Biodiversity of fishes in Manipur - Prof. W. Vishwanath

The diversity of species in the North Eastern India region is attributed to the recent geological history, especially the Himalayan orogeny. Since both the Brahmaputra and Chindwin system of rivers drain Manipur, its fauna included both Asamese and Burmese elements. Though, there is great specific diversity, the genera of the Brahmaputra and the Chindwin drainages are almost the same. Fresh water from the Indian mainland would have migrated towards Myanmar and other parts of south east Asia only then. Thus, the species of fishes in this region probably evolved only very recently from their old gondwanan ancestor. The diversity is attributed to the vigorous movements of earth’s crust and constant changes in the courses of waters.

Threats to Manipur Fishes

The freshwater fishes of the Eastern Himalaya were assessed and evaluated to assign their threat criteria and red listing by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) in 2009-10. Out of more than 580 species assessed, 50 were found Vulnerable and 15 were reported as Endangered. Twenty-seven species in Manipur are Vulnerable and 10 (ten) species were Endangered. Of the whole eastern Himalaya, the most threatened fishes are confined in Manipur and its adjoining areas.