retroculus is a genus of cichlids native to tropical south america , where three are native to rivers in southeastern amazon basin in brazil , while the final is native to rivers in amapá ( brazil ) and french guiana .

it is the sole genus included in the subfamily retroculinae .

these rheophilic cichlids are superficially similar to geophagus .

retroculus

eggs of retroculus spp . are adhesive and quickly become covered in sand grains .
although retroculus spp . do feed from the substrate they are not strictly benthivorous .
retroculus eigenmann & bray , 1894 . ann . n . y . acad . sci . , 7 , p . 614 ( type by monotypy retroculus boulengeri eigenmann & bray ) . gender masculine .
retroculus lapidifer . freshly caught specimen from the rio das mortes , brazil . photo : u . werner .
i bet these are going to be just like retroculus septentrionalis . never ever imported into the hobby . shame .
newman , l . , 2007 - cichlid news 16 ( 1 ) : available online at : urltoken keeping and breeding retroculus xinguensis gosse 1971 .
gosse , j . p . ( 1971 ) révision du genre retroculus ( castelnau , 1855 ) ( pisces : cichlidae ) désignation d ' un néotype de retroculus lapidifer ( castelnau , 1855 ) et description de deux espèces nouvelles . bulletin de l ' institut royal des sciences naturelles de belgique , 47 , 1–13 .
gosse , j . - p . , 1971 - bulletin de l ' institut royal des sciences naturelles de belgique 47 ( 43 ) : 1 - 13 révision du genre retroculus ( castelnau , 1855 ) ( pisces , cichlidae ) désignation d ' un néotype de retroculus lapidifer ( castelnau , 1855 ) et description de deux espèces nouvelles .
retroculus : from the latin retro , meaning ‘back , behind’ , and oculus , meaning ‘eye’ , in reference to the position of the eye in the posterior portion of the head .
very interesting . agree with you , my first impression of the photo is something related to the steiny group . support for kullander ' s suggestion that retroculus is a basal fish ?
regan , c . t . ( 1906 ) a revision of the south american cichlid genera retroculus , geophagus , heterogramma , and biotoecus . annals and magazine of natural history , 17 , 49–66 .
steindachner , f . ( 1911 ) über eine neue brasilianische myleus - art und gibt eine neuerliche beschreibung von retroculus lapidifer castelnau nach exemplaren beiderlei geschlechter . akademie der wissenschaften wien , 48 , 342–347 .
retroculus spp . are primarily benthivorous , but also feed readily on items suspended in the water flow , small fishes , etc . , in addition to sifting mouthfuls of substrate through the gills to extract edible items .
retroculus lapidifer : dorsal fin xv - xvii . 10 - 11 , a . iii . 6 - 7 . scales in a lateral row 36 - 39 . gill rakers 10 - 13 . caudal fin without vertical stripes retroculus xinguensis : dorsal fin xvi - xvii . 10 - 12 . a . iii . 6 - 7 . scales in a lateral row 37 - 41 . gill rakers 10 - 12 . caudal fin with distinct vertical stripes . retroculus septentrionalis : dorsal fin xiv - xv . 10 - 11 . a . iii . 6 - 7 . scales in a lateral row 34 - 37 . gill rakers 13 - 15 . caudal fin with distinct vertical stripes .
moreira , s . s . & zuanon , j . ( 2002 ) dieta de retroculus lapidifer ( perciformes : cichlidae ) , peixe reofílico do rio araguaia , estado do tocantins , brasil . acta amazonica , 32 , 691–705 .
retroculus is regarded as the earliest diverging lineage of neotropical cichlids and sister taxon to the genus cichla , with this clade considered basal to the remaining neotropical cichlids . despite the apparent resemblance , it is not a member of the putative subfamily geophaginae .
moreira , s . s . and j . zuanon , 2002 - acta amazonica 32 ( 4 ) : 691 - 705 dieta de retroculus lapidifer ( perciformes : cichlidae ) , um peixe reofílico do rio araguaia , estado do tocantins , brasil .
landim , m . i . , c . r . moreira , and c . a . figueiredo , 2015 - zootaxa 3973 ( 2 ) : 369 - 380 retroculus acherontos , a new species of cichlid fish ( teleostei ) from the rio tocantins basin .
