CONSERVATION STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION OF FISH SPECIES IN RIVER TLAWNG IN MIZORAM: PIONEERING DETAILED TAXONOMIC STUDY AND REPORT

Ichthyofaunal surveys in the River Tlawng at different locations from the headwaters to the downstream region in the province of Mizoram, done as a pioneering work (since updated), revealed the occurrence of 48 species of fishes belonging to 37 genera, 9 sub-families, 20 families and 8 orders for the whole stretch of the surveyed river from upstream to downstream region during the entire period of study. These include 25 species under Cypriniformes,11 species under Siluriformes, 3 speices under Synbranchiformes, 4 species under Anabantiformes; and, 1 species each from Osteoglossiformes, Clupeiformes, Belonoformes and Gobiiformes. Conservation status and Distrubution of each species have been dealt with in the present paper.