Fishes of Chembarampakkam Lake - A wetland in the outskirts of Chennai

Abstract

Wetlands that are in the neighborhood of cities are facing the brunt of development. A few wetlands however continue to maintain their ecological integrity and thus serve as refuges of local biodiversity. In this paper the results of a brief study of fishes in Chembarampakkam Lake in the outskirts of Chennai is presented. Thirty-two species were identified and a few species including the exotic Gouramy Trichogaster trichopterus has been reported for the first time.