systematics ,germplasm evaluation and pattern of distribution and abundance of freshwater fishes ...

731 Pages·2013·22.97 MB·English

T866
SYSTEMATICS, GERMPLASM EVALUATION
AND PATTERN OF DISTRIBUTION AND
ABUNDANCE OF FRESHWATER FISHES OF
KERALA (INDIA)
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THESIS SUBMITTED TO THE
COCHIN UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS
FOR THE DEGREE OF
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
BY
RADHAKRISHNAN K.V.
SCHOOL OF INDUSTRIAL FISHERIES
COCHIN UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
KOCHI - 682 O16
2006
Q)edi'ca ted to myfamiljr
DECLARATION
l, Radhakrishnan K.V., do hereby declare that the thesis entitled
“Systematics, Germplasm evaluation and pattern of distribution and
abundance of freshwater fishes of Kerala (lndia)" is a genuine record of
research work carried out by me under the guidance of Dr. B.
Madhusoodana Kurup, Professor, School of Industrial Fisheries, Cochin
University of Science and Technology, Kochi-1_6 and no part of the work has
previously formed the basis for the award of any Degree, Associateship and
Fellowship or any other similar title or recognition of any University or
institution.
@£'a/P
Kochi - 16 Radhakrishnan K.V.
July 2006
10-O7-2006
CERTIFICATE
This is to certify that the thesis entitled “Systematics, Germplasm evaluation
and pattern of distribution and abundance of freshwater fishes of Kerala
(lndia)" to be submitted by Sri. Radhakrishnan. K.V., is an authentic record of
research work carried out by him under my guidance and supervision in partial
fulfillment of the requirement for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy of Cochin
University of Science and Technol09Y, under the faculty of Marine Sciences.
_§I""'
“" Dr. B. Madhusoodana Kurup
(Supervising Teacher)
Dr. B. Madhusoodana Kurup
Professor
School of Industrial Fisheries
Cochin University of Science and Technology
Cochin- 682 016
Cochin-16
July~2006
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
l express my sincere gratitude to Prof. Dr. B. Madhusoodana Kurup,
School of Industrial Fisheries, Cochin University of Science and Technology
for his most valuable guidance, inspiring supervision and sparing his precious
time in this study. I have profited from his persistent advice and constructive
and simulative criticism.
I am grateful to Director, School of Industrial Fisheries, Cochin
University of Science and Technology for providing necessary facilities to
carry out this work successfully.
I wish to express my sincere thanks to NBFGR, Lucknow, for giving me
an opportunity to work as a Senior Research Fellow in the NAT-ICAR project
on "Germplasm inventory, evaluation and Gene banking of freshwater
fishes".
l owe special thanks to the Director, Zoological survey of India for giving
access to the type and non type specimens of fishes and also for granting
permission to avail the library facilities. Thanks are due to Dr. K. Remadevi
and T.J. Indra for their generous help in confirming the identity of the new
species and also other species collected as part of the study and rendering
relevant literatures.
I am deeply indebted to Dr. K.V. Jayalakshmy, Scientist-E, NIO,
Cochin for helping me to carry out the statistical part of this work. Thanks are
also due to Dr. C.C. Nair, Principal Scientist, KFRI, Peechi, for rendering the
computer packages for toposheets.
l would be remiss not to mention my gratitude to a number of fishermen
and many anonymous people all around Kerala who have aided and abetted
me throughout my tenure in this work. Special thanks are due to Mr.‘ M.D.
Mahesan, and Mr. Santhosh who assisted me in sampling sun/eys. ll feel
special indebtness to Mr, Jhony \/engooran, Mr. Kuriakose, Mr. Biju andMr.
James of Pooyamkutty without whose help, the access to the interiors of the
forests would not have been possible.
lneffable thanks are given to Mr. T.G. Manojkumar, my counterpart in
project work, for his inordinate and arduous efforts in making this work a
grand success.
l am greatly indebted to Dr. Joice V. Thomas, Mr. Venu, 8., Mr.
Premlal. P., Mrs. Sreedevi, 0., Dr. Hari B and Dr. Euphrasia, C.J, for their
valuable help, encouragement and constant support rendered for the
sumptuous fulfillment of this research work. Words of gratitude are also due
to Ms. Subhasree Sankar and Mr. Jhoney, Research Scholars at the School
of Industrial Fisheries and allmy friends at Kakkanad for their timely help.
