Freshwater fish fauna of the Ashambu Hills landscape, southern Western Ghats, India, with notes on some range extensions

Abstract

A systematic, updated checklist of freshwater fish species of the west-flowing drainages of the Ashambu (Agasthyamala) Hills landscape in the southern Western Ghats of Kerala, India is provided, with notes on occurrence, status and ecology of endemic and threatened species. The checklist incorporates information from a review of taxonomic, exploratory and ecological literature concerning the area. A total of 103 species have been reported from the landscape, with 25 endemic to the Western Ghats. Range extension of four species, viz. Garra mcclellandi, G. hughi, Hypselobarbus jerdoni and Puntius mahecola is reported from the Ashambu Hills landscape.