Fishes - Home

armatus (Lacepede)
= Day :
Mastacembelus
armatus.
166 Mastacembelus
pancalus (Hamilton)
=Day:
Mastacembelus
panalus
167 Macrognathus
aculeatus (Bloch)
= Day:
Rhynchobdella
aculeata
Fresh water
ell
Fresh water
ell
FRESHWATER FISHES
Vam, Vambat.
Vam.
Freshwater fish fauna of Maharashtra belongs largely to three water
shades namely the Godawari river basin, the Krishna basin and the coastal
streams like Vaitarna, Ulhas, Savitri, etc. As the coastal streams are usually
short and shallow and only the upper reaches of Godavari and Krishna ri
vers are located within the State boundry, indigenous fish fauna does not
include many large forms. Secondly, commercially important varieties of
fish like Catla, Rohu, Mrigal, which are suitable for cultivation in ponds
do not also occur indigenously. These (latter) useful forms from Northern
India along with many other exotic fish like Gourami, Tilapia, Cyprinus
and grass and silver carp have been introduced for piscicultural purposes
and they, now, do occur in several sheets of water in the State. Despite
these introductions, the indigenous fish fauna can be considered as fairly
varied and numerous. Scientific names of these fishes along with English
and local Marathi names have already been given in section IV of this
FAUNA 153