Mahseer Fish @ Kelah

Mahseer is the common name used for the genera Tor, Neolissochilus, and Naziritor in the family Cyprinidae (carps). The name Mahseer is however more often restricted to members of the genus Tor. The range of this fish is from Malaysia, Indonesia, across southern Asia to Pakistan, including the Indian Peninsula.  They are commercially important game fish, as well as highly esteemed food fish. Mahseer fetch high market price, and are potential candidate species for aquaculture. Several of the larger species have suffered severe declines, and are now considered threatened due to pollution, habitat loss and overfishing.

The taxonomy of the mahseers is confusing due to the morphological variations they exhibit. In developing strategies for aquaculture and propagation assisted rehabilitation of mahseer species, there is a need to resolve taxonomic ambiguities.

Mahseers inhabit both rivers and lakes, ascending to rapid streams with rocky bottoms for breeding. Like other types of carps, they are omnivorous, eating not only algae, crustaceans, insects, frogs, and other fish, but also fruits that fall from trees overhead.

The first species from this group were scientifically described by Francis Buchanan-Hamilton in 1822, and first mentioned as an angling challenge by the Oriental Sporting Magazine in 1833, soon becoming a favorite quarry of British anglers living in India. Thegolden mahseer has been known to reach 2.75 m (9 ft) in length and 54 kg (118 lb) in weight, although specimens of this size are rarely seen nowadays. In addition to being caught for sport, mahseer are also part of commercial fishing and ornamental or aquarium fish.

Etymology

The Hindi name of mahāsir, mahāser, or mahāsaulā is used for a number of fishes of the group. British anglers in India called them the Indian salmon. Several sources of the common name mahseer have been suggested: It has been said to be derived from Sanskrit, while others claim it is derived from Indo-Persian, mahi- fish and sher- tiger or tiger among fish in Persian. Alternatively, mahā-śalka, meaning large-scaled, as the scales are so large that Buchanan mentions that playing cards were made from them at Dacca. Another theory by Henry Sullivan Thomas suggests mahā-āsya; great mouth.

Species

Sen and Jayaram restrict the term mahseer to members of the genus Tor. However, the few species of genus Neolissochilus and two species of genus Naziritor are also called as mahseer due to their big size scales and some similarities.

Current Problems in Himachal Pradesh

In Himachal Pradesh Golden Mahseer is depleting at a fast rate from the state even though it was categorised as an endangered species by the National Bureau of Fish Genetic Resources(NBFGR)as early as in 1992. The factors leading to this situation are mainly :— 1. Distortion of rivers due to the construction of river valley projects 2. Multipurpose dams 3. Shrinking habitat 4. Poaching 5. Exploitation

Genus Tor

* Tor ater, Roberts, 1999
* Tor barakae, Arunkumar & Basudha, 2003 , Barakae mahseer
* Tor douronensis, Valenciennes, 1842, khela mahseer or river carp
* Tor hemispinus, Chen & Chu, 1985
* Tor kulkarnii, Menon, 1992, Dwarf mahseer uncertain only one specimen found till now.
* Tor khudree, Sykes, 1839, Deccan mahseer
* Tor laterivittatus, Zhou & Cui, 1996
* Tor macrolepis, Heckel, 1838, uncertain species
* Tor polylepis, Zhou & Cui, 1996
* Tor progeneius, McClelland, 1839, Jungha mahseer
* Tor qiaojiensis, Wu, 1977
* Tor malabaricus, Jerdon, 1849, Malabar mahseer
* Tor mosal, Hamilton, 1822, Mosal Mahseer
o Tor mosal mahanadicus, (closer to Tor putitora[8])
* Tor mussullah, Sykes, 1839, High-backed mahseer, Hump-backed mahseer or Southern mahseer
* Tor putitora, Hamilton, 1822, Himalayan mahseer or Golden mahseer
* Tor sinensis, Wu, 1977, Chinese mahseer
* Tor soro, Valenciennes, 1842
* Tor tambra, Valenciennes, 1842
* Tor tambroides, Bleeker, 1854, Thai mahseer
* Tor tor, Hamilton, 1822, Red-finned mahseer, Short-gilled mahseer or Deep-bodied mahseer
* Tor yingjiangensis, Chen & Yang, 2004
* Tor yunnanensis, Wang, Zhuang & Gao, 1982
* Tor remadevi, NATP report, 2004 uncertain – only one specimen found
* Tor moyarensis, NATP report, 2004 uncertain – only one specimen found

Genus Neolissochilus

* Neolissochilus baoshanensis, (Chen & Yang, 1999)
* Neolissochilus benasi, (Pellegrin & Chevey, 1936)
* Neolissochilus blanci, (Pellegrin & Fang, 1940)
* Neolissochilus blythii, (Day, 1870)
* Neolissochilus compressus, (Day, 1870)
* Neolissochilus dukai, (Day, 1878)
* Neolissochilus hendersoni, (Herre, 1940)
* Neolissochilus heterostomus, (Chen & Yang, 1999)
* Chocolate mahseer, Neolissochilus hexagonolepsis, (McClelland, 1839)
* Brown mahseer, Neolissochilus hexastichus, (McClelland, 1839)
* Neolissochilus innominatus, (Day, 1870)
* Neolissochilus longipinnis, (Weber & de Beaufort, 1916)
* Neolissochilus nigrovittatus, (Boulenger, 1893)
* Neolissochilus paucisquamatus, (Smith, 1945)
* Neolissochilus soroides, (Duncker, 1904)
* Neolissochilus spinulosus, (McClelland, 1845)
* Neolissochilus stevensonii, (Day, 1870)
* Neolissochilus stracheyi, (Day, 1871)
* Neolissochilus subterraneus, Vidthayanon & Kottelat, 2003
* Neolissochilus sumatranus, (Weber & de Beaufort, 1916)
* Neolissochilus thienemanni, (Ahl, 1933)
* Neolissochilus tweediei, (Herre & Myers, 1937)
* Neolissochilus vittatus, (Smith, 1945)

Genus Naziritor

* Naziritor zhobensis, Mirza, 1967, Balochi mahseer
* Naziritor cheilynoides, McClelland, 1839, Dark Mahseer

Source of Referrence: Wikipedia