REVIEW ON CLUPISOMA GARUA (HAMILTON, 1822), AN INHABITANT SPECIES IN INLAND OPEN WATERS OF INDIA

Abstract

Clupisoma garua (Hamilton, 1822) commonly known as ‘garuabachcha’ under the order Siluriformes and family Schilbeidae, a potamodromous species, demersal habitat and found both fresh as well as brackish water. The species is mainly distributed in Asian countries like Bangladesh, India, Pakistan and Nepal and found mainly large freshwater bodies. The species are categorized as Least Concern (LC) by IUCN but kept as Vulnerable (Vu) category by the CAMP and CAFF reports. It is anomini-carnivore species and feeds on insects, molluscs, crustaceans and small fishes in wild conditions. The species have both food and ornamental values and the medium-size individual also treated as game fish in India. Through the species is said to be widely distributed but threatened in some localities like southern West Bengal, due to overfishing andanthropogenic activities.In the present review, we have tried to give detail information of ‘garuabachcha’, which will be useful to know the species, its potential importance and suitable conservation measures may carry out accordingly.