author(s)
Debashis Jena, Alok Kumar Jena, Ansuman Panda, Janmejay Parhi, Pradyut Biswas and Sandeep S Pattanaik

abstract
The proximate composition of ten small indigenous species (SIS) viz. Puti (Puntius sophore), Chanda (Chanda nama), Chanda or Ronga (Parambassis ranga), Mowka (Amblypharyngodon mola), Kholisa (Colisa fasciata), Rani (Botia dario), Tengara (Mystus vittatus), Darkina/ Dadhikha (Esomus danricus), Gunte (Lepidocephalichthys guntea), Baim (Magrognathus pancalus) were analysed to evaluate their nutritive value. Major nutrient compositions of raw muscles like protein, fat, moisture, carbohydrate and ash were estimated using standard methods. The protein content ranged between 12.89% and 16.75% with the highest protein content in A. mola and M. pancalus and lowest in E. danricus and C. nama. Likewise, the lipid content varied from 1.84% (A. mola) to 6.19% (P. sophore). Other nutrients such as moisture content show a discrepancy from 70.65% (P. sophore) to 76.95% (P. ranga), carbohydrate content from 0.68% (P. ranga) to 7.13% (C. nama) whereas, the ash content varied from 1.93% (A. mola) to 4.29% (P. sophore). From the present study, it could be concluded that the SIS are the good source of macronutrients thereby safeguarding both nutritional as well as livelihood security.