retroculus acherontos is described from the rio tocantins basin , brazil . it is distinguished from all congeners by the presence of a nuchal hump in large specimens , an irregular black blotch located on the middle of the anterior soft dorsal - fin rays , fewer pectoral - fin rays ( 15–16 ) , a deeper body , a convex ventral profile , a more transversely convex ventral surface of the body , and by chest scales similar in size to the scales on the side . an expanded diagnosis for the genus retroculus is provided .
abstract retroculus acherontos is described from the rio tocantins basin , brazil . it is distinguished from all congeners by the presence of a nuchal hump in large specimens , an irregular black blotch located on the middle of the anterior soft dorsal - fin rays , fewer pectoral - fin rays ( 15–16 ) , a deeper body , a convex ventral profile , a more transversely convex ventral surface of the body , and by chest scales similar in size to the scales on the side . an expanded diagnosis for the genus retroculus is provided .
retroculus , especially the young , spend most of their time sifting sand . while this might not be considered “obligate” , i would say it is their primary method of feeding , borne out by the recorded diet . like any cichlid , they adapt quickly to different food availability in the aquarium .
at about two weeks post - spawning , the fry had become highly mobile and the pebble nest was abandoned . lee siphoned off most of the 200 to 250 fry and moved them to a rearing aquarium . he left about 60 fry with the parents . at about three weeks the adults began exhibiting courtship behaviors again . he was able to successfully rear and distribute his f1 retroculus xinguensis , increasing the chances that this very beautiful and interesting cichlid will be available in the hobby as potentially more easily managed tank - reared stock . meanwhile , he has successfully spawned his retroculus xinguensis several more times , indicating that his initial success wasn’t just luck .
retroculus was originally diagnosed by eigenmann and bray ( 1894 ) , and this was expanded by landim et al . ( 2015 ) due to their new species r . acherontos displaying less - specialised morphological features than congeners , specifically a less depressed body , less acute snout , more anterior eye , rounded ventral body shape , and ventral scales which are not distinctively smaller than the flank scales .
retroculus spp . are unsuitable for the standard community aquarium , and should be maintained in a set - up designed to resemble a flowing river . the substrate should be composed of soft sand mixed with small pebbles if the aim is to breed the fish ( see ‘reproduction’ ) . rocks , boulders , roots , branches , and aquatic plants can also be added , although the latter should be hardy species which can be grown attached to items of décor .
as aquarists desiring to spawn a particular fish , it is our duty to create the correct aquarium conditions tailored specifically to the target species in question . we must give them what they need . if we fail , they remain unspawnable . but if we have done our homework right , the unspawnable become another notch on our aquaristic belt . what follows is the story of how another unspawnable cichlid was successfully spawned for the first time in the world , just this year and again by lee newman— retroculus xinguensis .
in november of 2004 , lee moved the 10 fish to a 300 - gallon ( 96 x 30 x 24 ) tank , set up and maintained as above . their tankmates varied and included either s . leucosticta or another eartheater , g . brachybranchus . by april of 2004 , eight months after receiving them , the retroculus had grown to approximately 4 . 5 to 6 . 7 inches in total length . a dominance hierarchy became established , with the largest , most brightly colored fish ( presumably a male ) as the dominant fish . lee witnessed the onset of courtship - like behavior including reciprocal lateral displays and fin flaring .
but any cichlidophile who has seen them , or even photos of them , is inexorably drawn to them , particularly if your “thing” is south american eartheaters . they are a “must have” ! thus was my friend and fellow cichlidophile lee newman , curator of tropical waters at the vancouver aquarium , smitten with the retroculus bug . it took him years to finally get some live specimens , but once he did you can bet the “unspawnable” label dissolved away under his magic touch , much as was the case for satanoperca acuticeps . actually , it wasn’t “magic” so much as it was lee’s willingness to research , learn , and experiment—to think outside of the glass box . and the secret to his success with this fish will become apparent in next month’s column . stayed tuned , cichlidophiles !
