Samenvatting
Fish reproductive biology encompasses an extraordinary diversity of strategies -- from simple broadcast spawning to
elaborate parental care, nest-building, mouthbrooding, and live-bearing -- reflecting evolutionary adaptation to diverse
aquatic environments and ecological pressures. Understanding the reproductive biology of economically and ecologically
important fish species is fundamental for fisheries management, aquaculture optimisation, species recovery
programmes, and prediction of population responses to environmental change. This review synthesises current
knowledge of the reproductive biology of 42 selected freshwater fish species with economic or conservation significance
in peninsular India, covering key reproductive traits including spawning seasonality, fecundity, spawning habitat
requirements, parental care strategies, gonadosomatic index patterns, and larval ecology. Drawing on 124 published
studies, we identify consistent patterns linking reproductive strategy to life history trade-offs and environmental
conditions, and highlight critical knowledge gaps for species where reproductive data are absent or inadequate for
fisheries management. Special attention is given to the reproductive biology of threatened mahseer species (Tor spp.),
the impacts of dam construction on reproductive migration, the endocrine disruption effects of agricultural chemicals on fish reproduction, and climate change effects on spawning phenology. A prioritised research agenda for Indian
freshwater fish reproductive biology is proposed.