~ 293 ~ Journal of Entomology and Zoology Studies 2019; 7(4): 293-298 E-ISSN: 2320-7078 P-ISSN: 2349-6800 JEZS 2019; 7(4): 293-298 © 2019 JEZS Received: 16-05-2019 Accepted: 18-06-2019 Abhinika Jain Department of Aquaculture, College of Fisheries, MPUAT, Udaipur, Rajasthan, India Sharad Surnar Department of Aquaculture, College of Fisheries, MPUAT, Udaipur, Rajasthan, India VP Saini Aquaculture Research & Seed Unit, Directorate of Research, MPUAT, Udaipur, Rajasthan, India ML Ojha Department of Aquaculture, College of Fisheries, MPUAT, Udaipur, Rajasthan, India Correspondence Abhinika Jain Department of Aquaculture, College of Fisheries, MPUAT, Udaipur, Rajasthan, India Biodiversity of indigenous ornamental fish in Wakl river system of Southern Rajasthan Abhinika Jain, Sharad Surnar, VP Saini and ML Ojha Abstract This study was conducted to generate the baseline data on the availability of ornamental fish in Wakal River system of Udaipur (Rajasthan). A total of 15 species belonging to 5 orders, 9 families and 15 genera were identified and documented. The family-wise interpretation revealed that Cyprinidae is the largest family and accommodating 6 genera, Mastacembelidae two genera and other 7 families like Balitoridae, Siluridae, Belonidae, Gobiidae, Ambassidae and Belontiidae and Cobitidae represented single member from each. While assessing the potential utilization of the collected fishes, it was realized that 7 species like Pethia conchonius, Devario malabaricus, Rasbora daniconius, Trichogaster lalius, Schistura savona, Acanthocobitis botia, Parambassis lala, were of high ornamental value (i.e. 46.66%), 5 species like Mastacembelus armatus, Macrognathus pancalus, Barilius bendelisis, Salmophasia bacaila, Glossogobius giuris, were potential ornamental fishes (i.e. 33.33%) and rest 3 species (20%) such as Garra gotyla, Xenentodon cancila, Ompok bimaculatus are primarily used as food fish and can also be explored as ornamental fishes. Of the above listed fish fauna O. pabda and P. lala were under ‘Near threatened’ (NT) category. All the 15 identified species listed above are considered as important aquarium fishes in other parts of India. Keywords: Diversity, biodiversity hotspots, ornamental fish, potential ornamental fishes, Wakl River, threatened species 1. Introduction The fish resources of India are one of the richest in the world, due to the availability of vast aquatic resources. The number of fish species in different water ecosystems is a part of a biological diversity of the Earth. In Asia 30,700 fish species are reported, whereas in India total 2500 including 801 freshwater fish species have been recorded [1] . The ornamental fisheries sector plays a vital role in the international and national fish trade, having high export value and contributes significantly to rural development in many developing countries. [2, 3] Since 1985, the export value of these fishes in international trade has increased at an average annual growth rate of approximately 14%. Out of the total global trade of Rs. 2000 crores of ornamental fishes, India’s share is only Rs 15 crores (0.32%), which is almost negligible [4] . The ornamental fish trade in India is dominated by freshwater ornamental fishes (90%). Further, 95% of our ornamental fish export is based on the wild collection. Kumar et al. [5] recorded 51 ornamental fish species from the Mahanadi river system. Goswami et al. [6] recorded 291 ornamental fishes in North East India. The Western Ghats is considered as one among the 34 ‘biodiversity hotspots’ of the world [7] with a plethora of diverse fish species having remarkable endemism [8] and one of the eight "hottest hotspots" of biological diversity in the world. The Western Ghats portrays the rich endemic fish fauna of 189 species, belonging to 69 genera, 23 families and 7 orders [9] . About 110 species of fishes reported from the Western Ghats have ornamental value. [10] Among the 300 species of freshwater fishes in the Western Ghats, 155 are considered ornamental fishes of which 117 are endemic to the Western Ghats [7] . The fish fauna of the Western Ghats includes a variety of Barbs, Rasboras, Killifishes, Glass Fishes, Catfishes, Hill Trouts, and Danios, which are ideal candidates for the ornamental fish industry. However, these resources have not been managed properly either for its conservation or for sustainable exploitation. Unlawful exploitation of native ornamental fishes especially Sahyadria denisonii from Southern- Western Ghats, due to its high market demand, and subsequent reduction in its population is an example of exploitation of unmanaged resources [11, 12] . Therefore, the development of scientific management strategies for the sustainable conservation of natural resources is must.