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lapidifer : from the latinate prefix lapid - , derived from the ancient greek λῐ́θος ( líthos ) , meaning ‘stone’ , and - ifer , from the ancient greek φέρω ( phérō ) , meaning ‘bearing , carrying’ . presumably in reference to this species’ breeding behaviour .
inhabits rivers draining into the atlantic ocean in the northeast of the country , south of the amazon . the majority of records pertain to the rio tocantins system , its major tributary the rio araguaia , and affluents within both these basins including the rios das mortes , do coco , itacaiúnas , paraupebas , maranhão , and santa teresa .
it also occurs in the rio capim within the rio guamá watershed and the rio gurupi , a smaller coastal drainage .
this species is rheophilic and occurs in rapids or fast - flowing stretches of clear water rivers . such habitats typically contain many boulders of varying sizes , and still pools with substrates of sand or gravel in marginal zones .
these cichlids are intolerant of organic waste , and require spotless water in order to thrive . high levels of dissolved oxygen and water movement are also recommended , meaning additional powerheads , pumps , etc . , should be employed as necessary . a linear flow pump would also be a useful addition , while weekly water changes of 30 - 70 % should be considered mandatory .
wild examples can be delicate and sensitive to white spot / ich post - import , so a lengthy quarantine period may be required .
temperature : 26 – 32 °c ; this species will not thrive in cooler water .
the diet of wild individuals is dominated by benthic aquatic invertebrates , particularly chironomid ( midge ) , trichoptera ( caddisfly ) , and ephemeroptera ( mayfly ) larvae .
in the aquarium offer high quality , fine - grade prepared foods plus live or frozen chironomid larvae ( bloodworm ) , tubifex , artemia , gammarus , mosquito larvae , small earthworms , etc . at least some of the dried products should contain a high proportion of vegetable matter such as spirulina or similar . both home - made and proprietary gelatine - based foods are also proven to work well . for the best growth rate and condition offer 3 - 5 small meals per day rather than a single large portion .
relatively peaceful unless breeding but may predate on smaller tankmates , and best - maintained alongside peaceful pelagic fishes rather than other benthic species in all but the largest aquaria .
it is sociable and tends to exist in loose aggregations outside reproductive periods , with juveniles in particular displaying strong grouping instincts . ideally a group of 5 - 8 individuals should be purchased , and these will form a noticeable dominance hierarchy . when maintained in smaller numbers weaker specimens can become the target of excessive antagonism by dominant individuals , or the group may fail to settle and behave nervously .
adult male individuals are noticeably more slender than females , this being most pronounced in the region between ventral and anal fins which is virtually straight in males , rounded in females . in addition , the ventral fins are enlarged in mature males , and seem to be used in territorial displays during which they are used to support the fish so making it appear larger than its rival ( s ) .
nuptial specimens intensify in overall colour pattern , displaying black pigmentation on the lips , ventral portion of the head and body as far as the ventral fins , and ventral fins themselves .
biparental substrate - spawner that has been bred in aquaria . there does not appear to be any particular trigger for the reproductive process , with the main requirements being good diet and stringent maintenance regime involving large weekly water changes .
unless sexed adults are available it is best to begin with a group of young fish and allow pairs to form naturally , and a degree of patience is also required since it can be at least a year , often two or more , until they become sexually mature .
courtship is initiated by the male , often several days before eggs are deposited , and once a pair has formed they work together to excavate one or more large pits in the substrate . spawning normally occurs in one of these , with the female extruding batches of eggs before the male moves in to fertilise them . this process is repeated numerous times until 200 or more have been deposited .
the eggs are extremely adhesive and quickly become covered in sand grains . once spawning is complete they are covered in a layer of small pebbles , small pieces of driftwood , or other debris . alternatively , they may be placed into a pile of such material constructed prior to spawning . this ‘nest’ is typically moved to other locations on a regular basis during incubation , with the adults either using the original pits or excavating new ones .
after 3 - 4 days the eggs begin to hatch , the fry remain in or close to the nest , but not buried , until their yolk sacs have been fully - absorbed . there are observations to suggest that the eggs become less adhesive and clear of sand particles just prior to hatching ( d . ullisch , pers . comm . ) . once free - swimming they can be offered artemia nauplii and similarly - sized foods . some pairs have been observed to direct the fry back to the nest before dark , with this behaviour continuing for a couple of weeks post - spawning . they have also been seen to agitate patches of substrate , presumably in order to disturb prey items for the fry .