My heartfelt gratitude to my loving uncle, C.P. Sunilkumar and other family
members for their continuous motivation and encouragement as well as for their kind
understanding and patience.
The assistance extended to me by Mr. Justin Thomas and Mr. Yesudas of
‘Colour Majic’ and Ms. Nisha K.H and Neez. K.H for the computerized preparation of
plates is acknowledged with immense gratitude.
Radhakrishnan. K.V.
CONTENTS
Chapter 1 General introduction 1-'22
Introduction
Review of Literature
Objectives
Organisation of Chapters
Chapter 2 Systematics 23-254
Chapter 3 Germplasm inventory and distribution pattern of fishes 255-353
in the river systems of Kerala
Chapter 4 Spatio-temporal variation in fish species abundance‘ 354-456
and assemblage in six major river systems
Chapter 5 Summary and suggestions for management and 457-472
conservation of freshwater fish germplasm resources of
Kerala
References 473-518
Appendix
Chapter 1
GENERAL INTRODUCTION
Cfiapter 1 Q‘enera[Intr0r{uctr'0n
1.1. Introduction
Biodiversity is the measure of variety of Life. The convention on
Biological diversity held at Janeva during 1992 proclaimed sovereign right
and responsibility for the member countries to conserve and utilize the
diverse resources for meeting the primary needs of growing populations. ln
conjunction with this, in 2000, “Ecosystem approach" has been identified as
the primary framework for the implementation of conservation plans and
recommended the application of its principles (Narain, 2000). At the heart of
this approach is the awareness that, without the -effective management of
ecosystems, there can be no economic development that generates
sustainable human and social welfare and on the other hand, without the full
engagement of diverse sectors of society, there can be no effective
biodiversity conservation (Daniels, 2001). The alarming deterioration of
ecosystems and habitats as a result of industrialization and population
expansion are the most serious threats facing which can even wipe out the
unique biodiversity of the earth (Matthews, 1998). Awareness of this fact is of
course, the reason for the materialization of the Convention on Biological
Diversity itself (Kottelat and Whitten, 1996).
Aquatic ecosystems and management are among the most discussed
topics today. The loss in biodiversity is much faster in aquatic systems than
the terrestrial environment (Moyle-and Williams, 1990) and this problem is
particularly acute in streams and rivers (Allan and Fecker, 1993; Allan, 1995).
Nelson (1994) opined that the loss of aquatic biodiversity is severe in
freshwaters, which represent only a meager 0.1% of earth‘s water wealth, yet
they harbour 40 % of the fish species so far recorded. Fishes are the key
$_y.rtematz'cs, germplbsm evaluation and pattern qf¢fz'stri'6uti0n anrfafiunrfance Qffresfzwaterfirfies 1
Cfiapter I Qzneraflntrozfuction
stone species, which determine the distribution and abundance of other
organisms in the ecosystem they represent and are good indicators of the
water quality and health of the ecosystem. However, nearly 20% of the
world's freshwater fish fauna is already extinct or in the verge of extinction
(Moyle and Leidy, 1992).
Knowledge of species and communities can reveal crucial facts
necessary for the management of ecosystems and habitats (Menon,1999).
Identification, listing and prioritization of species are one of the important
tasks in ecosystem conservation. lt is well known that species information
itself has many gaps in various taxon. In many cases, the species has not
been collected since its description and some species itself are still remain
buried in the synonymy due to constant misidentification (Menon, 1999).
Further, the paucity of specimens for taxonomic studies make it difficult to
ascertain the specific differences existing between different specimens.
Conservation of biodiversity also requires a thorough knowledge of the
community ecology and natural characteristics and processes that create,
support, or limit communities (Rathert et aI., 1999). The identification of
pattern in community structure, influence of biotic and abiotic factors and inter
and intra relationships over spatial and (or) temporal scales is a common prob­
lem with which community ecologists and bio-geographers struggle (Jackson
etal. 1992).
Briggs (1974) gives an account of the faunal strength of various
zoogeographic regions. The greatest number of fish species in the world
inhabits the south East Asian region. A noteworthy difference between the
freshwater fish fauna of south-east Asia and those of other tropical areas is
Systematics, germpfasin avafuatiorz ancfpattem 0f¢{z'stri'6utr'mi arzrfafizmcfance <f_fr'e.r/z'water'fi's/ies 2