African catfish, Clarias gariepinus – a major threat to native fish species in Western Ghats Rivers

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African Mushi, that is what the farmers in Kerala called that beefy fish, which guaranteed profit for meager investment and care. It ate anything from wastes from slaughter houses and was able to live in any type of water qualities. Moreover, the fish grew faster and bulkier. Within months, a harvest will fetch you kilograms of fish meat from an average fish pond.

Clarias gariepinus

But the after effects were horrid. Recent research reports indicate that the fish has started appearing in fish catches from rivers and lakes in Kerala. Multiple reports suggest that this fish is now commonly caught by fishermen in the lower reaches of Periyar River in Kerala, which is known to house fresh water fresh species only found in Western Ghats Rivers.  Similar reports also indicate that the fish is present in the commercial catches from the Periyar Lake also.  

The writing on the wall is clear. The fish has escaped from fish farms which were connected to natural water bodies and have proliferated in the Western Ghats Rivers and other water bodies in the area. The species is known to devour and sweep away native fish species and other aquatic organisms locally.

The issue is not restricted to rivers in Kerala. It is reported that this invasive fish has also reached the Indrayani River in the southern Deccan Plateau eco-region. It presently raises serious threat to the only existing population of rare Sisorid catfish Glyptothorax poonaensis found in India. Sisorid catfish is listed as endangered by IUCN.

According to IUCN, the southernmost region of the Western Ghats Rivers house more endemic and lesser known fishes in the region. Unfortunately, the devouring African Cat fish has infected the same parts.

Abundance of Globally Threatened fish species 

in Western Ghats Rivers. It can be seen that they are 

more found in the Southern region.

Experts have also expressed concern over the impact of the presence of this African catfishes on lesser known subterranean fishes in Western Ghats. Ichthyologists were able to record just six to seven species from these enigmatic fishes which live in a subsurface ecosystem found under the laterite foot hills of Western Ghats. The chances of the African Cat fish eliminating many of these enigmatic creatures even before the researchers are able to spot and record them are not rare.

There is an urgent need to restrict the aquarium trade and unregulated fish farming. Educating buyers and farmers as well as formulating a proper policy for the management of invasive species are exigencies in this regard. 

Subterranean Eco System of Western Ghats – a Mysterious World Still Unexplored

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 If you think the wonder world of unknown fishes exists only in the dark trenches of the deep sea, you may be wrong. There are umpteen fishes and other aquatic creatures which live below the surface of the earth in groundwater tables often moving through the small cervices of the stones under earth’s surface.

Like their counter parts in the deep sea, these shy fishes rarely come out to light, so our knowledge is very much restricted about this hidden aquatic biodiversity. A recent study sheds some light into these lesser known subterranean fishes in India.

Horaglanis and Kryptoglanis - the Enigmatic fish genus of Western Ghats

Horaglanis Krishnai, The Indian blind catfish 

The members of the Horaglanis genus appear to have a prominent mouth at the anterior terminus of the head and transparent skins which reveals the blood vessels. One of the most noticeable feature is the pectoral fin changing into a vestigial bud and the terminal positioning of the anterior nostrils.

Interestingly, the fishes which were observed in laboratory conditions were found to be able to raise their heads up and down with the help of hinges at the Pharyngeal region( photo (a)). This is no mean feat since such an ability is absent in known fish species.

Two species of Horaglanis have been reported from India- H. Krishnai and H alikunhi, both from Kerala. H. Krishnai is distinct with its 23 fin-rays in the dorsal fin and the 16 fin-rays in the anal fin. Another species which is considered as H. inquirenda or species which is yet to identified, is also known and was reported from Kerala recently. This organism has the 20 fin-rays on its dorsal fin and the 15 fin-rays in the anal fin as their distinguishing marks visibly. 

 Kryptoglanis – a new genus to the world of subsurface fishes

 A new study has added Kryptoglanis, an unreported genus among catfishes to the acquatic fauna of India recently. Known as Middu in regional Malayalam, the first identified member of the genus is K. Shajii, spotted in Kerala.

Kryptoglanis Shajii

Members of Kryptoglanis genus can be identified with the absence of dorsal fin and the presence of barbels including the barbell pair on their nose. They have smaller subcutaneous eyes. Other facial features include superior mouth and a projecting lower jaw. They are reported to have fan like pectoral fins and a long based anal fin which is confluent with caudal fin. The caudal fin of the fishes in these species has less than eight fin-rays.

The second species identified from this genus is yet to be christened officially. 

 

Common features of aquatic creatures in subsurface ecosystems

All of these fishes have certain common characters including the absence of eyes and body pigmentation and can be found only in wells that are connected with underground water channels.

They lack of hard structures like spines or fin is a unique characteristic of these fishes that helps their movements through narrow rock cuts. Moreover, they show photophobia or fear for light - and like to stay in darker places. Since their skin is transparent, cat fishes of Horaglanis and Kryptoglanis genus have red colour. However the former changes their colour within hours of continuous exposure to bright sunlight.

Monopterus digressus

An earthworm like fish found from the similar ecosystem which belongs to Monopterus digressus is a typical example for the adapted physical characteristics for living inside congested stone cracks. No eyes, no fin elements, but just a membranous caudal fin tip. Body of Monopterus digressus is sub-cylindrical with no scales.

Experts suggest that such catfishes occur more in springs along the segmented valleys and wetlands in laterite foot hills distributed along the western periphery of Western Ghats. Based on their field experience, experts point out that artificial wells located on laterite hill slopes close to a wetland are places where there is a high chance of finding these enigmatic creatures. The lateritic geography under the earth surface here helps these creatures to move through narrow cavities in laterite stones.

Possible sub-surface ecosystem in Western Ghats?

New reports have spotted Horaglanis species even from 90 km away from the place where it was first spotted, indicating the presence of the fish along a larger area. Similarly, the new study also brings in the second report of M digressus, this time 115 km away from the first locality.

Though it is high time to jump into conclusions, the indications are enough reasons to believe that a sub surface ecosystem exist in the Western Ghats which spreads through a larger area and is almost impossible to explore due to its subterranean nature. 

Now watch a pair of Monopterus digressus in action after the break.

 

What Makes  Kryptoglanis different from other similar fishes?

(Photo Courtesy: Current Science Journal, Video Courtesy: Zoological Survey of India)