<b>Ichthyofaunal Diversity, Distribution, Conservation, and Threat Status in the Ghaghara River</b> <b>(Ganga Basin), India</b>

<p dir="ltr">This study examined ichthyofaunal diversity, distribution, and conservation status in the Ghaghara River, a left-bank tributary of the Ganga River in the Himalayan region, during the pre-monsoon period (April–May 2023).Fish were collected at a total of ten stratified sampling sites along the Ghaghara River (610 km stretch) from Kailashpuri Dam, Uttar Pradesh, to Manjhi, Bihar (confluence of the Ganga). The river profile was divided into upper, middle, and lower management zones to design localised conservation measures.

A total of 90 fish species belonging to 12 orders, 31 families and 65 genera were recorded from the Ghaghara River. The relationship between fish species, sampling sites and environmental variables was calculated by Canonical Correspondence Analysis (CCA), whereas the relationship between Environmental drivers and overall alpha diversity was calculated by a Pearson correlation matrix. Cluster analysis was performed to group fish assemblages together based on overall similarity.</p>