Survey of Fish Fauna and Diversity in river Hadejia Jigawa State, Nigeria
Abstract
Species diversity in river Hadejia was survey within the period of one year (January 2012 December 2013). The specimen was obtained monthly for 24 months from fishermen at study sites. The samples were preserved for analysis. Standard length (SL), total length (TL) and weight of the samples were measured. A total of 1,008 specimens were sampled, this comprised of species, belonging to 14 families. The low number of fish species recorded in River Hadejia is partly due to the stream/river order that serves the river. According to Welcomme (1979), the higher the stream/river order the higher the number / abundance of fish species, and vice versa. The Ciclidae dominated the fish found in River Hadejia, with Tilapia spps being the most abundant, followed by the Bagridae, represented by C, nigrodigitaus. A similar observation. Tilapia guniensis was the most abundant species in Asejire Lake. The preponderance of Cichlids in river Hadejia has been attributed to the calms water of the river and their colonization by green plants which provide suitable shelter, breeding and feeding grounds for the cichlidae.
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