it can be distinguished from congeners by the following combination of characters : dorsal - fin with 15 - 17 hard rays , 10 - 11 soft rays ; anal - fin with 3 hard rays , 6 - 7 soft rays ; 36 - 39 scales in the midlateral series ; 10 - 13 gill rakers present on the fifth ceratobranchial ( vs . absent in r . acherontos and r . xinguensis ) ; no conspicuous dark bars on the caudal - fin ( vs . present in r . septentrionalis and r . xinguensis , faint and slender in r . acherontos ) .
following the rediagnosis , members of this genus are distinguished from other cichlid taxa by possession of two unique characters : epibranchial lobe supported by a thickening of the first epibranchial ( vs . epibranchial lobe supported by the second epibranchial or a laminar expansion of the first epibranchial ) ; a vomero - palatine apparatus on the roof of the mouth ( vs . roof of mouth not distinctly specialised ) .
castelnau , f . l . , 1855 - paris ( p . bertrand ) v . 2 : i - xii + 1 - 112 poissons . in : animaux nouveaux or rares recueillis pendant l ' expédition dans les parties centrales de l ' amérique du sud , de rio de janeiro a lima , et de lima au para ; exécutée par ordre du gouvernement français pendant les années 1843 a 1847 . . . part 7 , zoologie .
eigenmann , c . h . and w . l . bray , 1894 - annals of the new york academy of sciences 7 ( 4 ) : 607 - 624 a revision of the american cichlidae .
kullander , s . o . , 1998 - edipucrs , porto alegre : 461 - 498 a phylogeny and classification of the south american cichlidae ( teleostei : perciformes ) . in : malabarba , l . r . , r . e . reis , r . p . vari , z . m . s . de lucena and c . a . s . lucena ( eds ) . phylogeny and classification of neotropical fishes .
kullander , s . o . , 1986 - swedish museum of natural history , stockholm : 431 pp . cichlid fishes of the amazon river drainage of peru .
lópez - fernández . h . , k . o . winemiller , and r . l . honeycutt , 2010 - molecular phylogenetics and evolution 55 ( 3 ) : 1070 - 1086 multilocus phylogeny and rapid radiations in neotropical cichlid fishes ( perciformes : cichlidae : cichlinae ) .
reis , r . e . , s . o . kullander and c . j . ferraris , jr . ( eds ) , 2003 - edipucrs , porto alegre : i - xi + 1 - 729 check list of the freshwater fishes of south and central america . cloffsca .
smith , w . l . , p . chakrabarty , and j . s . sparks , 2008 - cladistics 24 ( 5 ) : 625 - 641 phylogeny , taxonomy , and evolution of neotropical cichlids ( teleostei : cichlidae : cichlinae ) .
stiassny , m . , 1987 - journal of natural history 21 ( 5 ) : 1311 - 1331 cichlid familial intrarelationships and the placement of neotropical genus cichla ( perciformes , labroidei ) .
also , i believe the sensitivity of the species is a bit overstated , though my experience has been raising aquarium bred specimens . these can usually be expected to be hardier and more adaptable .
thanks for the feedback darrell . i’ve reworded a couple of sections based on your comments . what do you think ?
lee received 10 specimens of r . xinguensis , about 2 . 4 to 2 . 8 inches in total length , and first quarantined them in a 50 - gallon tank . he fitted the quarantine tank with an oversized power filter and vigorously bubbling box filter to meet their demands for clean , moving , highly - oxygenated water . he maintained the ph at 6 . 0 to 6 . 8 and the temperature at 81° to 84°f . he cleaned the filter and changed about 75 percent of the water every 7 to 10 days . the aquarium had fine sand and some small stones for perching . ( they often “hop” rather than swim , hence my own coined common name of “goby eartheater” back in the early 1990s , even though kullander has more recently suggested they are not closely related to eartheaters . )
in february of 2006 ( 30 months ; 2½ years after receiving the fish ) , courtship intensified and included pit digging . in march , the largest fish and another large specimen dug an 8 - inch diameter depression in the sand and pasted their eggs directly on the sand . the eggs were large , ovoid , and adhesive , and were quickly coated in sand . when finished , after some 30 to 40 minutes , the pair picked up the sand - covered eggs and placed them in a pile next to a small stone . within an hour , the other tank residents had quickly eaten the eggs . lee removed some of the fish from the tank to presumably deal with this problem , and about one month later the male spawned with another female , but again the other fish ( now only four others ) ate the eggs .
