Previous Year Question
Consider the following pairs:
List-I (Wildlife) | List-II (Naturally found in) |
1. Blue-finned Mahseer | Cauvery River |
2. Irrawaddy Dolphin | Chambal River |
3. Rusty-spotted Cat | Eastern Ghats |
Which of the pairs given above are correctly matched?
1 and 2 only
2 and 3 only
1 and 3 only
1, 2 and 3
Correct Answer: C
Detailed Solution
Pair 1 is correctly matched: The Blue-finned Mahseer is naturally found in the Cauvery river system.
Mahseer is a group of large freshwater fishes belonging to the family Cyprinidae and is known as a powerful swimmer and popular game fish.
The Blue-finned Mahseer is commonly associated with Tor khudree and occurs in the rivers of peninsular India.
Clean, oxygen-rich and flowing river water and suitable river routes for breeding are important for this fish.
Barriers to river connectivity caused by dams, water pollution, sand mining, excessive fishing and the introduction of alien fish species may affect mahseer populations.
Pair 2 is incorrectly matched: The Irrawaddy Dolphin is not a natural dolphin species of the Chambal River.
The scientific name of the Irrawaddy Dolphin is Orcaella brevirostris, and it occurs in coastal waters, estuaries, lagoons and certain large rivers of South and Southeast Asia.
Its major population in India occurs in Chilika Lake in Odisha. It may also occur in the coastal and estuarine areas of the Sunderbans.
The Irrawaddy Dolphin has a rounded head and, unlike many marine dolphin species, does not possess a long prominent beak.
The principal dolphin species occurring in the Chambal River is the Ganges River Dolphin, whose scientific name is Platanista gangetica.
The Chambal River is an important habitat for the gharial, Ganges River Dolphin, Indian Skimmer and several turtle species.
Pair 3 is correctly matched: The Rusty-spotted Cat occurs naturally in the Eastern Ghats.
The scientific name of the Rusty-spotted Cat is Prionailurus rubiginosus, and it is one of the world’s smallest wild cat species.
Its body has rust-coloured spots and dark stripes on the head, which give the species its common name.
It occurs in dry and moist deciduous forests, scrublands, grasslands, rocky areas and sometimes human-modified landscapes.
In India, its distribution includes the Eastern Ghats and several other parts of the country; it also occurs in certain regions of Sri Lanka and Nepal.
It is mainly nocturnal and hunts small rodents, birds, reptiles and insects.