Snakeheads of Sri Lanka: A Taxonomic and Biogeographic Review

Abstract

Purpose : Fish species of the family Channidae, commonly known as snakeheads, represent biggest and most caught native freshwater species in Sri Lanka. Despite importance for biodiversity and fisheries in Sri Lanka, members of this family are one of the least studied on taxonomic status and geographic distribution. Research Method : As an initial step of a study to revise the taxonomy and biogeography of freshwater fish in the family Channidae based on molecular phylogenetic and morphological relationships and biogeographical affinities, authors reviewed all the available published information and examined the specimens available at the National Museum of Sri Lanka.

The Anchors of Home: Understanding How Place Attachment strengthen Well-being of Sri Lanka's Migratory Fisher Communities

“…Despite ethnic differences-migrating shers being Tamil-speaking Sinhalese and local shers being Tamils-the two communities share a remarkable degree of cultural, linguistic, and religious commonality. This shared identity forms a foundation for strong inter-community bonds, so much so that they overshadow the ethnic tensions that have historically divided Sinhalese and Tamils in Sri Lanka, including the decadeslong civil con ict (Rajasingham-Senanayake, 1999; Perera, 2001;DeVotta, 2004;Venugopal, 2018).…”