lee then removed the other four individuals and housed only the pair in the 300 - gallon tank . in early may , the pair spawned again . they again picked up their sand - coated adhesive eggs and placed them in a pile next to a large rock . they uncovered , recovered , and moved the eggs several times over the course of the next four days , but the eggs did not hatch and the adults resumed their normal , non - spawning behavior . others had gotten this far : weidner ( 2000 ) published photos of the eggs coated in sand . but none had ever hatched .
about a week after the pebbles were added , the pair spawned again . again they spawned in a shallow depression directly on the sand , but this time the eggs were gathered up and placed in a previously made pile of pebbles . the pile had been constructed by the adults on the bare floor of the aquarium after all the sand had been removed from the site . the eggs fell in the spaces between the pebbles and were not visible . the female hovered over the pile and fanned the eggs vigorously with her pectoral fins while the male guarded the perimeter . they exchanged roles only occasionally and then only briefly . the adults excavated another area of bare aquarium floor and moved their pebble pile plus eggs to the new location . they moved the pile one more time and then left it until—3½ days post - spawning—the eggs hatched ! the female hovered , mouthing and spitting above the pile of pebbles ; she was tending her wrigglers .
upon free - swimming , the fry were offered newly hatched brine shrimp ( artemia ) . rather than take them from the water column , the fry converged on a spot where the adults were “blowing” into the sand ( much like angelfish or discus sometimes do to feed ) . it seemed that the blowing behavior moved the sand and exposed food organisms for the fry . it was not until their second day of free swimming that the fry took the swimming artemia nauplii . at night , the fry were tucked safely amongst the pebbles by their parents only to emerge the next day when the lights came on .
that a particular fish remains “unspawnable” in our aquaria simply means that we are missing one or more crucial environmental components they need to ripen eggs , be stimulated to spawn , and complete the reproductive process . in all cases we must give them what they need . and , often times , when the tried and true formulaic approach is not working , we must ourselves determine what the missing ingredient or the missing catalyst is . what do they need ? and what aren’t they getting ? to answer these questions we must be ready to learn all we can about our target fish—where it comes from and how it lives—and then apply that knowledge . and we must apply that information experimentally , persistently , and patiently .
latin , retro = backwards , on the back side + latin , oculus = eye ; the relative posterior position of the eye in the head as compared to other cichlids ( ref . 45335 )
freshwater ; benthopelagic ; ph range : 6 . 5 - ? ; dh range : ? - 2 . tropical ; 27°c - 30°c ( ref . 13614 )
south america : amazon river basin , in the xingu and tapajós river basins .
maturity : l m ? range ? - ? cm max length : 31 . 0 cm tl male / unsexed ; ( ref . 111518 ) ; max . published weight : 520 . 00 g ( ref . 111518 )
inhabits rivers ( ref . 12965 ) . maximum length 25 cm tl ( ref . 13614 ) .
kullander , s . o . , 2003 . cichlidae ( cichlids ) . p . 605 - 654 . in r . e . reis , s . o . kullander and c . j . ferraris , jr . ( eds . ) checklist of the freshwater fishes of south and central america . porto alegre : edipucrs , brasil . ( ref . 36377 )
phylogenetic diversity index ( ref . 82805 ) : pd 50 = 0 . 6250 [ uniqueness , from 0 . 5 = low to 2 . 0 = high ] .
bayesian length - weight : a = 0 . 01122 ( 0 . 00437 - 0 . 02882 ) , b = 3 . 05 ( 2 . 83 - 3 . 27 ) , in cm total length , based on lwr estimates for this ( sub ) family - body shape ( ref . 93245 ) .
trophic level ( ref . 69278 ) : 3 . 5 ±0 . 3 se ; based on size and trophs of closest relatives
resilience ( ref . 69278 ) : medium , minimum population doubling time 1 . 4 - 4 . 4 years ( preliminary k or fecundity . ) .
vulnerability ( ref . 59153 ) : low to moderate vulnerability ( 29 of 100 ) .
see gosse ( 1971 ) for recent revision with excellent drawings of all species included .
