Diversity and Abundance of Ichthyofaunal Species in Karingali Wetland of Central Kerala, India

Abstract

Background: Karingali wetland is a collection of wetlands in Alappuzha and Pathanmthitta district. It is one of the major wetland paddy fields of central Travancore and had been considered as the rice bank of Mavelikara kingdom. This wetland has not yet been the subject of study. The present study is an inventorization of fish species in this wetland.This will eventually be utilised as a database. Methods: The study areas were divided into five sites; fish samples were collected monthly for a period of June 2020 – May 2022. The collected fish samples were stored in 10% formalin solution and identified with the help of standard literature. Result: During the course of the current study, a total of 35 species from 11 orders were discovered from the Karingali wetland. Cypriniformes, Siluriformes, Perciformes, Anabantiformes, Cichliformes, Beloniformes, Elopiformes, Synbranchiformes, Gobiiformes, Clupeiformes and Mugiliformes were the principal orders. The diversity value ranges high during march and low in July. Even though Karingali wetland are not as much polluted but at the verge of contamination.