FRESHWATER FISHES OF THE BATANG HARI BASIN, CENTRAL SUMATRA INDONESIA

Abstract

The Batang Hari basin drains from the whole province of Jambi and part of Sumatra Barat. The eastern and central portions of Jambi encompass much low-lying areas, made up of mainly tropical rainforests, acid-water swamp forests and peat swamp forests. The western portion of Jambi is situated about 1000 to 3000 metres above sea level, in the highlands of the Barisan range. The highland lakes of Kerinci and Gunung Tujuh are some of the headwaters of the Batang Hari. The lake of Gunung Tujuh is the highest lake in Southeast Asia. The freshwater fish fauna of Jambi has not been surveyed or reported on in toto, and remains poorly known. Recent surveys from Jambi and surrounding nearby areas in Riau, West Sumatra and South Sumatra have yielded 24 species new to Science - Eirmotus isthmus, E. saturatus, Puntius gemellus, Puntius sp., Rasbora vulcanus, new genus and new species (Cyprinidae), Neohomaloptera sp. (Balitoridae), Pangio sp. (Cobitidae), Hemibagrus velox, Hyalobagrus flavus, Nanobagrus stellatus (Bagridae), Ompok fumidus (Siluridae), Akysis heterurus, Parakysis grandis (Akysidae), Gymnochanda sp. (Ambassidae), Eugnathogobius sp. (Gobiidae), Betta cracens, B. falx, B. raja, B. renata, B. simorum, Luciocephalus aura (Osphronemidae), Macrognathus sp. (Mastacembelidae), Carinotetraodon irrubesco (Tetraodontidae). It is expected that further investigations will probably uncover more taxa. A further 28 species are recorded for the first time or known from fresh material from central Sumatra - Carcharhinus leucas (Carcharhinidae), Clupeichthys perakensis, Sundasalanx platyrhynchus (Clupeidae), Cyclocheilichthys heteronema, Hypsibarbus huguenini, Parachela cyanea, Pectenocypris korthausae, Puntius banksi, Rasbora brittani, R. kalbarensis, R. subtilis (Cyprinidae), Barbucca diabolica, Nemacheilus kapuasensis, N. longipinnis, Vaillantella euepiptera (Balitoridae), Pangio alcoides, P. doriae (Cobitidae), Pseudomystus fuscus, P. rugosus (Bagridae), Helicophagus typus, Pangasius djambal (Pangasiidae), Clarias olivaceus (Clariidae), Akysis macronema (Akysidae), Phenablennius heyligeri (Blennidae), Channa cyanospilos (Channidae), Bihunichthys monopteroides, Chendol keelini and Nagaichthys jilipes (Chaudhuriidae). The total number of fish species currently known from the Batang Hari basin stands at 299 from 46 families and 135 genera. This represents 60 % of the total number of species now known from Sumatra.