, latin noun meaning eye . the name refers to the relatively posterior position of the eye in the head as compared to other cichlids .
species are restricted to rapids or running water in a few clear water rivers on the guiana and brazilian shielfs .
may be expected to have similar feeding habits . the reproductive behaviour is incompletely known . already castelnau ( 1855 ) observed
carrying pebbles in the mouth . recent aquarium ( weidner , 1999 ; lucas , 1999 ) and field observations confirm that at least
excavates bottom substrate to a pit in which eggs are deposited and then covered with sand or pebbles . both parents guard the nest , but aquarium observations so far could not be extended beyond the first day , after which the eggs disappeared , probably eaten by the parents .
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disclaimer : itis taxonomy is based on the latest scientific consensus available , and is provided as a general reference source for interested parties . however , it is not a legal authority for statutory or regulatory purposes . while every effort has been made to provide the most reliable and up - to - date information available , ultimate legal requirements with respect to species are contained in provisions of treaties to which the united states is a party , wildlife statutes , regulations , and any applicable notices that have been published in the federal register . for further information on u . s . legal requirements with respect to protected taxa , please contact the u . s . fish and wildlife service .
adult males often raise themselves onto their ventral fins ; apparently a territorial posture .
xinguensis : literally ‘from the xingu’ , in reference to this species’ type locality .
the precise extent of this species’ range is unclear . the majority of records pertain to the lower rio xingu basin in the state of pará , northern brazil , including middle and lower reaches of its major tributary the rio iriri , although the type locality is in mato grosso state several hundred kilometres upstream .
there also exist a handful of records from the rio jamanxim ( a major affluent of the rio tapajós which drains the same mountain range as the rio iriri ) , the rio arapiuns , and the rio maués açu , another right bank tributary that enters the amazon main channel upstream of the tapajós and is connected to the rio madeira .
type locality is ‘rio xingú , at cachoeira von martius , northern border of mato grosso , brazil’ .
the natural diet of the congener r . xinguensis is dominated by benthic aquatic invertebrates , particularly chironomid ( midge ) , trichoptera ( caddisfly ) , and ephemeroptera ( mayfly ) larvae .
adult male individuals are noticeably more slender than females , this being most pronounced in the region between ventral and anal fins which is virtually straight in males , rounded in females . in addition , the ventral fins are enlarged with a greater proportion of red pigmentation in mature males , and seem to be used in territorial displays during which they are used to support the fish so making it appear larger than its rival ( s ) .
nuptial specimens intensify in overall colour pattern , displaying intense red colouration on the sides of the head , dorsal , anal , and ventral fins .
after 3 - 4 days the eggs begin to hatch , and the fry remain in the nest until their yolk sacs have been fully - absorbed . once free - swimming they can be offered artemia nauplii and similarly - sized foods . some pairs have been observed to direct the fry back to the nest before dark , with this behaviour continuing for a couple of weeks post - spawning . they have also been seen to agitate patches of substrate , presumably in order to disturb prey items for the fry .
it can be distinguished from congeners by the following combination of characters : dorsal - fin with 16 - 17 hard rays , 10 - 11 soft rays ; anal - fin with 3 hard rays , 6 - 7 soft rays ; 37 - 41 scales in the midlateral series ; 10 - 12 gill rakers , absent on the fifth ceratobranchial ( vs . present in r . lapidifer and r . septentrionalis ) ; anterior series of papillae on the vomero - palatine apparatus irregular , occasionally forming a second series ( vs . absent in r . septentrionalis , regular in other species ) ; conspicuous dark bars on the caudal - fin ( vs . absent in r . lapidifer , faint and slender in r . acherontos ) .
camargo , m . , t . giarrizzo , and v . isaac , 2004 - ecotropica 10 : 123 - 147 review of the geographic distribution of fish fauna of the xingu river basin , brazil .
