Fish Fauna of Ganga River Basin 

A fish is an aquatic, anamniotic, gill-bearing vertebrate with swimming fins and a hard skull, but without limbs or digits. There are approximately 34,000 species of fish, belonging to the phylum Chordata, found in both fresh and saltwater ecosystems around the world. Most fish are cold-blooded, with their body temperature varying with the surrounding water. Fishes possess the ability to communicate acoustically with one another and also play a vital role in maintaining the trophic structure of aquatic ecosystems by transferring nutrients and regulating ecological balance. Indian rivers and other freshwater ecosystems are home to around 756 freshwater fish species. The distinctive hydrology and geo-climatic conditions of the upper, middle and lower stretches of the Ganga River support a rich diversity of fish fauna. The Ganga River alone harbours more than 143 species of fish, distributed across 11 orders, 72 genera and 32 families. This accounts for approximately 20 per cent of the total freshwater fish species reported in India.

Aquatic Species / Fish Fauna of Ganga River Basin