Remarkable Paucity of Fish Fauna from Lentic Habitats in the Darjeeling Himalayas

Abstract

There are numerous seasonal lentic habitats in the Darjeeling Himalayas which serve as spawning grounds for the Himalayan Salamander Tylototriton verrucosus and Batrachia like Polypedates leucomystax and Bufo himalayanas. Despite the presence of limnophilous Batrachia, representatives of icthyofauna residing within these lentic habitats are remarkably poorly represented. The only icthyofauna that may occasionally be seen residing within these seasonal lentic habitats are Nemachylus beavani, a lotic dwelling fish which at times drift into these habitats during monsoon months when discharge into these stream fed lentic habitats are high.