the members of this forum have come together to share our knowledge and experiences of fish keeping . we want to answer your questions , offer advice and fill the galleries with pictures of the fish we have all grown to love . we are a unique community of fish keepers who seriously take our hobby to extremes and the next level . the majority of our fish collections include rare & exotic species of all sizes , big fish with big appetites and big tanks . it ' s not easy for most people or other
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sp . alto tocantins , was photographed by oliver lucanus and featured in a 2011 issue of cichlid news magazine . there is a picture on cichlid room companion , and also on oliver lucanus ' s below water facebook page :
i seen oliver just posted an old video . oliver always has posted some unique earth eaters .
maria isabel landim museu de zoologia da universidade de são paulo , caixa postal 42494 , 04218 - 970 , são paulo , sp , brazil .
cristiano r . moreira museu nacional / universidade federal do rio de janeiro , setor de ictiologia , departamento de vertebrados , quinta da boa vista s / n , 20940 - 040 , rio de janeiro , rj , brazil .
carlos a . figueiredo universidade federal do estado do rio de janeiro , instituto de biociências , departamento de ciências do ambiente . av . pasteur , 458 / sala 512f , 22290 - 240 , rio de janeiro , rj , brazil
anker , g . ch . ( 1989 ) the morphology of joints and ligaments is the head of a generalized haplochromis species : h . elegans trewavas 1933 ( teleostei , cichlidae ) . netherlands journal of zoology , 39 , 1–40 .
bachman , s . , moat , j . , hill , a . w . , de la torre , j . & scott , b . ( 2011 ) supporting red list threat assessments with geocat : geospatial conservation assessment tool . in : smith , v . & penev , l . ( eds . ) , e - infrastructures for data publishing in biodiversity science . zookeys , 150 , 117–126 . ( version beta )
barel , c . d . n . , witte , f . & van oijen , m . j . p . ( 1976 ) the shape of the skeletal elements of the heads of a generalized haplochromis species : h . elegans trewavas 1933 ( pisces : cichlidae ) . netherlands journal of zoology , 26 , 163–265 .
bartolette , r . , souza - lima , r . , figueiredo , c . a . , moraes , d . f . & caramaschi , e . p . ( 2012 ) composição taxonômica da ictiofauna da área da uhe serra da mesa . in : mazzoni , r . , caramaschi , e . p . & iglesias - rios , r . . ( org . ) . usina hidrelétrica de serra da mesa - 15 anos de estudos da ictiofauna do alto tocantins . furnas centrais elétricas s . a , rio de janeiro , pp . 53–90 .
castelnau , f . l . ( 1855 ) expédition dans les parties centrales de l’amérique du sud , de rio de janeiro a lima , et de lima au para ; exécutée par ordre du gouvernement français pendant les anées 1843 – 1847 sous la direction de francis castelnau . paris , 467 pp .
cichocki , f . p . ( 1976 ) cladistic history of cichlid fishes and reprodutive strategies of the american genera acarichthys , biotodoma and geophagus . unpublished ph . d . dissertation . university of michigan , ann arbor , 710 pp .
eigenmann , c . h . & bray , w . l . ( 1894 ) a revision of the american cichlidae . annals of the new york academy of science , 7 , 607–624 .
farias , i . p . , ortí , g . & meyer , a . ( 2000 ) total evidence : molecules , morphology , and the phylogenetics of cichlid fishes . journal of experimental zoology ( mol dev evol ) , 288 , 76–92 .
farias , i . p . , ortí , g . , sampaio , i . , schneider , h . & meyer , a . ( 1999 ) mitochondrial dna phylogeny of the family cichlidae : monophyly and fast molecular evolution of the neotropical assemblage . journal of molecular evolution , 48 , 703–711 .
farias , i . p . , ortí , g . , sampaio , i . , schneider , h . & meyer , a . ( 2001 ) the cytochrome b gene as a phylogenetic marker : the limits of resolution for analyzing relationships among cichlid fishes . journal of molecular evolution , 53 , 89–103 .
hora , s . l . ( 1922 ) structural modifications in the fish of mountain torrents . records of the indian museum , 24 , 31–61 .
iucn ( 2012 ) iucn red list categories and criteria : version 3 . 1 . second edition . gland , switzerland and cambridge , uk : iucn . iv + 32 pp .
