International Journal of Biology and Biological Sciences Vol. 3(3), pp. 023-030, April 2014 ISSN 2327-3062 ©2014 Academe Research Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Distribution of an endangered fish species, Chaca chaca (Ham.- Buch.), in Arunachal Pradesh, India: A biodiversity hot spot

Keshav Kr. Jha¹*, Kumar Chetri¹, Tapan Kr. Ghosh² and Vibash Ch. Jha³

¹Fish Germplasm Explorations Research Laboratory, Department of Zoology, Jawaharlal Nehru College, Pasighat Arunachal Pradesh -791 103, India.

²Ichthyology Research Laboratory, Department of Zoology, T. M. Bhagalpur University, Bhagalpur-812 007, Bihar India.

³National Atlas and Thematic Mapping Organisation, CGO Complex, 7^th Floor, DF-Block, Bidhan Nagar, Kolkata-700 064 (W.B), India.

*Corresponding author. E-mail: keshavzoojnc@gmail.com, Jhakk08@yahoo.com.

Accepted 25 February, 2014

Abstract

Chaca chaca (Ham.- Buch.) belongs to the family Chacidae. Chaca is the only genus in the family Chacidae and the only species reported from the Indian sub-continent. In India, this fish is available at restricted area. As per the report of NBFGR (2010) and IUCN (2013), a limited population and less number of individuals are found which is pushing this species towards extinction and the status of this fish is endangered. Lack of proper database on the distribution of C. chaca is a hurdle for the fish managers and fish conservators for its study. The present data of C. chaca collected from the various districts of Arunachal Pradesh help to formulate the management plan for in-situ or ex-situ conservation.

Key words: Distribution, endangered, Chaca chaca, Arunachal Pradesh, biodiversity, hot spot.