Trends in morphological relationships among Gangetic Cyprinids

Integrative approach for validation of six important fish species inhabiting River Poonch of north-west Himalayan region (India)

Traditionally, species of fish are identified based on morphological characteristics. Although these taxonomic descriptions are essential, there are cases where the morphological characters distinguishing these species show marginal differences. For instance, in the Poonch River in the Himalayas, there are 21 species, out of which some are morphologically similar, and the taxonomic distinction between these species is unclear. Therefore, in this study, we used sequences from two mitochondrial genes, Cytochrome b (Cyt b) and a larger ribosomal subunit (16S rRNA), as well as the morphological analysis to address any taxonomic ambiguities among the six fish species. Maximum Likelihood results revealed that all the species were clustered according to their families and genera. The phenotypic analysis also supported this statement, as all the species of different genera like Schizothorax, Tor, Garra, Traqilabeo, and Glyptothorax are grouped in their particular cluster, it shows that species of a separate class share a mutual morphological characteristic. While genetic analyses of these species suggest nucleotide diversity (p) and haplotype diversity, with Hd values as 0.644 for Cyt b and 0.899 for 16S rRNA, confirming the rich genetic diversity in the river. Overall, we recommend that the integrative approach in delimiting the fish species is more effective than the individual one and can be used to rapidly diagnose a species and understand the evolutionary relationship between the species.

Role of digital technology in freshwater biodiversity monitoring through citizen science during COVID-19 pandemic

Citizen Science plays a vital role in monitoring biodiversity. However, it has been challenging for scientists to interact with citizens involved in biodiversity monitoring during the COVID-19 pandemic. In such circumstances, digital technology can serve as a tool for biodiversity monitoring through the cooperation between citizens and scientists. Trained volunteers can share ecological data, photographs, and videos of the species, and disturbances within ecosystems, due to anthropological activities through various digital platforms, such as Email, WhatsApp, Facebook, Twitter, and mobile apps designed for this purpose. The Wildlife Institute of India has taken the initiative by launching an android app "Ganga Data Collector" and Facebook pages "Glimpses of Ganga" and "Ganga Rejuvenation" as part of the "Biodiversity Conservation and Ganga Rejuvenation" project with an objective to monitor the biodiversity of the Ganga River involving the local community known as "Guardians of the Ganga" or "Ganga Prahari." These trained volunteers can share photos and videos of recorded species, their mortality and rescue operations along with water quality data and prohibited activities like illegal fishing and habitat degradation due to pollution and mining. Professionals around the world employed in freshwater biodiversity monitoring could follow the same strategy to overcome the present COVID-19 pandemic crisis and prepare to monitor biodiversity during future lock-downs.