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Sunday, August 10, 2014

ලෙහෙල්ලා/හොරපොලයා [Lealla/Horapolaya]/Mahseer (Tor khudree)

Mahseer is the largest native fresh water fish of the family Cyprinidae (Carps) grows to 20 -50 cm and occurs in second peneplain up to about 1000m a.s.l.(Gunathilake S., 2007). It prefers fast flowing rocky streams. But also occurs in rivers and tanks. The spawning occurs in smaller streams after the rain. Name Horapolaya (හොරපොලයා) is used by native people for the juvenile Mahseers found in streams and Lealla (ලෙහෙල්ලා) for the larger specimens inhabiting  rivers. It feeds on Algea, leaves and flowers fall into the water, insects, shrimps, mollusca etc.

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