Ichthyofaunal diversity in the Riverine systems near the forest area of the Dooars of West Bengal, India

The present study was conducted in the Dooars region of West Bengal, which is known for its rich fish biodiversity. A total of 156 fish species belonging to 31 families were identified. The dominant families included Cyprinidae, with 59 species; Sisoridae, with 18 species; Bagridae, with 13 species; and Badidae and Balitoridae, with 8 species each. According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature, the conservation status of these fish species is as follows: one species is categorised as Endangered, eight species as Vulnerable, thirteen species as Near Threatened, 117 species as Least Concern, and 17 species as Data Deficient. Among the five sampling sites—Site-1, Site-2, Site-3, Site-4, and Site-5—Site-4 exhibited the highest fish diversity, with 144 species, while Site-3 had the lowest diversity, with 131 species. The relative abundance of fish indicated that 21 species were abundant, 51 were common, and 84 were considered rare in the Dooars area. The study concludes that the Dooars region has a rich diversity of fish, mainly due to low anthropogenic pressures.