a bit of freshwater biodiversity including fishes, turtles, amphibians etc and how to save this diversity

2. Freshwater Biodiversity of Sri Lanka
Submitted To:
Mr. Abdul Qadir
Submitted By:
ShamimMukhtar 13
BS (Hons) IV (E)
College of Earth and Environmental Sciences
University of the Punjab

3. Contents
Sri Lanka............................................................................................................................................4
Freshwater biome ..............................................................................................................................4
Biodiversity........................................................................................................................................5
The Freshwater Fishes in Sri Lanka.......................................................................................................5
Turtles and Tortoises of Sri Lanka ........................................................................................................7
Freshwater crabs................................................................................................................................8
Common commercial fish....................................................................................................................8
Crustaceans........................................................................................................................................8
Molluscs.............................................................................................................................................8
Echinoderms ......................................................................................................................................9
Vegetationin Fresh water bodies/swamps...........................................................................................9
Why a freshwater biodiversity network?..............................................................................................9
Why Freshwater biodiversity matters ..................................................................................................9
Recommendations............................................................................................................................10
References.......................................................................................................................................12

4. Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka is an island located in the tropical belt close to the
equator between 5°.55’- 9°.50’ and 79°.42’- 81°- 52’. Sri Lanka is an
island with a land area of 6,570,134 ha and a coastline of 1,600 km.
The island consists of a broad coastal plain and a central mountainous
area rising to elevations of 2,500 m. This altitudinal change has
caused thermal zones and the variation in rainfall and altitude has
resulted in a wide variety of terrestrial ecosystems. Additionally,
there is yet another multitude of ecosystems in the coastaland marine
areas.
The population of Sri Lanka is 20.48 million (2013), with a
density of 292 persons per km2
. The population growth rate is 1.1 per
cent/year; adult literacy rate is 89 per cent and average life
expectancy at birth is 72 years (males) and 76 years (females).
In terms of species, genes and ecosystems,Sri Lanka has a
very high biodiversity and is one of the 34 hot spots in the world.
The fauna and flora of Sri Lanka have generally been
considered an extension of that of southern India, especially the
southern Western Ghats, the range of mountains that borders the western littoral of the Indian peninsula
(Myers et al., 2000). It has been widely recognized that the Western Ghats and Sri Lanka are “strikingly
similar in their geology, climate, evolutionary history, and biodiversity” (Mittermeier et al., 2000: 353).
The western Ghats-Sri Lanka region is now treated as a Global Biodiversity Hotspot, given that it has lost
more than 70% of its original habitat and contains the required minimum 0.5% of Earth’s vascular-plant
species endemic to it (Myers et al., 2000; Mittermeier et al., 2004).
Freshwater biome
Freshwater is defined as having a low salt concentration — usually less than 1%. Plants and animals
in freshwater regions are adjusted to the low salt content and would not be able to survive in areas of high
salt concentration (i.e., ocean). There are different types of freshwater regions:
 Ponds and lakes
 Streams and rivers
 Wetlands
 Floodplains
There are no natural lakes in Sri Lanka; instead many reservoirs and tanks are located in the dry zone,
highest numbers reporting in Anuradhapura and Kurunegala districts. However there are over 12,000
manmade lakes in the island. Some of these water resources are perennialwhile others are seasonal,
however many are interconnected since they have been developed according to a cascade system. Among
10,000 reservoirs and tanks identified 3500 are significant. There are 103 perennial rivers (9 major and 94
minor) radiating from the central highlands, covering an area of 59,217 hectares.

5. Biodiversity
Biodiversity is the variety of different types of life found on earth. It is a measure of the variety of
organisms present in different ecosystems. This can refer to genetic variation, ecosystem variation, or
species variation (number of species) within an area,biome, or planet.
Sri Lanka has one of the highest rates of biological endemism (16% of the fauna and 23% of flowering
plants are endemic) in the world even though it is relatively small. Sri Lanka’s freshwater biodiversity
contains
 91 species of freshwater fish, and 50 of which are endemic to the country
 8 species of brackish water fish that also come to freshwater
 24 introduced exotic fish species
 246 land gastropods
 28 species of Cetaceans
 Freshwater snails
 7 species of tarantulas
 16 species of Poecilotheria
 100+ species of common commercial fish
 Molluscs
 Echinoderms
 3 species of freshwater turtles and one terrestrialtortoise
 51 species of freshwater crabs
 Freshwater bivalves
 88 percent of the flowering plants, and
 95 percent of country's flowering plant endemics
 39 Amphibians
 1 Crocodilians
The Freshwater Fishes in Sri Lanka
The fish in this country fall into three main categories.
1. Indigenous fresh water species – these are fish that live in freshwater right through their life. This
category has 44 endemic species.
2. Those species that live in brackish water lagoons and deltas in the coastal areas. They also, in some
instances, live in fresh water habitats. For example, some eels are born in the sea but soon after come
and spend most of their lives in fresh water. They go back to the sea later, where they breed and later
die.
3. The species that live in marine water throughout. However,in rare instances some of these species
have been recorded in fresh water as well. They may be brought in by the influence of the tides.
(Jayawardene, 2015)

