A comprehensive record of fishes and crustaceans in a poorly known tropical estuary-Kavvayi from the west coast of India
Ashwini, G.; Kumar, B.M.; Keerthana, T.A.; Sreekanth, G.B.; Dhaneesh, K.V.; Asha, C.V.; Chandrasekar, V.; Jithin, K.; Dinesh, K. (2025). A comprehensive record of fishes and crustaceans in a poorly known tropical estuary-Kavvayi from the west coast of India. Mar. Biodiv. 55(1). https://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s12526-024-01497-7
In: Marine Biodiversity. Springer: Heidelberg; Berlin. ISSN 1867-1616; e-ISSN 1867-1624, more
|  |
| Authors | | Top |
- Ashwini, G.
- Kumar, B.M.
- Keerthana, T.A.
|
- Sreekanth, G.B.
- Dhaneesh, K.V.
- Asha, C.V.
|
- Chandrasekar, V.
- Jithin, K.
- Dinesh, K.
|
| Abstract |
A comprehensive study conducted from 2019 to 2021 in the Kavvayi estuarine wetland along India’s southwest coast documented its fish and crustacean diversity, providing valuable insights for conservation. Monthly surveys across 19 sampling stations recorded 151 species, including 79 demersal fish, 55 pelagic fish, and 17 crustaceans from 63 families. According to IUCN criteria, 98 species are classified as ‘Least concern,’ 32 as ‘Not evaluated,’ 14 as 'Data Deficient', four as ‘Vulnerable,’ two as ‘Near threatened,’ and one as ‘Critically endangered.’ Marine migrant species dominate the estuary, while freshwater species are rare. The Eupercaria order contributes significantly to finfish diversity, representing 12.58%. Families such as Carangidae (14 species), Portunidae (8), and Clupeidae (7) exhibit notable species richness. Prominent species like Ambassis gymnocephalus, Mugil cephalus, Planiliza macrolepis Stolephorus indicus, Etroplus suratensis, Pseudetroplus maculatus, Sillago sihama, Caranx ignobilis, and Gerres filamentosus are consistently present throughout the year, highlighting the estuary’s reliability as a habitat. This dataset not only offers a crucial inventory of Kavvayi’s biodiversity but also emphasizes its conservation potential. The scarcity of information on the fish and crustacean diversity underscores the importance of the dataset provided in this paper, as it will significantly contribute to the assessment for designating Kavvayi estuary as a wetland of international importance. This dataset enhances local, regional, and global fish community data for estuarine fisheries. It also addresses the challenges faced by the fishing community, emphasizing the need for conservation strategies to ensure the long-term health of the estuarine ecosystem. |
|
