Ecology, Environment and Conservation Paper

ENDEMIC LARVIVOROUS FISH FAUNA IN VICINITIES OFSELECTED WATER BODIES OF DOON VALLEY (UTTARAKHAND)

N. Pemola Devi, Poonam Prabha Semwal and Shivani Farswan Department of Zoology, D.B.S. (P.G.) College, Dehradun 248 001, India

Abstract

Fish that are predators of immature stages of mosquitoes are referred to as larvivorous fish. Both exotic andindigenous fishes are used as biocontrol agent of pre adult mosquitoes. This study was conducted with apurpose to estimate diversity, habit-habitats and abundance of endemic larvivorous fish. Present studywas conducted during 2018-20, in the vicinity of three selected rivers i.e., Asan, Song and Suswa of Doonvalley. Collected fish were sorted and identified following standard keys and catalogues. Habit-habitat,species abundance, diversity indices and similarity index were estimated using standard formulae. A totalof 35 species of larvivorous fish under 5 orders, 8 families and 17 genera have revealed and listed based onhabit and habitat found. Different study areas showed variation in abundance of fish diversity. Suswa’ssites contribute highest number of species (32) followed by Asan (28) and Song (27). Water bodies likepond, river, stream, tank, water canal, swamp and rice field are the main habitats in the study sites. Highestnumber of fish species is shared by river (35) followed by stream (26), pond (25), water canal (23), rice field(19), tank (18) and swamp (16) in succeeding order. Channa punctata is recovered from all the consideredhabitats. Some fish are found to restrict in particular habitats in all sites. While estimating relative abundance(RA), Pethiaticto species shows highest in Asan’s sites and Song’s sites but in Suswa’s sites Channa punctatashowed highest abundance. None of the fish species shows dominant and eudominant status in abundance.Species richness, diversity, evenness, effective number of species are also estimated. Similarity index ofspecies diversity among the selected riverine sites are also calculated. Prior the adoption of fish as Biocontrol agents of mosquito, extensive knowledge on larvivorous fish, its features, diversity, distribution, habit andhabitat are required.