Reptiles, Fish And Insects From India
Reptiles are well represented in India. Crocodiles inhabit the country’s rivers, swamps, and lakes. The estuarine crocodile (Crocodilus porosus), attaining a maximum length of 30 feet, usually lives on the fish, birds, and crabs of muddy deltaic regions. The long-snouted gavial, or gharial (Gavialis gangeticus), a species similar to the crocodile, is found in a number of large rivers, including the Ganges and Brahmaputra and their tributaries. Of the nearly 400 species of snakes, one-fifth are poisonous. Kraits and cobras are particularly widespread poisonous species. King cobras often grow to at least 12 feet long. The Indian python frequents marshy areas and grasslands. Lizards also are widespread, and turtles are found throughout India, though especially along the eastern coast.
Of some 2,000 species of fish in India, about one-fifth live in fresh water. Common edible freshwater fish include catfish and several members of the carp family, notably the mahseer, which grows up to 6 feet and 200 pounds (90 kilograms). Sharks are found in India’s coastal waters and sometimes travel inland through major estuaries. Commercially valuable marine species include shrimp, prawn, crabs, lobsters, pearl oysters, and conch.
Among the commercially valuable insects are silkworms, bees, and the lac insect (Laccifer lacca). The latter secretes a sticky, resinous material called lac, from which shellac and a red dye are produced. Many other insects, such as various species of mosquito, are vectors for disease (e.g., malaria and yellow fever) or for human parasites (e.g., certain flatworms and nematodes).
