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Description |
Asia: large rivers of Indian subcontinent and Myanmar (Ganges, Krishna?, Godavari, Irrawaddy). Widely introduced in its geographical range for aquaculture. Reports from Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia are based on misidentifications.
Geographic Range [top]
Range Description: Pangasius pangasius is widely distributed in Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, and the Irrawaddy River delta in Myanmar (Roberts and Vidthayanon 1991). Shrestha (2008) reports it from Nepal.
Countries occurrence:
Native:
Bangladesh; India (Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Meghalaya, Orissa, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal); Myanmar (Myanmar (mainland)); Nepal; Pakistan
Additional data:
Range Map: Click here to open the map viewer and explore range.
Population [top]
Population: It was previously abundant in Ganges and Brahmaputra rivers, but serious declines have been reported (Hossain et al. 2009). There is no empirical evidence to support this decline for this species throughout its range. However, localized catch data suggests that this species is being overfished (Hoq 2007).
Current Population Trend: Decreasing
Additional data:
? Continuing decline of mature individuals: Yes
? Population severely fragmented: No
Habitat and Ecology [top]
Habitat and Ecology: It inhabits large rivers, streams, lakes, coastal waters and estuaries. It mainly inhabits estuaries where it breeds during the rains. It does not breed in ponds. It feeds on plants, molluscs, worms and shrimps (Hossain et al. 2009).
Systems: Freshwater
Use and Trade [top]
Use and Trade: This catfish grows upto 1.5 m and inhabits lower portions of large rivers and estuaries. It is a food-fish but its flesh is not graded among that of good varieties of fishes. A good fishery exists in the Gangetic estuaries during July-August. It mainly inhabits the estuaries where it, during the rains, breeds. Because of its dirty feeding habits, this fish is not much liked. Since it attains a good size, it affords a good sport to anglers. It has been successfully bred in Bangladesh (Khan and Mollah 2004)
Threats [top]
Major Threat(s): Thia species is said to be susceptible to threats such as overexploitation, destruction of habitats and breeding grounds from damming and pollution (Hossain et al. 2009). Other than catch data that suggests that this species is indeed overexploited, there is no empirical evidence to suggest that the other threats hold true (H.H. Ng pers. comm.).
Conservation Actions [top]
Conservation Actions: More catch data and information on harvest levels throughout the range of this species is needed. The threats to this species also need to be further ascertained.
Citation: Pal, M. 2010. Pangasius pangasius. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2010: e.T166404A6201771. http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2010-4.RLTS.T166404A6201771.en. Downloaded on 03 October 2016.
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