarp 27. Bariliusnelsoni Barman Nil Hilltrout 28. Bariliusshacra (Hamilton-Buchanan) Koksha Hilltrout 29. Bariliustileo (Hamilton-Buchanan) Nil Hilltrout 30. Raimasbola (Hamilton-Buchanan) Bola,Bhola,Goha Hilltrout,Indiantrout 31. Cyprinuscarpiocarpio Carpio Commoncarp Linnaeus 32. Semiplotussemiplotus Badangi Kingfish (McClelland) 40 JOURNAL,BOMBAYNATURALHIST.SOCIETY, Vol91(1994) Table 1 (Contd.) Scientificnames Localnames Englishnames 33. Punituschola (Hamilton-Buchanan) Titputi Greenbarb 34. Puntiusclavatusclavatus (McClelland) Puti Nil 35. Puntiusconchonius (Hamilton-Buchanan) Kanchanputi Stigmabarb 36. Puntiusgelius (Hamilton-Buchanan) Puti Nil 37. Puntiussaranasarana (Hamilton-Buchanan) Swamaputi Olivecarp 38. Puntiussophore (Hamilton-Buchanan) Sarputi Stigmabarb 39. Puntiustictoticto (Hamilton-Buchanan) Titputi Firefinbarb 40. Osteobramacotiocotio (Hamilton-Buchanan) Gilakhani Cotio 41. Schismatorhynchus (Nukta)nukta(Sykes) Nil Kingfish 42. Labeobata (Hamilton-Buchanan) Bhangna Bata 43. Labeoboga (Hamilton-Buchanan) Bangumbata Burmesefish,Jamunafish 44. Labeocalbasu vHamilton-Buchanan) Kalbasu Calbasu,Orangefinlabeo 45. Labeogonius (Hamilton-Buchanan) Gonya Nil 46. Labeonandina (Hamilton-Buchanan) Nandin Nil 47. Labeopangusia (Hamilton-Buchanan) Loannee,Utti Nil 48. Labeorohita (Hamilton-Buchanan) Rui,Rohu Rohu 49. Chaguniuschagunio (Hamilton-Buchanan) Puti Nil FISHFAUNAOFTRIPURA,NORTH-EASTINDIA 41 Table 1 (Contd.) Scientificnames Localnames Englishnames 50. Torputitora (Hamilton-Buchanan) Mahasol Mahaseer 51. Tortor (Hamilton-Buchanan) Mahasol TorMahaseer 52. Cirrhinusmrigala Mrigala, Mrigal (Hamilton-Buchanan) Mrigal 53. Cirrhinusreba (Hamilton-Buchanan) Batta Reba 54. Catlacatla (Hamilton-Buchanan) Catla Catla 55. Ctenopharyngodonidella (Valenciennes) Grasscarp Grasscarp 56. Crossocheiluslatiuslatius (Hamilton-Buchanan) Kallabatta Latia 57. Garragotylagotyla (Gray) Ghorpoia Stonesucker Family:Psilorhynchidae 58. Psilorhynchusbalitora (Hamilton-Buchanan) Nil Nil 59. Psilorhynchussucatio (Hamilton-Buchanan) Nil Nil Family:Balitoridae 60. Noemacheilusbotia (Hamilton-Buchanan) Ranimach StripedLoach 61. Noemacheilusscaturigina (McClelland) Ranimach Loach 62. Noemacheilusspilopterus (Valenciennes) Ranimach Loach Family:Cobitidae 63. Botiadario (Hamilton-Buchanan) Ranimach Loach 64. BotiarostrataGunther Ranimach Loach 65. Somileptesgongota (Hamilton-Buchanan) Ghorpoia Nil 66. Lepidocephalus (Lepidocephalichthys) annandaleiChaudhuri Gunte,Gutum Loach 42 JOURNAL,BOMBAYNATURALHIST.SOCIETY, Vol91(1994) Table 1 (Contd.) Scientificnames Localnames Englishnames 67. Lepidocephalus Lepidocephalichthys ( ) berdmorei(Blyth) Gunte,Gutum Loach 68. Lepidocephalus (Lepidocephalichthys)guntea (Hamilton-Buchanan) Gunte,Gutum Loach Family:Bagridae 69. Ritarita (Hamilton-Buchanan) Reta Rita 70. Batasiobatasio (Hamilton-Buchanan) Batasio Batasio 71. Mystusbleekeri(Day) Tengra Nil 72. Mystuscavasius (Hamilton-Buchanan) Tengra Dwarfcatfish 73. Mystusvittatus(Bloch) Tengra Stripeddwarfcatfish 74. Aorichthysaor (Hamilton-Buchanan) Aor Longwhiskeredcatfish 75. Aorichthysseenghala (Sykes) Aor Giantrivercatfish Family: Siluridae 76. Ompokbimaculatus (Bloch) Pabda Buttercat-fish 77. Ompokpabda (Hamilton-Buchanan) Pabda Buttercat-fish 78. Wallagoattu(Schneider) Boal Freshwatershark Family:Schilbeidae 79. Ailiacoila (Hamilton-Buchanan) Kadali Ailia 80. Pseudeutropius atherinoides(Bloch) Patasi,Doya Nil 81. Clupisomagarua (Hamilton-Buchanan) Gaoura Gaura 82. ClupisomamontanaHora Goura Garua FISHFAUNAOFTRIPURA,NORTH-EASTINDIA 43 Table 1 (Contd.) Scientificnames Localnames Englishnames 83. Eutropiichthysmurius (Hamilton-Buchanan) Muribacha Vacha 84. Eutropiichthysvacha Bacha Vacha (Hamilton-Buchanan) 85. Siloniasilondia (Hamilton-Buchanan) Shilong,Silon Nil 86. Pangasiuspangasius (Hamilton-Buchanan) Pangash Pangash Family: Amblycipitidae 87. Amblycepsmangois (Hamilton-Buchanan) Nil Nil Family: Sisoridae 88. Bagariusbagarius (Hamilton-Buchanan) Bhagmach Bagarius,Goonch 89. Gagatacenia Jungla Gagata,Dwarf (Hamilton-Buchanan) blotchedcatfish 90. Nangraviridescens (Hamilton-Buchanan) Nil Nil 91. Erethistoidesmontana montanaHora Nil Nil 92. Harahara(Hamilton-Buchanan) Gagot Nil 93. Laguviaribeiroiribeiroi Hora Nil Nil 94. Glyptothoraxcavia (Hamilton-Buchanan) Nil Nil 95. Glyptothoraxconirostrae conirostrae(Steindachner) Nil Nil 96. Glyptothoraxtelchittatelchitta (Hamilton-Buchanan) Nil Nil Family:Clariidae 97. Clariasbatrachus (Linnaeus) Magur Airbreathingcatfish Family: Heteropneustidae 98. Heteropneustesfossilis (Bloch) Shing Stingingcatfish 44 JOURNAL, BOMBAYNATURALHIST.SOCIETY, Vol. 91 (1994) Table 1 (Contd.) Scientificnames Localnames Englishnames Family: Chacidae 99. Chacachaca (Hamilton-Buchanan) Kutkutya Chaca Family:Olyridae 100. OlyrakempiChaudhuri Bhotsinghi Nil 101. Olyralongicaudata McQelland Bhotsinghi Nil Family: Belonidae 102. Strongylurastrongylura (vanHasselt) Kakhya,Kankle Freshwatergarfish 103. Xenentodoncancila (Hamilton-Buchanan) Kakhya,Kankle Freshwatergarfish Family: Cyprinodontidae 104. Alocheiluspanchax (Hamilton-Buchanan) Techokko Lessertopminnow,Panchaxminnow, Family:Channidae 105. Channabarca (Hamilton-Buchanan) Chenga,Bora-cheng Nil 106. Channamarulius (Hamilton-Buchanan) Gajal Giantsnakeheadmurrel 107. Channaorientalis Schneider Cheng Brownsnakeheadfish 108. Channapunctatus(Bloch) Taki,Lata Greensnakeheadfish 109. Channastriatus (Bloch) Shol,Chena Stripedsnakeheadfish Family: Synbranchidae 110. Monopteruscuchia (Hamilton-Buchanan) Kuchia Freshwatereel,Cuchia Family:Chandidae 111. Chandabaculis Hamilton-Buchanan