Karyoevolutionary and karyosystematic considerations on Schizothorax curvifrons and Schizothorax niger (Teleostei: Cyprinidae): Important hill-stream food fishes of Kashmir Himalaya

Abstract

Cytogenetic studies have helped in clarifying the problem of disagreement amongst taxonomists on the identity of a given species. Cytogenetic studies were performed on two fishes of the genus Schizothorax viz. Schizothorax curvifrons Heckel and Schizothorax niger Heckel (Cyprinidae: Schizothoracinae) obtained from Sindh Stream and Dal Lake Srinagar Kashmir, respectively. These fishes are considered to be the subspecies of the same species. The two species showed a diploid number of 98 in S. niger and 94 in S. curvifrons. The karyological data are analyzed in terms of the taxonomic aspects within this genus, and the validity of their existence as species chromosomally distinct from each other is emphasized.

Keywords: Sindh stream, karyotype, cytotaxonomy, Kashmir Himalaya, chromosome.