Journal of Environment and Sociobiology

Open Access Open Access  Restricted Access Subscription Access
Open Access Open Access Open Access  Restricted Access Restricted Access Subscription Access

Gut Anatomy and Food Preference of Aborichthys kempi: a Potential Ornamental Stream Loach from Arunachal Pradesh


Affiliations
1 Department of Zoology, Achhruram Memorial College, Jhalda-723202, Purulia, India
2 Fishery and Aquatic Ecology Laboratory, Department of Zoology, Rajiv Gandhi University, Rono Hills, Doimukh-791112, Arunachal Pradesh, India
     

   Subscribe/Renew Journal


Aborichthys kempi is a stream loach from Arunachal Pradesh having ornamental value. The present work attempts to document the gut anatomy and food preference of A. kempi for the first time with the objective to enlighten its feeding ecology which may facilitate its sustainable rearing practice. Fishes were caught throughout the year and sacrificed in order to obtain the length of esophagous, stomach and intestine. Although presence of a prominent stomach and short intestine primarily pointed to a carnivorous habit of this fish, results of relative gut length (RGL) and Zihler's Index (ZI) could not precisely confirm the same. Later, their stomach contents were examined and documented. While presence of both phytoplanktons and zooplanktons indicated towards its omnivorous habit, the presence of a huge number of zooplanktons, insects and other arthropod debris confirmed their preference to carnivory. However, there is a possibility that the species is primarily a carnivore, and ingestion of phytoplanktons was accidental during preying upon any large organism.

Keywords

Aborichthys kempi, Food Preference, Gut Anatomy, Potential Ornamental Fish, Gut Contents.
Subscription Login to verify subscription
User
Notifications
Font Size


  • Abdoli, A. 2000. The Inland Water Fishes of Iran. Iranian Museum of Nature and Wildlife, Tehran, pp. 1-378.

  • Allen, D. J., Molur, S. and Daniel, B. A. (Compilers). 2010. The Status and Distribution of Freshwater Biodiversity in the Eastern Himalaya. Cambridge, UK and Gland, Switzerland: IUCN, and Coimbatore, India: Zoo Outreach Organisation, pp. 1-88.

  • Arunachalam, M., Raja, M., Malaiammal, P. and Mayden, R. L. 2014. New species of Aborichthys (Cypriniformes: Balitoridae) from Arunachal Pradesh, India. Species, 7(18): 33-47.

  • Bailey, M. and Sandford, G. 2001. The Ultimate Aquarium. Annes Publishing Limited, London, UK, pp. 1-256.

  • Drewe, K. E., Horn, M. H., Dickson K. A. and Gawlicka, A. 2004. Insectivore to frugivore: ontogenetic changes in gut morphology and digestive enzyme activity in the characid fish Brycon guatemalensis from Costa Rican rainforest streams. J. Fish Biol., 64(4): 890-902.

  • Edmonson, W. T. 1992. Freshwater Biology. International books and periodicals supply service, New Delhi, pp. 1-1248.

  • German, D. P., and Horn, M. H. 2006. Gut length and mass in herbivorous and carnivorous prickleback fishes (Teleostei: Stichaeidae): ontogenetic, dietary, and phylogenetic effects. Mar. Biol. 148(5): 1123-1134.

  • Hyslop, E. J. 1980. Stomach contents analysis - a review of methods and their application. J. Fish Biol., 17(4): 411-429.

  • Kramer, D. L. and Bryant, M. J. 1995. Intestine length in the fishes of a tropical stream: Relationships to diet - the long and the short of a convoluted issue. Environ. Biol. Fish., 42(2): 129-141.

  • Patimar, R. M., Yousefi, M. and Hosieni, S. M. 2009. Age, growth and reproduction of the sand smelt Atherina boyeri Risso, 1810 in the Gomishan wetland-Southeast Caspian Sea. Estuarine Coastal Shelf Sci., 81(4): 457-462.

  • Paul, B. and Chanda, A. 2014. Indigenous ornamental fish faunal diversity in Paschim Medinipur, West Bengal, India. Int. Res. J. Biological Sci., 3(6): 94-100.

  • Tabiee, O. and Abdoli, A. 2005. A study of biological aspects of Nemacheilus malapterurus, Zarringol River, Golestan Province (in Farsi). Iran. J. Nat. Res., 57(4): 715-728.

  • Zihler, F. 1982. Gross morphology and configuration of digestive tracts of Cichlidae (Teleostei: Perciformes): phylogenetic and functional significance. Neth. J. Zool., 32(4): 544-571.

  • Zulkifli, S. Z., Mohamat-Yusuff, F., Ismail, A. and Miyazaki, N. 2012. Food preference of the giant mudskipper Periophthalmodon schlosseri (Teleostei: Gobiidae). Knowl. Managt. Aquatic Ecosyst, 405(7): 1-10.


Abstract Views: 422

PDF Views: 3




  • Gut Anatomy and Food Preference of Aborichthys kempi: a Potential Ornamental Stream Loach from Arunachal Pradesh

Abstract Views: 422  |  PDF Views: 3

Authors

Arijit Ganguly
Department of Zoology, Achhruram Memorial College, Jhalda-723202, Purulia, India
Debangshu Narayan Das
Fishery and Aquatic Ecology Laboratory, Department of Zoology, Rajiv Gandhi University, Rono Hills, Doimukh-791112, Arunachal Pradesh, India

Abstract


Aborichthys kempi is a stream loach from Arunachal Pradesh having ornamental value. The present work attempts to document the gut anatomy and food preference of A. kempi for the first time with the objective to enlighten its feeding ecology which may facilitate its sustainable rearing practice. Fishes were caught throughout the year and sacrificed in order to obtain the length of esophagous, stomach and intestine. Although presence of a prominent stomach and short intestine primarily pointed to a carnivorous habit of this fish, results of relative gut length (RGL) and Zihler's Index (ZI) could not precisely confirm the same. Later, their stomach contents were examined and documented. While presence of both phytoplanktons and zooplanktons indicated towards its omnivorous habit, the presence of a huge number of zooplanktons, insects and other arthropod debris confirmed their preference to carnivory. However, there is a possibility that the species is primarily a carnivore, and ingestion of phytoplanktons was accidental during preying upon any large organism.

Keywords


Aborichthys kempi, Food Preference, Gut Anatomy, Potential Ornamental Fish, Gut Contents.

References