SPECIES DIVERSITY OF THE FISH FAUNA OF THE COASTAL AREA IN DUYEN HAI DISTRICT, TRA VINH PROVINCE, VIETNAM

Abstract

Eight field surveys (four in the dry season and four in the rainy season) were conducted between January 2017 and December 2020 along the coastal area of Duyen Hai district, Tra Vinh province. Specimens were collected by various gears of fishermen such as nets, trawl nets, inshore stake trap net, mangrove stake trap net, etc. Based on the collection of 383 fish specimens, 98 species reported belonging to 49 families of 15 orders. Perciformes is the most diverse order with 59 species (accounting for 60.20% of the total recorded species). Following is Siluriformes with 9 species (accounting for 9.18% of total), Clupeiformes were 8 species (accounting for 8.16%), Pleuronectiformes were 5 species (accounting for 5.10%). The other orders comprised one to three species (accounting for 1.02 - 3.06% of the total species). In the 98 species recorded, 24 species have recognized as locally economic species (accounting for 24.49%), 56 species are migrated species or relative to the migration (accounting for 57.14%) most of them are marine origin species. The result also showed that 4 species are listed in the Vietnam Red Data Book (2007) as vulnerable category (VU) (accounting for 4.08% of the total species recorded). These species are Megalops cyprinoides, Anodontostoma chacunda, Datnioides polota and Toxotes charareus. These species need to protect to maintain biodiversity for Viet Nam in general and this area in particular.