Freshwater fish diversity in hill streams of Saberi River in Eastern Ghats of Odisha, India

Abstract

Freshwater fish diversity of the hill streams of Saberi River (a major tributary of the Godavari River system) in Koraput district in Eastern Ghats of southern Odisha was studied from September 2017 to August 2019. Sites for the present study were located between Gupteswar Proposed Reserve Forest (PRF) of Odisha on the eastern side, and Kanger Valley National Park of Chhattisgarh on the western side. A total of 36 species of freshwater fish belonging to 24 genera, 13 families and six orders were recorded from the study sites, of which two species are exotic. Family Cyprinidae dominated with 14 species. Species richness and diversity is greater during the pre-monsoon months followed by post-monsoon and monsoon months respectively. The physico-chemical parameters of water in the study sites during all seasons are within prescribed limits for fish culture. Among the four major types of fish habitats identified in the study sites (riffles, runs, pools and logs), pools were the most preferred, and logs the least preferred habitat for the fishes. Habitat analysis indicated that deep pools and runs are the primary habitats contributing to the maximum species diversity, and therefore, protection of these particular habitats is recommended for conservation and management of ichthyodiversity.