A preliminary study on ichthyofaunal diversity of Diplai Beel of Kokrajhar district of Assam, India

Abstract

The present study deals with the ichthyofaunal diversity of Diplai Beel of Kokrajhar District, Assam, India where 67 number of fish species including 4 exotic fish belonging to 49 genera under 25 families from 8 orders is recorded. Among the recorded fish species 1 species is recorded as vulnerable, 2 species are data deficient, 7 species are near threatened, 54 species are least concern, 1 species is endangered and other 2 species are not evaluated. The 25 different families recorded in the study are Belonidae, Clupeidae, Cyprinidae, Nemacheilidae, Cobitidae, Badidae, Ambassidae, Anabantidae, Channidae, Gobiidae, Sisoridae, Amblycipitidae, Pangasidae, Osphronemidae, Nandidae, Bagridae, Clariidae, Tetraodontidae, Chacidae, Heteropneustidae, Schilbeidae, Siluridae, Synbranchidae, Mastacembelidae and Notopteridae. The present study shows that Cyprinidae is the most dominant family with 25 number of species contributing about 37% of the 25 recorded family followed by Bagridae (10%). The study also reveals that the Diplai Beel is rich in fish diversity.