Editing Indus River (section)

===Fish===
The Indus River basin has high diversity, being the home of more than 180 freshwater fish species,<ref name="Mirza, Z.S.-2014">{{cite journal |author1=Mirza, M.R. |author2=Mirza, Z.S. |year=2014 |title=Longitudinal Zonation in the Fish Fauna of the Indus River in Pakistan |journal=Biologia (Pakistan) |volume=60 |issue=1 |pages=149–152 }}</ref> including 22 which are found nowhere else.<ref name="World' top 10 rivers at risk"/> Fish also played a major role in earlier cultures of the region, including the ancient Indus Valley Civilisation where depictions of fish were frequent. The [[Indus script]] has a commonly used fish sign, which in its various forms may simply have meant "fish", or referred to stars or gods.<ref>{{cite book |author=Sparavigna, A. |year=2008 |title=Icons and signs from the ancient Harappa |publisher=Dipartimento di Fisica, Politecnico di Torino }}</ref>

In the uppermost, highest part of the Indus River basin there are relatively few genera and species: ''[[Diptychus]]'', ''[[Ptychobarbus]]'', ''[[Schizopyge]]'', ''[[Schizopygopsis]]'' and ''[[Schizothorax]]'' snowtrout, ''[[Triplophysa]]'' loaches, and the catfish ''[[Glyptosternon]] reticulatum''.<ref name="Mirza, Z.S.-2014"/> Going downstream these are soon joined by the golden mahseer ''[[Tor putitora]]'' (alternatively ''T. macrolepis'', although it often is regarded as a synonym of ''T. putitora'') and ''[[Schistura]]'' loaches. Downriver from around [[Thakot]], [[Tarbela]], the [[Kabul River|Kabul]]–Indus river confluence, [[Attock Khurd]] and [[Peshawar]] the diversity rises strongly, including many cyprinids (''[[Amblypharyngodon]]'', ''[[Aspidoparia]]'', ''[[Barilius]]'', ''[[Chela (fish)|Chela]]'', ''[[Cirrhinus]]'', ''[[Crossocheilus]]'', ''[[Cyprinion]]'', ''[[Danio]]'', ''[[Devario]]'', ''[[Esomus]]'', ''[[Garra]]'', ''[[Labeo]]'', ''[[Naziritor]]'', ''[[Osteobrama]]'', ''[[Pethia]]'', ''[[Puntius]]'', ''[[Rasbora]]'', ''[[Salmophasia]]'', ''[[Securicula]]'' and ''[[Systomus]]''), true loaches (''[[Botia]]'' and ''[[Lepidocephalus]]''), stone loaches (''[[Acanthocobitis]]'' and ''[[Nemacheilus]]''), ailiid catfish (''[[Clupisoma]]''), bagridae catfish (''[[Batasio]]'', ''[[Mystus]]'', ''[[Rita (fish)|Rita]]'' and ''[[Sperata]]''), airsac catfish (''[[Heteropneustes]]''), schilbid catfish (''[[Eutropiichthys]]''), silurid catfish (''[[Ompok]]'' and ''[[Wallago]]''), sisorid catfish (''[[Bagarius]]'', ''[[Gagata]]'', ''[[Glyptothorax]]'' and ''[[Sisor]]''), gouramis (''[[Trichogaster]]''), nandid leaffish (''[[Nandus]]''), snakeheads (''[[Channa]]''), spiny eel (''[[Macrognathus]]'' and ''[[Mastacembelus]]''), knifefish (''[[Notopterus]]''), glassfish (''[[Elongate glassy perchlet|Chanda]]'' and ''[[Parambassis]]''), clupeids (''[[Gudusia]]''), needlefish (''[[Xenentodon]]'') and gobies (''[[Glossogobius]]''), as well as a few [[introduced species]].<ref name="Mirza, Z.S.-2014"/> As the altitude further declines the Indus basin becomes overall quite slow-flowing as it passes through the [[Punjab Plain]]. Major [[carp]] become common, and chameleonfish (''[[Badis (fish)|Badis]]''), mullet (''[[Sicamugil]]'') and swamp eel (''[[Monopterus]]'') appear.<ref name="Mirza, Z.S.-2014"/> In some upland lakes and tributaries of the Punjab region snow trout and [[mahseer]] are still common, but once the Indus basin reaches its lower plain the former group is absent and the latter are rare.<ref name="Mirza, Z.S.-2014"/> Many of the species of the middle sections of the Indus basin are also present in the lower. Notable examples of genera that are present in the lower plain but generally not elsewhere in the Indus River basin are the ''[[Aphanius]]'' pupfish, ''[[Aplocheilus]]'' killifish, [[Tenualosa ilisha|palla fish]] (''Tenualosa ilisha''), [[catla]] (''Labeo catla''), [[rohu]] (''Labeo rohita'') and ''[[Cirrhinus mrigala]]''.<ref name="Mirza, Z.S.-2014"/> The lowermost part of the river and its delta are home to freshwater fish, but also several [[brackish]] and marine species.<ref name="Mirza, Z.S.-2014"/> This includes [[pomfret]] and [[prawn]]s. The large delta has been recognized by conservationists as an important ecological region. Here, the river turns into many marshes, streams and creeks and meets the sea at shallow levels.

Palla fish (''Tenualosa ilisha'') of the river is a delicacy for people living along the river. The population of fish in the river is moderately high, with [[Sukkur]], [[Thatta]], and [[Kotri]] being the major fishing centres – all in the lower Sindh course. As a result, damming and irrigation have made fish farming an important economic activity.