BIOLOGIA (PAKISTAN) 2014, 60 (1), 149-152
PKISSN 0006 – 3096 (Print)
ISSN 2313 – 206X (On-Line)
REVIEW ARTICLE
Longitudinal Zonation in the Fish Fauna of the Indus River in Pakistan
*MUHAMMAD RAMZAN MIRZA1 and ZAHID SHARIF MIRZA2
1
Department of Zoology, GC University, Lahore, Pakistan
Fisheries Research and Training Institute, PO Batapur, Lahore, Pakistan
2
ABSTRACT
More than 180 species of freshwater fishes are found in the river Indus in Pakistan. The species of the
river change gradually from the headwaters to mouth of the Indus. In the paper changes in the families and
genera have been discussed. The longitudinal zonation of genera of fish has been highlighted.
Keyword: Ichthyofauna, Indus, Longitudinal Zonation, Pakistan, River Continuum Concept.
_______________________________________________________________________________________
INTRODUCTION
The River Continuum Concept hypothesizes
that in large rivers, from headwaters to mouth, the
riverine ecosystem present a continuous gradient of
physical conditions that lead to changes in structural
and functional characteristics of the fluvial
environment resulting in changes in biotic
communities along the length of a river(Vannote et
al., 1980).The distribution of the biota along the
length of river Indus provides a typical example of
the River Continuum Concept. The present paper
describes the changes in fish fauna along the length
of River Indus in Pakistan.
River Indus originates near Mount Kailas
(6,714 masl) in the Gangdise Range of Tibet and
drains into the Arabian Sea covering about 3,000
km along its course. With an area of 863,508 km2,
Indus River Basin is the major drainage of the
northwest Himalayas, the Karakoram mountains
and the western half of the Indo-Gangetic Plain. The
headwater tributaries of river Indus include Shingo,
Shyok, Shigar, Hunza, Gilgit and Kabul Rivers. In
the Punjab Plains, the Jhelum, Chenab, Ravi and
Sutlej rivers also drain into the Indus. About 3983
km of water falls in the Indus Basin in the form of
rain and snow out of which the river an estimated 53
km3 of water per year while the remainder is
returned to the atmosphere by evapotranspiration
(Karim & Veizer, 2002).The detailed features of the
river have been described elsewhere (Mirza, 2003).
The fish fauna of the river Indus and its
tributaries had always been of interest and several
important pieces of literature are available
describing the ichthyological diversity of the mighty
river (Ahmad et al., 2010; Day, 1880; Hussain &
Mirza, 2007; Mirza, 1989, 1994, 2006; Mirza &
Hussain, 1998; Mirza & Jan, 1993; Mirza & Khan,
1983; Mirza et al., 2011; Rafique, 2001; Rafique et
*Coressponding author: [email protected]
al., 2003). Almost 180 species of fishes have been
reported from different parts of the river and its
tributaries during its journey from northern area,
Punjab plains, Sindh and finally to the Indus Delta
(Mirza, 2003). The present paper describes the
longitudinal zonation of fish fauna in the river Indus
as ascertained from review of the available literature
especially the contributions of the senior author.
Upper Indus Region
There is gradual change in the fish fauna of
the Indus river from its head waters to the mouth. In
the northern mountain areas of Pakistan and
Kashmir, the fish fauna is composed of the snowcarps
(Family
Cyprinidae,
subfamily
Schizothoracinae), the loaches of the genus
Triplophysa (Family Nemacheilidae), and the catfish
Glyptosternon reticulatum (Family Sisoridae). These
three groups extend downstream along the main
Indus river upto Besham Qila. Here the Indus
Golden Mahseer, Tor macrolepis, and the loaches
of genus Schistura (Family Nemacheilidae) make
their appearance. At Thakot, there are Aspidoparia,
Crossocheilus, Schizothorax, Racoma (Family
Cyprinidae), Schistura and Acanthocobitis (Family
Nemacheilidae) (Hussain & Mirza, 2007)
In the Tarbela lake, the Cyprinid genera
Aspidoparia,
Barilius,
Crossocheilus,
Garra,
Puntius, Nemacheilus, and Acanthocobitis are
added in addition to the snow-carps and the Indus
Mahseer. The catfish genera Gagata and
Glyptothorax (Family Sisoridae), the snakeheads
(Family Channidae), the spiny eel Mastacembelus
armatus and glassfish Chanda nama (Family
Chandidae) are also added. In the Khalabat Pocket
of Tarbela lake, there are also Chela cachius,
Salmophasia
bacaila
(Family
Cyprinidae),
Acanthocobitis botia (Family Nemacheilidae) in
addition to several exotic species. This fauna is also
represented in the feeding streams, viz. the river
150
M. R. MIRZA & Z. S. MIRZA
Brandu, the river Unar, the river Siran etc. The
catfish Glyptosternum reticulum has not been
reported downstream from Besham Qila. The other
elements are also found downstream of Tarbela
Dam. The snow-carp genus Schizopygopsis is
restricted in Baltistan and upstream in headwaters
of the Indus. The genera Diptychus and
Ptychobarbus are also found in Baltistan in addition
to Schizopygopsis. But these two genera (Diptychus
and Ptychobarbus) extend downstream in various
streams of Northern Areas upto Gilgit mainly in the
trans-Himalayan areas but also in the Deosai
Plateau in the Himalayan areas. the snow-carp
genera Racoma, Schizothorax and Schizopyge are
widely distributed in the trans-Himalayan areas,
Himalayan areas, and even in sub-montane Indus
areas upto Attock Khurd. Schizopyge esocinus has
been collected upto Dekhner a few kilometers
downstream of Attock Khurd. Schizothorax
plagiostomus and Racoma labiate have also been
collected from downstream of Jinnah Barrage.
