Sungai Digul
Location:
5°l5'S, 140°30'E to 7°15'S, 138°40'E; Merauke District, southeastern Irian Jaya.
Area:
c.500 km of river.
Altitude:
Mostly below 300m; source at over 3,000m.
Biogeographical Province:
5.1.13.
Wetland type:
11, 12, 13 & 21.
Description of site:
One of the largest rivers of Irian Jaya, with all the major riverine habitats characteristic of the region. The river rises in the eastern end of the Maoke Range near the Papua New Guinea border, and drains southwest across a vast swampy alluvial plain into the Arafura Sea.
Climatic conditions:
Humid tropical climate.
Principal vegetation:
No information.
Land tenure:
No information.
Conservation measures taken:
No information.
Conservation measures proposed:
No Information.
Land use:
No information.
Possible Changes in Land use:
No information.
Disturbances and threats:
No information.
Economic and social values:
No information.
Fauna:
Over thirty species of freshwater and brackish water fishes are known to occur, including 15 species endemic to New Guinea: Clupeoides papuensis, Anus sp. nov., A. acrocephalus, A. caninatus, Cochiefelis danielsi, Hemipimelodus macrorhynchus, Nedystoma dayi, Neosilurus equinus, Melanotaenia splendida, Hephaestus roemeni, Bostrychus stnigogenys, Oxyeleotris fimbriata, Oxyeleotnis novaeguineae, 0. nullipora and 0. paucipona. The new species of Anus is known only from this river. Other fishes include Nematalosa erebi, Thryssa scratchleyi, Scleropages jardinii, Cinetodus fregatti, Neosilurus aten, N. brevidonsalis, Anguilla intenionis, Strongylura kreftti, Melanotaenia goldiei, Pseudomugil gertrudae, Ambassis macleayi, Pingalla lorentzi, Mogurnda mogurnda, Oxyeleotnis herwerdeni, 0. lineolatus, Aseraggodes klunzingeni, Cynoglossus heterolepis and Pristis microdon. No information is available on the other fauna, but it is likely that the Estuarine Crocodile Crocodylus porosus occurs.
Special floral values:
No information.
Research and facilities:
Allen & Boeseman (1982) have investigated the fish fauna.
References:
Allen & Boeseman (1982).
Criteria for Inclusion:
1b, 2a, 2b, 2d.
Source:
Marcel J. Silvius.