Malabar mahseer facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Malabar mahseer |
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| Tor malabaricus in Karnataka, India | |
| Conservation status | |
Scientific classification  |
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| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Cypriniformes |
| Family: | Cyprinidae |
| Genus: | Tor |
| Species: |
T. malabaricus
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| Binomial name | |
| Tor malabaricus Jerdon, 1849
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The Tor malabaricus, also known as the Malabar mahseer, is a special type of fish. It belongs to a group of fish called mahseers. This particular mahseer lives in the rivers of southwestern India.
Contents
What is a Malabar Mahseer?
The Malabar mahseer is a type of Cyprinidae fish, which includes carps and minnows. It has a sleek, torpedo-shaped body that helps it swim fast. Its head is quite large, and it has big scales covering its body. Around its mouth, you'll see four small whiskers, called barbels. These barbels help the fish find food.
When this fish was first described, people noted its size. Its head is about one-fourth the length of its whole body. The fish's height is about three and a half times less than its total length. It also has about 23 scales along its body.
Sometimes, young Malabar mahseers can look a bit like another fish called Tor remadevii. However, these two fish usually live in very different places. Tor remadevii is only found in the Cauvery River, which flows towards the east.
Where Do They Live?
The Malabar mahseer lives only in the rivers and streams that flow westwards. You can find them in the Indian states of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Kerala. These rivers are often shorter and faster-flowing, especially those coming down from the Western Ghats mountains.
What Do They Eat and How Do They Live?
Like other mahseer species, the Malabar mahseer is an omnivore. This means it eats both plants and animals. Its diet likely includes small creatures that live in the water or on land. It also eats fruits, other plants, small amphibians, and even other fish.
Adult Malabar mahseers probably swim upstream to the headwaters of rivers to lay their eggs. This usually happens when the water levels are high. Because they live in shorter, faster rivers, their journeys to spawn are likely shorter than those of other mahseer species.
Why Are They in Danger?
The Malabar mahseer is currently listed as an Endangered species by the IUCN. This means there aren't many of them left, and they are at risk of disappearing forever. A big challenge in protecting them is that we don't know enough about where they live or how they interact with other fish.
Many things threaten the Malabar mahseer, just like other mahseer species:
- Loss of habitat: As cities grow, their homes are destroyed.
- Dams and pollution: Building dams and polluting rivers also harm their living spaces.
- Harmful fishing: Some people use dangerous methods like dynamite, poison, or electricity to catch fish. These methods kill many fish, including young ones, and damage the environment.
Another problem is the spread of another mahseer species, Tor khudree, from Maharashtra. This fish is sometimes put into rivers where the Malabar mahseer naturally lives. Tor khudree is considered an invasive species. This means it can cause problems for the native Malabar mahseer populations.
For example, in 1996, fish in a temple pool in Shishla, Karnataka, were sadly poisoned. These fish were likely Malabar mahseers. Unfortunately, when the pool was restocked, they used Tor khudree from special breeding programs. This added more pressure on the native fish. Temple pools can help protect local fish, but they are also very sensitive to pollution.
 | Dorothy Vaughan |
 | Charles Henry Turner |
 | Hildrus Poindexter |
 | Henry Cecil McBay |
