Check List Fresh Water Fishes of India

About this book

Language: English

Despite extensive literature available on the subject, there still remain gaps in our knowledge of the freshwater fish fauna of India. Some species have not been collected since the early 19th century, and some species remain in synonymy due to constant misidentification. Another factor that has caused confusion in the taxonomy of several species o the peninsula is the poorly researched regional distribution lists of the fishes of the Western Ghats, which form the drainage divide between the west and east- flowing rivers of the region. Generally, most authors have made no distinction as to which species occur on either side of the divide, making it difficult to determine the correct identity of the fishes of the Western Ghats from a study of the literature alone.

The present checklist is based on a personal survey by the author of the peninsular rivers, especially the west flowing drainages of the Western Ghats. All available knowledge of the taxonomy and distribution of freshwater fishes of India has been taken into consideration in publishing the present list of valid species, numbering 446 primary freshwater fishes occurring within the political boundaries of continental India. For each species, the original reference to papers, especially those dealing with actual specimens obtained from the region, are given, Complete synonymies of all the species with the exact limits of distribution, habitat, maximum size attained and the status of threatened species according to IUCN criteria (1988) are also given.

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