Study finds 21 Gobioid fish species in mangrove and estuarine areas of Maharashtra

Barred mudskipper Periophthalmus cf. argentilineatus was colleceted from study site GB5, from Panvel Creek. (Sourced/Express)

The study has generated the first baseline information on gobioid fish diversity along the coastline of Maharashtra, thus filling a major knowledge gap for a category of fishes that comprise a major component of fish diversity in the mangrove ecosystem, observed experts.

The study listed seven species that have been recorded for the first time along the west coast of India.

Virendra Tiwari, the additional principal chief conservator of forests (mangrove cell), said: “This is the first time such an extensive study on Gobioid fish has been undertaken and it has allowed us to understand the diversity and distribution of these fishes across the major mangrove and estuarine areas of Maharashtra. I am sure that this knowledge will help us in understanding our mangrove ecosystem in a better way and assist in its conservation.”

“Goby fishes are an iconic group of fishes, that are extremely hard or impossible to identify in the field based on what they look like [morphological features] as most of the species look superficially similar. This new study using an integrative taxonomic approach has brought the first information on gobioid fish fauna along the coast of Maharashtra and has highlighted the true diversity of these charismatic groups of mangrove fishes. This new study will help us in delineating important goby fish areas and help prioritise conservation initiatives for mangrove biodiversity,” said Unmesh Katwate, fish scientist at the BNHS who also led the study.