A report on the occurrence of Bangana dero (Hamilton, 1822) from Deepor beel (Ramsar site no. 1207), Brahmaputra valley, Assam

Abstract

Deepor beel (Latitude: 26°05?26??N to 26°09?26?? N; Longitude: 90°36' E to 90°41?25?? E) located in Kamrup district, Assam is a large (water spread area of 589 ha) natural wetland and a Ramsar site of international importance (Site number 1207 declared in 2002) having enormous biological and environmental importance. The wetland receives water from surface run-off as well as from two hill streams (Basistha and Kalamoni) and drains into River Brahmaputra, through a small rivulet (Khanajan). The beel supports a number of endemic endangered and threatened animals and plants that are included under IUCN red-list. Past studies indicated the occurrence of 67 fin-fish species in the beel. In a recent survey conducted by us, the beel Bangana dero (Synonyms: Cyprinus dero/ Labeo dero), a cyprinid fish, was collected for the first time from the beel. We collected as many as 28 specimens of B. dero from the beel during October 2016. The total length of the reported specimens ranged from 8.77 - 10.14 cm and weight ranged from 6.74 - 10.61 g. The length-weight relationship of the species was worked out as W = 0.074*L2.103. B. dero reportedly inhabits upland rivers, torrential hill-streams; adults migrate to warm downstream regions during the winter season (December-February). Thus, the occurrence of this species in Deepor beel indicates its possible downstream migration from one or both the feeder rivers (Basistha and Kalamoni) or migration from Brahmaputra River through its connecting channel.