The increase in the level of water pollution in rivers is posing a threat to freshwater shrimps in the State, recent studies conducted by researchers have revealed.
Two shrimp species - Macrobrachium madhusoodani and M. prabhakarani - recently reported from Kerala have been included on the Red List of threatened species published by IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature), highlighting the need for their conservation and preservation.
Both the species have been included in the Data Deficient category of the Red List, indicating that little or no information is available on their abundance and distribution, information that is crucial for an assessment of conservation status.
P. Madhusoodanan Pillai of the Central Agricultural University, Manipur, and V. Unnikrishnan of the Department of Zoology and Research Centre, Mahatma Gandhi College, Thiruvananthapuram, described these two shrimp species as part of their genomic research.
The presence of M. prabhakarani has been reported only in the Vamanapuram River. Recent studies by these scientists have brought out the presence of M. madhusoodani in the Vamanapuram River also, though the species had been first reported from the upper reaches of Western Ghats region of the Ithikkara river.
New species
Another new species, M. snpurii , described by the same researchers from the lower Western Ghats region of southern Kerala, is restricted to the Karamana river.
Mr.Unnikrishnan said this species also needed urgent conservation measures to protect the rich biodiversity of the southern Western Ghats region. He said more studies were needed to assess the aquaculture potential of the newly described species.
Urgent steps
He said urgent steps were needed to check pollution of rivers in Kerala, one of the principal causes for biodiversity depletion.
Agencies such as the Kerala State Biodiversity Board could take the initiative to prevent pollution, he said.
Principal of the Mahatma Gandhi College Sudheer Kidangoor said the inclusion of the indigenous species on the Data Deficient list of the IUCN highlighted the necessity for detailed studies and conservation strategies to be adopted by the Central and State governments.
Mr. Kidangoor said the college was preparing a proposal to be submitted to the State government for the protection and conservation of these species, along with other vulnerable prawn species in the rivers of southern Kerala.
Source: The Hindu, October 17, 2013