The Western Ghats, also known as the Sahyadri mountain range, is a mountain range that covers an area of 160,000 km2 (62,000 sq mi) in a stretch of 1,600 km (990 mi) parallel to the western coast of the Indian peninsula, traversing the states of Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the 36 biodiversity hotspots in the world. It is sometimes called the Great Escarpment of India. It contains a very large proportion of the country's flora and fauna, many of which are endemic to this region. The Western Ghats are older than the Himalayas. They influence Indian monsoon weather patterns by intercepting the rain-laden monsoon winds that sweep in from the south-west during late summer. The range runs north to south along the western edge of the Deccan Plateau and separates the plateau from a narrow coastal plain called the Western Coastal Plains along the Arabian Sea. A total of 39 areas in the Western Ghats, including national parks, wildlife sanctuaries and reserve forests, were designated as world heritage sites in 2012 – twenty of them in Kerala, ten in Karnataka, six in Tamil Nadu and four in Maharashtra.
The Denison barb, Denison's barb, Miss Kerala, red-line torpedo barb, or roseline shark is an endangered species of cyprinid fish endemic to the fast-flowing hill streams and rivers of the Western Ghats in India. It is commonly seen in the aquarium trade; pet collection caused it to become endangered and is its single major threat.
Horabagrus brachysoma or the sun catfish is a species of catfish endemic to rivers in the Western Ghats of India. It is known as Günther's catfish or yellow catfish. It is also known as Manjakoori in its native range. It is also known by a host of other names, such as bullseye catfish, golden red tail catfish and solar catfish.
Jerdon's baril is a fish in the genus Barilius of the family Cyprinidae. It is found in southern Karnataka and northern Kerala.
Schistura nagodiensis, sometimes known as the Nagodi loach, is a species of freshwater fish in the family Nemacheilidae. It is endemic to the Sharavathi River basin in the central Western Ghats, India, where it is known from Nagodihole, its type locality. It grows to 2.8 cm (1.1 in) standard length. It is known from torrential hill streams with good vegetation cover at 600–800 m (2,000–2,600 ft) above sea level.
Schistura sharavathiensis, sometimes known as the Sharavati loach, is a species of freshwater fish in the family Nemacheilidae. It is endemic to the Sharavathi River basin in the central Western Ghats, India. It grows to 2.9 cm (1.1 in) standard length. It is known from a perennial, torrential hill stream with good vegetation cover at 450–480 m (1,480–1,570 ft) above sea level.
Mesonoemacheilus menoni is a species of ray-finned fish in the genus Mesonoemacheilus. It is endemic to the southern Western Ghats in Kerala, India, where it occurs in the upper reaches of the Periyar River over substrates of cobbles, pebbles and sand in flowing water. It is common within the Periyar Tiger Reserve but may be threatened by predation and competition from the invasive African cichlid Mozambique tilapia, the common carp and Clarias gariepinus.
Nemacheilus monilis, the spotted loach, is a species of ray-finned fish in the genus Nemacheilus which is endemic to the southern Western Ghats in the Indian states of Kerala and Tamil Nadu. It occurs in fast flowing water, even in rapids, over substrates consisting of pebbles and cobble substrates. It occasionally is collected and exported for the aquarium trade.
Slender stone loach is a species of hill-stream loach. It is endemic to the Western Ghats, India, and known from Kerala and Karnataka, and possibly from Maharashtra. It inhabits torrential streams and can be found attached to bedrock, cobbles, and boulders.
Hypselobarbus carnaticus, also known as the Carnatic carp, is a species of cyprinid fish from the Western Ghats in India where it inhabits riffles and larger pools in rapidly flowing rivers and streams. It prefers to shelter underneath boulders and overhangs. This species can reach a length of 60 centimetres (24 in) TL and has attained a maximum reported weight of 12 kilograms (26 lb). It is a commercially important fish and is also farmed.
Barbodes wynaadensis is a species of cyprinid fish. It is endemic to the Wyanad Plateau and its surroundings in the southern Western Ghats, India. It occurs in fast-flowing rivers and streams with rock substrates. This species can reach a length of 50 centimetres (20 in) TL. It is of minor importance to local commercial fisheries.
Hypselobarbus kolus is a species of ray-finned fish in the genus Hypselobarbus which is endemic to the Western Ghats in southern India in the states of Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra. It has been recorded from the rivers Chalakudy, Periyar, Muvattupuzha and Karamana, Linganamakki Dam on the Sharavathi River, Krishna River, Thamirabarani, Bhima River, Godavari and Bhadra.
Osteobrama bakeri is a species of ray-finned fish in the genus Osteobrama. It is endemic to streams in the southern Western Ghats of Kerala where it has been recorded from the rivers Chaliyar ; Periyar, Chalakudy, Karuvannur, Muvattupuzha, Meenachil, Manimala, Chandragiri, Bharathapuzha, Pamba, Kallada and Achenkovil.
Osteobrama neilli is a species of ray-finned fish in the genus Osteobrama.
The Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuary is a protected area located in the Mandya, Chamarajanagar and Ramanagar districts of Karnataka, India. The Cauvery River passes through its midst. An area of 510.52 km2 (197.11 sq mi) was established as Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuary on 14 January 1987 under Section 18 of the Wildlife Protection Act 1972 with the objective of providing protection, conservation and development of Wildlife and its environment. The sanctuary was expanded to its current area of 102,753 hectares in 2013. On its east, it adjoins Dharmapuri forest division of Tamil Nadu state.
Osteochilus longidorsalis is a species of fish in the family Cyprinidae. Its common names are hiffin carp and long finned barb.
Glyptothorax kudremukhensis is a species of catfish in family Sisoridae and was described by K.C. Gopi in 2007. It is endemic to the Western Ghats and only known from the Tunga River from inside the Kudremukh National Park. IUCN categorises the species as critically endangered. No subspecies are listed in the Catalogue of Life.
Laubuka fasciata is a species of cyprinid fish endemic to river systems in Kerala, India. It is known as Malabar Hatchet Chela. The fish was first discovered in 1958 in the Anamalai streams by the Keralite fish scientist Eric Godwin Silas. The species was named Fasciata because of it shiny stripe on the body.
Horalabiosa joshuai, the lipped algae eater, is a species of cyprinid fish in the genus Horalabiosa endemic to streams in the Western Ghats in India. It is sometimes placed in the genus Garra.
Tor malabaricus, the Malabar mahseer, is a fish, a species of mahseer native to southwestern India.