Racoma labiate has also been even collected from
Chashma Lake (Mirza & Hussain, 1998; Mirza &
Khan, 1983).
The fish fauna of the Indus and its
tributaries between Tarbela Dam and the KabulIndus confluence is quite rich. All the species found
in the Tarbela lake are present also in this area. In
addition there are Cyprinid genera Securicula,
Devario, Esomus, Rasbora, Cirrhinus, Labeo,
Osteobrama, Systomus (Family Cyprinidae),
loaches of genera Botia, Lepidocephalus (Family
Cobitidae),
Acanthocobites,
Nemacheilus,
Triplophysa (Family Nemacheilidae); catfish genera
Mystus, Sperata (Family Bagridae), Ompok,
Wallago (Family Siluridae), Clupisoma (Family
Schilbeidae),and
Heteropneustes
(Family
Heteropneustidae), Gagata, Glyptothorax (Family
Sisoridae) the garfish genus Xenentodon (Family
Xenentodotidae); glassfish genus Parambassis
(Family Chandidae); Gulu or the freshwater goby
genus Glossogobius (Family Gobiidae).
In the upper Indus upto Qila Besham, there
are only three native families viz., Cyprinidae,
Nemacheilidae, and Sisoridae. In the Indus between
Besham and Tarbela Dam, the number of fish
families is six viz., Cyprinidae, Nemacheilidae,
Sisoridae, Channidae, Mastacembelidae, and
Chandidae. Downstream from Tarbela Dam upto
Kabul Indus confluence, the number of families is 12
viz.,
Cyprinidae,
Cobitidae,
Nemacheilidae,
Sisoridae,
Siluridae,
Bagridae,
Schilbeidae,
Heteropneustidae,
Gobiidae,
Channidae,
Mastacembelidae, and Chandidae.
The vale of Peshawar is quit rich. All the
above mentioned genera and families found in the
BIOLOGIA (PAKISTAN)
Indus between Besham Qila and Attock Khurd are
present. In addition, there are Gudusia (Family
Clupeidae), Amblypharyngodon, Danio, Naziritor
(Family
Cyprinidae),
Eutropiichthys,
Pseudeutripichtys
(Family
Schilbeidae),
Lepidocephalus
(Cobitidae),
Colisa
(Family
Belontidae), and Nandus (Nandidae). In Afghanistan
part of the Kabul river, Schizocypris has also been
reported from Jalalabad (Banarescu & Nalbant,
1975).
The Indus river between Attock Khurd and
Garyala passes through a narrow gorge. Most of the
genera mentioned above are recorded except the
genus Naziritor (Family Cyprinidae) and Triplophysa
(Family Nemacheilidae) which have not been
recorded from this part of the Indus and
downstream (Mirza, 1997; Ahmed et al., 2010).
Batasio pakistaniscus has also been collected
(Ahmed et al., 2010).
Some genera are added: Notopterus
(Family
Notopteridae);
Cyprinion
(Family
Cyprinidae); Batasio, Rita (Family Bagridae); and
Bagarius (Family Sioridae) (Ahmad et al., 2010).
