Fish Fauna of the River Ravi and Its Some Tributaries with a New Record of Ailia puncata and Clupisoma naziri for Punjab State and Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, India

Abstract

Fish fauna of the river Ravi and its some tributaries in and from earlier and present survey from Ranjit Sagar dam to Kathour, Pathankot, Punjab, including Kathua district, has revealed the presence of 97 fish species belonging to 8 orders, 18 families and 53 genera. Among various orders, there is dominance of Cypriniformes (54 spp.) followed by Siluriformes (26 species), Percformes (9 species), Synbranchiformes (3 species), Osteoglossiformes (2 species) and Clupeiformes, Salmoniformes and Beloniformes (1 species, each). The list also includes a new record of Ailia punctata and Clupisoma naziri (reported earlier from Pakistan) for Punjab state and Union territory of Jammu and Kashmir. Salmo trutta fario noticed in Sewa River is also included in the present list. Like other Indian states, fish fauna is rapidly declining due to overfishing, fishing during monsoon breeding and illegal fishing methods (Dynamiting, electric shocking, poisoning etc.). Conservation status based on IUCN observations has also been discussed.