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Vulnerability in the Feeding Ecology of Endemic Mahseer, Tor malabaricus (Jerdon, 1849) from Western Ghats Biodiversity Hotspot, India

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Abstract

Tor malabaricus (Jerdon, 1849) commonly known as Malabar mahseer, is an endangered cyprinid endemic to Western Ghats biodiversity hotspot of India. For a better understanding of their feeding ecology, a study was conducted on 208 specimens collected from Chalakudy River with a total length ranging from 160–530 mm and total body weight of 71–1515 g. Gut content analysis revealed that T. malabaricus is primarily omnivorous, relying on benthic diet, preferably detritus (32.13%) and plant materials (22.96%) mostly throughout the year. However, during the spawning season (July-November), a greater preponderance of insects, crustaceans, molluscs, and nematodes was observed in their diet. The results of gastrosomatic index (GaSI) and feeding intensity indicated that feeding activity of T. malabaricus is considerably reduced during the spawning period. Results not only provide necessary baseline information about the feeding ecology of T. malabaricus in the wild for effectively managing and conserving the species but also provides an insight on its vulnerability for being displaced from its natural habitat due to the pressure from competition for food.

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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The first author acknowledges funding from the Postdoctoral Fellowship of the Kerala State Council for Science, Technology and Environment (KSCSTE), Government of Kerala, India. The authors are also thankful to local fishers at the Chalakudy River for providing fish samples.

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The first author acknowledges the funding support of the Postdoctoral fellowship of the Kerala State Council for Science, Technology & Environment (KSCSTE), Government of Kerala, India.

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  1. Department of Aquatic Environment Management, Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean Studies, Kochi, Kerala, India

    C. R. Renjithkumar, K. Roshni & K. Ranjeet

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Correspondence to C. R. Renjithkumar.

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Abbreviations: DMRT—Duncan’s Multiple Range Test; GaSI—gastrosomatic index; IRI—the index of relative importance; RLG—relative length of the gut.

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Renjithkumar, C.R., Roshni, K. & Ranjeet, K. Vulnerability in the Feeding Ecology of Endemic Mahseer, Tor malabaricus (Jerdon, 1849) from Western Ghats Biodiversity Hotspot, India. Inland Water Biol 15, 170–178 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1134/S1995082922020092

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