6. Introduction
Sri Lanka supports a rich freshwater fish assemblage that comprises of 91 species including 50
endemics (Bailey and Gans, 1998; Goonatialke, 2007; Silva et al.,2008; Meegaskumbura, et al., 2008;
Pethiyagoda, 1991; Pethiyagoda et al., 2008; Pethiyagoda et al., 2008a; Pethiyagoda et al.,2008b;
Pethiyagoda et al., 2008c; Silva et al.,2011; Pethiyagoda et al.,2012; Watson, 1998). Other than these
indigenous species, 24 exotic species have been introduced to the island, mainly to boost the inland
fishery (Goonatilake, 2007). Senanayake and Moyle (1982) have identified four major Ichthyological
zones (Southwestern, Mahaweli, Dry and Transition) according to the distribution patterns of freshwater
fish in Sri Lanka. Out of these four zones, Southwestern and Mahaweli zones bear the highest freshwater
fish diversity in the island.
Distribution
Senanayake and Moyle (1982) have proposed four major Ichtyological zones (Southwestern, Mahaweli,
Dry and Transition) based the on distribution pattern of freshwater fishes. Of these the South Western and
Mahaweli zones support the highest diversity in freshwater fish while the Dry Zone species have a higher
affinity with the freshwater fish in the Indian peninsula. Number of species such as Pethia bandula
(Minipura at Kegalle District) and Stiphodon martenstyni (Atweltota near Matugama) and Rasboroides
nigromaginata are only known from a single location (point endemics). Further, some species such as
Dawkinsia srilankensis, Laubuca insularis, Systomusmartenstyni, Labeo fisheri and Labeo lankae are
only known from a single river basin. However,species such as Lepidocephalichthys jonklaasi,Devario
pathirana, Rasbora wilpita which were also thought to be restricted to a single river basin, namely the
Nilwala basin, have been shown to occur also in the Kelani river basin.
There are 174 species of freshwater fish included native, endemic, introduced and not established. Few of
the orders are:
Order Family Species Status FB name Name
Cypriniformes Balitoridae Acanthocobitis
urophthalmus
endemic Banded
mountain
loach
Vairan
ehirava
Perciformes Sparidae Acanthopagrus
berda
native Picnic
seabream
Thiraliya
Anguilliformes Anguillidae Anguilla
nebulosa
native Mottled eel Pol mal
aandha
Cyprinodontiformes Aplocheilidae Aplocheilus
panchax
native Blue panchax Hande
titteya
Siluriformes Ariidae Arius
subrostratus
native Shovelnose
sea catfish
Ura
anguluva
Clupeiformes Engraulidae Coilia reynaldi native Reynald's
grenadier
anchovy
Beloniformes Hemiramphidae Hyporhamphus
limbatus
native Congaturi
halfbeak
Marandha
Syngnathiformes Syngnathidae Ichthyocampus native

