Current diversity and abundance of fish species in a sampling site on Lake Kainji

Abstract

The diversity and abundance of fish species was studied in a sampling site on the Lake Kainji over a period of three months.  A total number of four hundred and thirteen (413) fish from forty (40) species and fifteen (15) families were recorded during the study.  The family bagridae dominated the catches with 18.37% in terms of abundance by number followed by Mochokidae with 13.5%% while Channidae had the lowest with 0.24%. The highest number of different species (8) was from bagridae followed by Mormyridae (6), then Characidae (5) and Mochokidae (4).  In terms of ponderal abundance the family Centropomidae accounted for the highest with 27.22%.  Distichodontidae (18.13%) was next and Channidae had the lowest (0.11%).  Analysis of variance showed significant difference between families and species in each family during period of study.  There was also significant difference between species of fish within family at > 0.05.  The total number of fish families and species recorded in the sampling site is an indication that the species diversity in the Lake is still high.