New Fish Species Studied for Aquaculture Potential by Aquaculture CRSP Researchers

T he mahseer or golden mahseer (Tor putitora, Hamilton) is considered king of the Himalayan fishes. It is an important edible fish in the rivers and tributaries of Nepal (Shrestha, 1997). The mahseer’s range extends throughout southern Asia, from Iran in the west to Thailand in the east, and from Sri Lanka in the south to the Himalayas in the north. This species resembles a typical carp in structure and appearance. The body is semi-round and slightly flattened along the ventral surface from near the mouth opening to the anus, and there is sudden tapering of the body just after the anal region. Eyes are large, round, and situated more towards the dorsal surface. The nostrils are located near the eyes on either side of the midCyprinidae family, attaining a length up to 5 feet, and sometimes exceeding 70 pounds. In India, the mahseer affords the same kind of sport as salmon in the British Isles, and it rivals that fish in size, strength, and activity. Its flesh is likewise much esteemed. The mahseer is oviparous and the sexes are separate. During spawning season males develop strong tubercles and hence are easily distinguished from the female ones. Its reproductive system consists of gonads, in which the germ cells are formed, and the dorsal line. The head is provided with two pairs of feelers—the rostral and maxillary barbells. The entire body, except the head and fin, is covered with large-sized cycloid scales and the fish, therefore, is called “large-scale barbel.” It is one of the largest species of the ...continued on p. 3