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An Enquiry on Ichthyodiversity of the Chalan Beel, a Key Ichthyofaunal Hotspot of Northwestern Bangladesh

Gawsia Wahidunnessa Chowdhury*
Department of Zoology, University of Dhaka, Dhaka, Bangladesh

Nime Sarker
Department of Zoology, University of Dhaka, Dhaka, Bangladesh

Muntasir Akash
Department of Zoology, University of Dhaka, Dhaka, Bangladesh

Gulshan Ara Latifa
Department of Zoology, University of Dhaka, Dhaka, Bangladesh

Abstract/ Executive Summary:

This meta-analysis focused on the drift in ichthyol diversity of the Chalan Beel, a marshy, natural inland indentation, the largest of its kind in northwest (NW) Bangladesh. To apprehend the objective, we considered peer-reviewed fish inventories of the area published since 1971. The first checklist on the fishes of the Chalan Beelwas compiled in 2009 after which, till now, we found only four similar studies. In total, we found 139 species annotated in these works including 10 exotic species. We, however, surmised a downward trend in fish fauna; from 114 species listed in 2009, in 2017 the Chalan Beel is reported to have 66 species – comprising only 30 species common in each of the five works. Cyprinidae is turned out as the most diverse abundant family for the area with 43 species. The most diverse order, on the contrary, is Siluriformes represented by 10 families and 42 species. Of the fish inventory, 3 were Critically Endangered, 15 Endangered, 13 Vulnerable and 21 Near Threatened in Bangladesh. The Chalan Beel is reported to have 3 globally Vulnerable and 10 globally Near Threatened fish. Reviewing works on the Chalan Beel revealed a potential new exotic species. Trichogaster labiosa for Bangladesh and mentioning of 3 species found in no national fish inventories viz., Erethistoides infuscatus, Parachiloglanis hodgarti and Poropuntius clavatus.

Keywords: Chalan beel, Ichthyodiversity, Bangladesh, Hotspot, Ganges, Brahmaputra.

Location: Chalan Beel, Northwestern Region of Bangladesh

Start Date:

End Date:

Program Area: Conservation and Biodiversity

Commodity: Fish

Objectives:

This retrospective attempted a track down of fish inventories of the Chalan Beel so far compiled in order to visualize the present situation and drift in ichthyol diversity in recent years.

Methodology:

Only peer-reviewed publications on the fish diversity of the Chalan Beel were considered for this meta-analysis. Works were skimmed out by using the Google Scholar search tool. Keywords applied for the search were: ichthyofauna, ichthyodiversity, Chalan Beel and Bangladesh. This review has been restricted by time duration between 1971 and 2018. We, from the whole search process, deemed five studies for the review Hossain et al. (2009), Galib et al. (2009), Kostori et al. (2011), Siddique et al. (2016), Rahman et al. (2017). For using the most updated naming convention and avoiding synonymies, Nelson et al.(2016) and Eschmeyer and Fong (2018) were consulted. Synonyms or invalid taxa were ruled out or merged into the valid ones. For example, we did not consider Colisa sota noted by Kostori et al. (2011) as the taxon is no more valid and has now been considered as Trichogaster chuna.

Source of Information: ECOPRINT 24: 37-46, 2017 ISSN 1024-8668

Article Link (Online Journal): DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/eco.v24i0.20645

Funding Source:

Budget:

Total Budget (Tk.) :

Achievement/Findings:

In this review, categorization of fish species, analysis of their frequency of occurrence and comparison among the different inventories and using meta-analysis to describe the drift shed light on the present status of the Chalan Beel fish inventories. We can see that the Chalan Beel is home to half of the documented freshwater fish species of Bangladesh; many of which, apart from being exquisite diminutive seldom reported rarities, are threatened with extinction. Despite the surviving richness, since 1982, and the fish population of the Chalan Beel has been halved due to anthropogenic causes such as built-up areas, agrochemicals and road encroachments (AFP 2010). We recommend that systematic ecological surveys and subsequent declaration of sanctuaries should be targeted to ensure secured future and sustainability of the country’s key ichthyofaunal hotspot.

Knowledge Management: Journal