Fish
diversity and its conservation in major wetlands of Mysore
A.G. Devi Prasad*,
G.V. Venkataramana and Mathew Thomas
Department
of Studies in Environmental Science, University
of Mysore, Manasagangotri, Mysore
- 570 006, India
(Received: August 29, 2006; Revised
received: June
17, 2007; Accepted: August 13, 2007)
Abstract: The paper highlights the fish
diversity in major wetlands of Mysore
district, Karnataka, India and its conservation status.
Forty-five species of fishes belonging to 15 families, 31 genera have been
identified. Fish species belonging to genus Puntius
were more common in many of these lakes. However, it was observed that the fish
diversity was decreasing since last two years unprecedently,
mainly due to manifold human activities. Fish diversity in the lakes is
becoming rare and about seven species were identified as endangered. Out of the
45 identified fishes, six fish species were identified as threatened species. Tor khudree,
also known as Deccan
mahseer and seven other species were identified as
vulnerable fish species. Though there were 40 species of fish endemic to this
region, their number decreased with introduction of more exotic species.
Conservation of endemic fishes, propagation of endangered and threatened fishes
should be therefore, undertaken to preserve and protect fish diversity in the
wetlands of Mysore
district.
Key
words: Fish, Lakes, Diversity,
Endemic, Exotic, Endangered, Threatened
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