Chanda Glassyperchlet 112. Chandanama Hamilton-Buchanan Chanda Glassyperchlet 113. Chandaraga Hamilton-Buchanan Chanda Indianglassfish ))) FISHFAUNAOFTRIPURA,NORTH-EASTINDIA 45 Table1 (Contd.) Scientificnames Localnames Englishnames Family: Sciaenidae 114. Johniuscoitor (Hamilton-Buchanan) BolaBhetki Croakerfish Family: Nandidae 115. Badisbadis Hamilton-Buchanan Bot-koi Badis 116. Nandusnandus (Hamilton-Buchanan) Nadosh Nandus Family:Cichlidae 117. Oreochromismossambica (Peters) Tilapia Tilapia Family:Mugdlidae 118. Sicamugilcascasia (Hamilton-Buchanan Nadisbata,Parshey Yellowtailmullet 119. Rhinomugilcorsula (Hamilton-Buchanan Nadirbata Corsulamullet Family:Gobiidae 120. Glossogobiusgiuris (Hamilton-Buchanan) BelayorBhalia Bar-eyedgoby 121. Apocryptesbato (Hamilton-Buchanan) Cheng Nil Family:Anabantedae 122. Anabastestudineus (Bloch) Koi Climbingperch Family: Belontidae 123. Colisafasciata(Schneider) Khalisha Bandedcolisa 124. Colisasota (Hamilton-Buchanan ChunaKhalisha Nil Family:Osphronemidae 125. Osphronemusgoramy Lacepede Nil Gouramy Family:Masttacembelidae 126. Macrognathusaculeatus (Bloch) Goichi Lesserspinyeel 127. Mastacembelusarmatus Laceped Balm Spinyeel 4 46 JOURNAL, BOMBAYNATURALHIST.SOCIETY, Vol91(1994) Table1 (Contd.) Scientificnames Localnames Englishnames 128. Mastacembeluspancalus (Hamilton-Buchanan) Bairn Spinyeel Family:Tetraodontidae 129. Tetraodoncutcutia Tepa,Gangatape Ocellatedbowfish (Hamilton-Buchanan) Acknowledgements A.K. Ghosh, Joint Director and Mr T K Sen, Scientist"SD"oftheZoologicalSurveyofIndia, I thank Dr M.S. Jairajpuri, Director; Dr. Calcuttaforfacilities andencouragement. References Barman, R. P. (1988): The fishes of the river Gumti, coitor (Hamilton-Buchanan) (Pisces: Sciaenidae) Tripura,N.E.India.Rec.zool.Surv.India, Occ.Paper from Tripura, N.E. India. J. Bombay nat. Hist. Soc. No. 119: 1-86,figs. 74. 89(1): 135-136. Barman,R.P. (1989):Bariliusnelsoni anewcyprinidfish Bhattacharya, T. (1988): Final report ofthe Himalayan , (Pisces:Cyprinidae)fromTripura,N.E.India.J.Bom- Eco-DevelopmentProject.Integratedwatermanage- baynat. Hist. Soc., 86(2):213-215. ment of the Gumti river valley. Tripura University Barman, R. P. (1990): Nematolosanasus(Bloch) (Pisces: Publication,Agartala,Tripura. Clupeidae) a new record from the freshwaters of Datta,A.K.(1977):OnacollectionoffishesfromTripura Tripura.J. Bombaynat. Hist. Soc.87(3):464-465. state.Newsl. zool. Surv. India,3(4):217-223. Barman, R. P. (1991): An abnormal specimen of Channa Lipton,A.P.(1983-84):FishfaunaofTripura.Matsya,9& orientalisSchneider(Pisces: Channidae) fromTripura, 10: 110-118. N.E. India.J.Bombaynat.Hist. Soc.88(1): 124. Nair,P.V.(1977):ApreliminarylistofthefishesofTripura. Barman, R.P. (1992): New record of a croaker, Johnius Proc. 45thIndianSci. Cong.pi.3:367.