7. carce
Elopiformes Megalopidae Megalops
cyprinoides
native Indo-Pacific
tarpon
Illeya
Salmoniformes Salmonidae Salmo trutta
trutta
introduced Sea trout
Tetraodontiformes Tetraodontidae Tetraodon
nigroviridis
native Spotted green
pufferfish
41% of all known species of fish of Sri Lanka are found in freshwater. There are about 70% of endemism
of those fish. Most of them are listed into IUCN categories:
Freshwater eels Carps and allies River loaches True Loaches Naked catfishes
Sheat catfishes Airbreathing
catfishes
Airsac catfishes Swamp eels Rivulines
Ricefish Cichlids Climbing perches Gourami Snakeheads
Garfishes Sleeper gobies Spiny eels Gobies
Turtles and Tortoises of Sri Lanka
DIFFERENT SPECIES: Today there are 250 species of
turtles on earth. Seven of these live in the ocean and are
called sea turtles. The remaining 243 species live on
land or in freshwater ponds and marshes. The terrestrial
turtles, those that live solely on land, are called
tortoises.
Five of the seven species of sea turtles in the world visit
the shores of Sri Lanka to breed. They are the Green
Turtle (Chelonia mydas), Hawksbill Turtle
(Eretmochelys imbricata), Olive Ridley (Lepidochelys
olivacea), Loggerhead (Caretta caretta) and Leatherback
(Dermochelys coriacea). The sea turtles are called
Kesbawa in Sinhala and Amai in Tamil.
There are three species of freshwater turtles and one terrestrial tortoise in Sri Lanka. The
freshwater turtles are Parker’s Black Turtle (Melanochelys trijuga pakeri) Sri Lanka Black Turtle
Galapagos tortoises
photo licensed under CC BY 2.0 by Dallas Krentzel

8. (Melanochelys trijuga thermalis) and the Soft or
Flapshell turtle (Lissemys punctata punctata). The
terrestrial tortoise is the Star tortoise (Geochelone
elegans). (Jayawardene, 2015)
Freshwater crabs
Sri Lanka supports a rich freshwater crab
assemblage in comparison with other similar, well
studied tropical Asian countries such as Peninsular
Malaysia and Singapore, which together have a
territory about twice the extent of Sri Lanka, and
yet about the same number of freshwater crab
species (Ng, 1988), while Taiwan which is about
little over half the size of Sri Lanka (36,000 km2)
has 34 species (Ng et al., 2001). Another unique
feature of Sri Lankan freshwater crabs is that they
show 98.04% endemicity which has not been observed in any other faunal group in Sri Lanka.
Sri Lanka's freshwater crab fauna is extremely important to the island, due to its endemism. All
recorded 51 species, along with five genera,are totally endemic to Sri Lanka. 98% of those crabs are
IUCN categorized as threatened,endangered or critically endangered animals.
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Crustacea
Order: Decapoda.
All the Sri Lankan freshwater crabs belong to a single family, Gecarcinucidae.
Common commercial fish
Marine fish are strictly different from freshwater counterparts due to high salinity of sea water,
which they live. Also, they are larger than most freshwater species and rich in proteins.
There are about 100+ species of common commercial fish around the country.
Crustaceans
Crustaceans such as, crabs, lobsters, prawns, and squids, cuttlefish, and sea cucumbers also added
to this list instead of fish types due to their high value commercially.
Molluscs
Class: Cephalopoda
Order: Teuthida
Family: Loliginidae
Hawksbill Turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata)
photo licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0 by Kevin
Bryant

9. Echinoderms
Class: Holothuroidea
Order: Aspidochirotida
Family: Holothuriidae
Vegetation in Fresh water bodies/swamps
The coastal and freshwater wetlands are characterised by young and unstable soils. In the
northern and southern dry zones/ Hambantota, Jaffna/ Mannar and Puttalam areas/ are found solodized
solonetz and solonchanks (saline soils). These soils/ found along the coast/ tidal flats and flood plains in
association with other soil types/ are rather brownish or yellowish, saline and alkaline.
In the coastal areas mangroves and salt marshes colonize inundated bays/ inlets and river
estuaries with scrub vegetation invading sandy shores and dunes. Inland areas inundated by fresh water
have swamp and floodplain forests. Mostof these have been converted to paddy land.
Why a freshwater biodiversity network?
Fresh waters reflect all of the ecological and human-related processes that take place within their
catchments. They are highly vulnerable to land use (e.g. erosion and sedimentation), and their condition
provides early warning of landscape degradation. As the arteries and kidneys of the landscape, they carry
water,nutrients and sediments; they drain and purify wastes,as well as produce a plethora of resources
used by human societies. Of all the world's global ecosystems,freshwaters are under most pressure.
Freshwater ecosystems are declining globally in extent and number, some at dramatic rates; as a result,
threats to freshwater biodiversity are particularly severe.
 Freshwater ecosystems support one of the highest levels of species richness. For example, fish
species living in fresh water represent one quarter of global vertebrate diversity.
 The role and relevance of freshwater biodiversity to ecosystem functioning and for the provision
of services have not been adequately assessed (Naiman,R.J. et al., 2006)
Why Freshwater biodiversity matters
1. According to Naiman, R.J. et al., (2006) Fresh water – and the biodiversity it supports - is of vital
importance to all life and to nearly any kind of human activity, including industrial production,
navigation, domestic water requirements, waste assimilation, health, and especially food
production.
2. Many serious human diseases are water-borne or spread through aquatic vectors (e.g. malaria,
schistosomiasis, onchocerciasis, cholera, dysentery). The incidence of water-borne diseases is
increasing as disease agents are easily dispersed through poor water management and pollution --
being directly or indirectly a consequence of biodiversity modification. Anthropogenic
modifications of freshwater systems reduce naturalbiodiversity and favour one or a few species