The genus Macrognatus (Family Mastacebelidae)
has been recorded in the river Haro. From Garyala,
the Indus takes a U-turn towards west and then cuts
through the Kala Chitta Range towards south. Here,
it receives the river KohatToi and Teri Toi from the
West and the river Soan from the East. In the river
Soan, the genus Securicula (Family Cyprinidae), the
catfish genus Sisor (Family Sisoridae) and the
spiny-eel
genus
Macrognatus
(Family
Mastacebelidae) are added. The west Asiatic genus
Cyprinion (Family Cyprinidae) is well represented in
the KohatToi and the river Soan and its tributaries
and the endemic species Barilius naseeri is
restricted to the Soan. The Indus Mahseer Tor
macrolepis becomes common and the snow carps
(Family Cyprinidae) are rare.
Punjab Plains
The part of the Indus between the Jinnah
Barrage and the Chashma Barrage is very
important. Several elements are added with the
Major carps becoming quite common. The genus
Nangra (Family Sisoridae) makes its appearance
downstream of Jinnah Barrage. Another important
addition is the Mugilid genus Sicamugil (Family
Mugilidae) which makes its appearance in the
Chashma Lake for the first time and is found upto
the mouth of the Indus. There are at least 49
genera, 16 families, and 9 orders of native fishes
represented in Chashma Lake. In river Kurram
which falls into the Chashma Lake, the snow-carp
genus Schizocyprisis well represented in addition to
Schizothorax and Racoma. The genus Schizopyga
is absent. The Zhobi Mahseer Naziritor zhobensis
VOL. 60 (1)
FISH FAUNA OF THE INDUS RIVER
has been recorded. Excepting the family Mugilidae,
all these groups are also represented in the Jinnah
Barrage areas (Mirza & Jan, 1993; Rafique et al.,
2003). Downstream of Chashma Barrage, the Indus
is quite slow and there is little change in the fish
fauna. However, there are several species of the
Indus plain distributed almost uniformly.
In rivers Shahur, Gomal-Zhob and Kundar
that fall into the Indus from the west, the snow carps
and the Indus Mahseer and the Zhobi Mahseer are
quite common. The headwaters of the rivers Nari
and Bolan in northeastern Balochistan also harbor
the snow carps and the Indus Mahseer in addition to
other fishes.
In the Punjab Plains, two more genera are
added, viz, Monopterus (Family Synbranchidae) and
Badis (Family Badidae) both represented by only
one species each. Monopterus cuchia has been
collected in the vicinity of Lahore and Sialkot, and
Badis badis has been recorded from the Jammu
Tawi and the river Jhelum near Chelianwala (District
Mandi Bahauddin) (Bleeker, 1854; Tiak, 1971). Due
to the construction of various link canals, the fish
fauna of the Punjab is mostly uniform.
Lower Indus Plains
In the Sindh plains, there are no snow carps
and the Indus Mahseer is rare. Bu there is one
important species, the Palla of Sind (Tenualosa
ilisha, Family Clupeidae) which was recorded even
from Multan and Muzaffargarh before the
construction of Sukhar Barrage. Now it is restricted
to the Sindh Province in Pakistan (Jafari, 1994). The
top Minows (Families Cyprinodontidae and
Aplocheilidae of the Order Cyprinodontiformes) are
represented by two genera, Aphanius
and
Aplocheilus in Sindh plains. In the lower part of the
Indus downstream of Thatta the catfish genus
Clarias (Family Clariidae) has been recorded and
several species of marine origin are found in
addition. The systematics and distribution of these
peripheral fishes have not been properly worked out
so far and hence are not discussed in this paper.
The fish fauna of the Sindh-Balochistan hills
is primarily characteristic of the Indus with the Indus
Mahseer, minor carps, the loaches, the catfishes,
the spiny eels, and snakeheads. These streams fall
into the Indus during floods only. The west Asiatic
genus Cyprinion is well represented.
The fishes collected from Nulli-ni in winter
by Day in 1871 (Day, 1880) contained Aplocheilus
panchax and Chanda nama in addition to other
fishes. But there was no Cyprinion. The other
species were Salmophasia bacaila, Barilius vagra,
Devariodevario, Cirrhinus reba, Labeo calbasu, L.
rohita, L. diplostomus, Systomus sarana, Puntius
ticto, Tor macrolepis, Channa gachua, C. striata,
151
and Mastacembelus armatus.All these species are
found in the Indus plains. Tor macrolepis and Labeo
diplostomus are hill-stream fishes. There is not any
specimen of Catla catla and Cirrhinus mrigala. The
major carps are represented by Labeo rohita only.
Apocheilus panchax, and Chanda nama have not
been recorded from any other place in Balochistan,
not even from Hab river. In the Indus delta, all the
species are represented. In addition there are
several species of marine fishes entering fresh
water for a variable distance.
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