Indian Journal of Science and Technology

Abstract

Objectives: To study ichthyofauna composition of Alape River, Igbokoda, Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State, Nigeria. Method: Sampling was done for a period of three months, from the month of November 2019 to January 2020. Data for this study were based on the record of fish caught by local fishermen. Findings: A total of twenty thousand, four hundred and nine (20,409) individual fishes of six species (Heterotis niloticus, Clarias gariepinus, Chrysichthys nigrodigitatus, Gymnarchus niloticus, Oreochromis aureaus and Hepsetus odoe), belonging to six families (Arapaimidae, Clariidae, Claroteidae, Gymnarchidae, Cichlidae and Hepsetidae) were recorded for the whole period of study. The over-all comparison among the months of study shows that January recorded the highest catch (6,919) with an over-all relative percentage abundance of 33.9%, followed by December (6,871) with 33.67%. The least catch (6,619) was observed in the month of November with a relative percentage abundance of 32.43%. The study showed that Clarias gariepinus and Oreochromis aureus were dominant fish species, Chrysichthys nigrodigitatus was sub-dominant, Heterotis niloticus and Hepsetus odoe were occasional while Gymnarchus niloticus was rare in River Alape. The results of this study showed that the river has low fish species composition and abundance in spite of the size of the river. Considering this fact, there is need for further survey to cover more months. There is also a need to evolve strategies for effective utilization and proper management of the river for optimum fish production, sustainability and conservation.

Keywords: Ichthyofauna; Abundance; Composition; Alape River