2021 Vol.27 No.1 PP 113-124
https://doi.org/10.33451/florafauna.v27i1pp113-124
Ichthyofaunal Diversity of River Kapaleswari at Paschim Medinipur District of West Bengal, India
Arun Jana, Godhuli Sit and *Angsuman Chanda
Natural & Applied Sciences Research Centre,
Raja N. L. Khan Women’s College (Autonomous),
MIDNAPUR-721102, PASCHIM MEDINIPUR, (WEST BENGAL), INDIA.
*Corresponding Author :
Email : angsumanchanda@yahoo.in
ABSTRACT
The present study has been conducted on ichthyofaunal diversity of river Kapaleswari flowing through Paschim Medinipur district
of West Bengal, India. Results reveal the existence of 56 indigenous fish species under 22 families of 8 orders and the order
Perciformes represents the largest diversity with 8 families and 20 species. Cyprinidae is the most dominant family;
contributed 26.79% species. Two species namely Stigmatogobius sadanundio & Gobiopsis macrostoma have been first time recorded
from Paschim Medinipur district of West Bengal. Among the recorded fish species of Kapaleswari River, 47.07% were used as
food-fish, 1.79% used as ornamental & the remaining 57.14% were used as both food and ornamental. So, maximum fish species
have important socio-economic value for the development of local people proximate to the Kapaleswari River. The values of
the Shannon-Weaver index (H) range from ‘3.58’ to ‘3.79’ & the Simpson’s index (D) from ‘0.023’ to ‘0.032’ among the sampling
sites are indicative to diverse fish population in Kapaleswari River. The result of species evenness has been concluded that
individual species are near to disturb condition at Kapaleswari river. According to IUCN ver. 2020.1, status of the fishes
in the river depicts, 75% are Least Concern, 3.57% are Vulnerable, 8.93% are Near Threatened, 10.71% are Not Evaluated &
1.71% are Data Deficient. As per local status 71.42% of fishes of this river are under risk and need immediate conservation to
protect them from extinction. Hence, the work is a documentation of macro faunal diversity of Kapaleswari river as well as
regional level for helpful for future researchers and policy planners and also helpful to formulate the future policy for
conservation and management of the fish diversity in the river Kapaleswari.
Key words : Conservation, Diversity, Fish, Kapaleswari river, Ornamental, Perciformes, Socioeconomic