~ 57 ~ International Journal of Fauna and Biological Studies 2015; 2 (2): 57-61 ISSN Online: 2347-2677 ISSN Print: 2394-0522 IJFBS 2015; 2 (2): 57-61 Received: 02-11-2014 Accepted: 22-12-2014 Romaan Hayat Khattak Department of Animal Sciences, Quaid-e-Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan. Fawad Aziz Department of Animal Sciences, Quaid-e-Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan Ejaz-Ur-Rahman Department of Animal Sciences, Quaid-e-Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan. Farrah Zaidi Department of Zoology, University of Peshawar, Peshawar, Pakistan Correspondence: Fawad Aziz Department of Animal Sciences, Quaid-e-Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan Ichthyofauna of river Kabul at Nowshera, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan Romaan Hayat Khattak, Fawad Aziz, Ejaz-Ur-Rahman, Farrah Zaidi Abstract A study on the fishes of River Kabul at District Nowshera, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was conducted from August 2011 to November 2011. A total of 24 fish species were identified belonging to 4 Orders (Cypriniformes, Siluriformes, Channiformes and Mastacembeliformes) and 8 families (Cyprinidae, Nemacheilidae, Sisoridae, Siluridae, Bagridae, Channidae, Mastacembelidae and Schilbeidae). Family Cyprinidae was the richest family of the present survey represented by 14 species; viz Carassius auratus, Cyprinus carpio, Hypophthalmichthys molitrix, Puntius sophore, Puntius ticto, Crossocheilus diplocheilus, Tor macrolepis, Orienus plagiostomus, Barilius pakistanicus, Barilius vagra, Barilius modestus, Gara gotyla, Labeo rohita and Cirrhinus mrigala. Family Channidae was represented by two species, i.e. Channa punctata and Channa gachua. Family Siluridae was also denoted by two species i.e. Ompok pabda and Wallago attu. Two species, namely Mystus bleekeri and Sperata sarwari characterized Family Bagridae. All other families were represented by a single species i.e. Acanthocobitis botia (Nemacheilidae), Glyptothorax punjabensis (Sisoridae), Mastacembelus armatus (Mastacembelidae) and Clupisoma naziri (Schilbeidae). Throughout the study period, Puntius was the most dominant and abundant genus of the fish followed by Barilius, Cyprinus and Channa. In the present survey, Sperata sarwari (Bagridae) is reported for the first time from Kabul River. However, fish diversity was significantly lower at Azakhel (Nowshera) due to the acidic pH of the water of the study area i.e. 6. Further studies are required to be done to fully comprehend the present pollution status and its effects on biotic fauna. Keywords: River Kabul; Khyber Pakhtunkhwa; Puntius ticto; Nowshera; Bagridae; Water quality. 1. Introduction Fisheries is a major foreign currency earner and a chief occupation for the coastal inhabitants of Pakistan [1] . In 2006, Imports of fish were negligible while exports were to the amount of 196 million USD in Pakistan [2] . During recent years, similar trends have been witnessed all over the subcontinent. The term Ichthyo diversity refers to a variety of fish species on the basis of context and scale; it could refer to alleles or genotypes within Piscean population, species within a fish community, and to species or life forms across aqua regimes [3] . In Pakistan (then referred as West Pakistan), Dr. Nazir Ahmad, the first Director of fisheries department, was among the pioneers to study fish diversity from various parts of the country. His work was further elaborated by Dr. Ramzan Mirza from Department of Zoology, Government College, Lahore, Pakistan [4] . Their studies have investigated fish species of both freshwater and marine habitats in the country. Round about 173 fresh water species and 786 marine species have been described from Pakistan [5] . About 35 species of fishes from Peshawar district, and 5 species from Mardan district were reported in a survey in 1963 [6] . Some of the comprehensive ichthyo diversity studies indicating rich faunal structure in River Kabul have been carried out by researchers like [7, 8, 9 &10] . In the 90s, the maintenance of fisheries and aquatic life were hospitable in River Kabul, but nowadays it is referred as a sewer frequently among concerned scientists, environmentalists, NGOs and government officials of the KP in recent years [11] . Elevated levels of chemical parameters in the river are an evidence of man induced pollution.