10. that can often become,according to the geographic area,pest species (e.g. Simulium spp, biting
blackflies) or disease vectors (e.g. mosquitoes, snails).
3. Clean fresh water is a limiting resource for development in many regions of the world. Therefore,
the role of biodiversity in freshwater processes (e.g. self-purification) is of crucial importance for
sustaining goods and services for human populations.
4. Freshwater biodiversity and ecosystems provide aesthetic, cultural and spiritual values.
Traditional spiritual values and sacred places (e.g. in South Africa, India, Cambodia, Sri Lanka,
Australia) are strongly associated with natural freshwater sites and their inherent biota. Finally,
the psychological and recreational values of natural freshwater systems such as fishing,
swimming, hiking, boating, and rafting, as well as the creativity associated with music, painting
and poetry, are paramount.
5. Freshwater biodiversity supplies essential goods and services to human populations. They
include:
a. Commercial, recreational and subsistence fisheries, and wildlife hunting; .Wood, reeds
and medicinal plants for construction, weaving and health care; .Supplies of nutrients and
carbon sources to sustain terrestrial and marine productivity (e.g. near-shore finfish,
salmon and prawn fisheries, coastal aquaculture, floodplain agriculture and grazing
systems).
6. Freshwater faunas show a high degree of endemicity as shown, for example, by the outstanding
examples of species flocks of fishes in ancient African lakes. In general, strictly aquatic taxa,
such as fish and bivalves, are usually isolated within river or lake catchments providing
opportunities for radiative adaptation and speciation. However,such endemicity makes them
vulnerable to changing conditions and their disappearance is more likely to lead to disappearance
of ecosystem goods and services.
Recommendations
1. A conservation assessment of the freshwater fauna is overdue, but for most species up to date
information on populations and trends simply does not exist to facilitate one. A comprehensive
assessment of the populations of all freshwater fish species based on fresh sampling is therefore an
urgent necessity.
2. While fisheries managers maintain detailed catch records at severalstations in Sri Lanka, taxonomic
data are not acquired. The maintenance of records of the catch of each species,especially the
indigenous-species by-catch, could provide a means to make trend analyses that could inform future
conservation decisions.
3. All pesticides approved for release in Sri Lanka should be assessed for impact on non-target
organisms and the environment in general, and the labelling of such products should include
information on environmental safeguards.
4. All future releases of exotic fishes should be preceded by an environmental impact assessment
involving specific safeguards against invasiveness.
5. A positive list of organisms that may be imported by the ornamental fish industry needs to be
developed and enforced.The necessary legalprovisions for this already exist in the Fauna and Flora
Protection Ordinance.

11. 6. Legal and institutional reforms need to be made to engage local communities in the in situ
conservation of point-endemic freshwater fishes; and to engage the ornamental fish industry in ex situ
conservation, especially the development of methodologies to breed “difficult” threatened species
(e.g. Puntius asoka) in captivity.
7. International agencies,particularly the FAO and ADB should be informed of the negative
consequences of their fisheries development projects in Sri Lanka and urged to engage in supporting
the research and capacity-building necessary to manage the fishery sustainably into the future.
8. Incentives and regulatory measures need to be introduced to phase out, over a defined time scale (say
2-3 years),the harvesting of fishes from the wild by the ornamental fishery, while encouraging the
culture of such species as for which there is commercial demand.
9. Finally, although its consequences will have minimal conservation benefit at this stage, the
Department of Wildlife Conservation should take steps to eradicate the last population of rainbow
trout in Sri Lanka.

12. References
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