Ecology, Environment and Conservation Paper

TAXONOMIC CONSIDERATION AND DISTRIBUTIONAL RANGE EXTENSION OF OSTEOCHILICHTHYS THOMASSI UP TO SUBARNAREKHA BASIN OF WEST BENGAL, INDIA

Arun Jana, Godhuli Sit and Angsuman Chanda

Abstract

Osteochilichthys thomassi is a small endemic freshwater fish of Western Ghats region found in Krishna and Kaveri river of south India. Currently the species has been reported by Ali and his co-workers from Tami Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. Present work reveals that the species is available in the Subarnarekha basin of West Bengal (Silda under Binpur-II). Therefore, O. thomassi is a widely distributed species, supporting Dahanukar observation and extends its distribution up to south-eastern part of India.