Comparative osteology of Bangana spp. (Cyprinidae) with special reference to their taxonomic significance in north-east India

Abstract

The osteological study of the fishes of genus Bangana comprising to two species Bangana dero (Hamilton, 1822) and Bangana devdevi (Hora, 1936) from North-East India was undertaken to identify the variations in shape and relative arrangement of skull bones to validate the taxonomic status of species. Supraethmoid, ethmoid, vomer, parasphenoid, lachrymal, suborbital bones, orbitosphenoid, pharyngeal process, dentary, parietal and pharyngeal teeth were studied which shows species specific difference in their shapes, whereas sphenotic, ectopterygoid, metapterygoid and quadrate depicted differences in their relative arrangements of bones in both species. The total number of vertebral counts were 33 and 31 in B. dero (Hamilton, 1822) and B. devdevi (Hora, 1936) respectively. The caudal skeleton also inferred species specific variation with respect to bifurcation in neural spine, placement of epural and number of unbranched lepidotrichs against hypural plate and parhypural. These osteological characters are helpful to validate both the species.