iucn standards and petitions subcommittee ( 2014 ) guidelines for using the iucn red list categories and criteria . version 11 . prepared by the standards and petitions subcommittee . downloadable from : urltoken
kullander , s . o . ( 1980 ) a taxonomical study of the genus apistogramma regan , with a revision of brazilian and peruvian species ( teleostei : percoidei : cichlidae ) . bonner zoologische monographien , 14 , 1–152 .
kullander , s . o . ( 1988 ) teleocichla , a new genus of south american rheophilic cichlid fishes with six new species ( teleostei : cichlidae ) . copeia , 1988 , 196–230 .
kullander , s . o . ( 1998 ) a phylogeny and classification of the south american cichlidae ( teleostei : perciformes ) . in : malabarba , l . r , reis , r . e . , vari , r . p . , lucena , z . m . & lucena , c . a . s . ( eds . ) , phylogeny and classification of neotropical fishes . porto alegre , edipucrs , pp . 461–498 .
kullander , s . o . ( 2003 ) cichlidae . . in : reis , r . e . , kullander , s . o . & ferraris , c . j . jr . ( eds . ) . check list of the freshwater of south and central america . porto alegre , edipucrs , pp . 605–654 .
kullander , s . o . & nijssen , h . ( 1989 ) the cichlids of surinam . e . j . brill , leiden , 288 pp .
reid , g . mcg . ( 1982 ) the form , function and phylogenetic significance of the vomero - palatine organ in cyprinid fishes . journal of natural history , 16 ( 4 ) , 497–510 .
roberts , c . d . ( 1993 ) comparative morphology of spined scales and their phylogenetic significance in the teleostei . bulletin of marine science , 52 , 60–113 .
sazima , i . & caramaschi , e . p . ( 1989 ) comportamento alimentar de duas espécies de curimata , sintópicas no pantanal de mato grosso ( osteichthyes , characiformes ) . revista brasileira de biologia , 49 , 325–333 .
smith , w . l . , chakrabarty , p . & sparks , j . s . ( 2008 ) phylogeny , taxonomy , and evolution of neotropical cichlids ( teleostei : cichlidae : cichlinae ) . cladistics , 24 , 625–641 .
sparks , j . s . & smith , w . l . ( 2004 ) phylogeny and biogeography of cichlid fishes ( teleostei : perciformes : cichlidae ) . cladistics , 20 , 501–517 .
steindachner , f . ( 1875 ) beiträge zur kenntniss der chromiden des amazonenstromes . sitzungsber . akademie der wissenschaften wien , 71 , 61–137 .
stiassny , m . ( 1987 ) cichlid familial intrarelationships and the placement of neotropical genus cichla ( perciformes , labroidei ) . journal of natural history , 21 , 1311–1331 .
stiassny , m . ( 1991 ) phylogenetic intrarelationships of the family cichlidae : an overview . in : keenleyside , m . h . ( ed . ) , cichlid fishes : behaviour , ecology and evolution . chapman and hall , fish and fisheries , series 2 , london , pp . 1–35 .
taylor , w . r . & van dyke , g . c . ( 1985 ) revised procedures for staining and clearing small fishes and other vertebrates for bone and cartilage study . cybium , 9 , 107–119 .
trewavas , e . ( 1974 ) the freshwater fishes of rivers mungo and meme and lakes kotto , mboadong and soden , west cameroon . ibid , 26 , 328–419 . vari , r . p . ( 1989 ) a phylogenetic study of the neotropical characiform family curimatidae ( pisces : ostariophysi ) . smithsonian contributions to zoology , 471 , 1–71 .
zuanon , j . ( 1999 ) história natural da ictiofauna de corredeiras do rio xingu na região de altamira , pará . unpublished ph . d . dissertation . instituto de biologia da universidade estadual de campinas , campinas , 199 pp .
confused by a class within a class or an order within an order ? please see our brief essay .
to cite this page : myers , p . , r . espinosa , c . s . parr , t . jones , g . s . hammond , and t . a . dewey . 2018 . the animal diversity web ( online ) . accessed at https : / / animaldiversity . org .
disclaimer : the animal diversity web is an educational resource written largely by and for college students . adw doesn ' t cover all species in the world , nor does it include all the latest scientific information about organisms we describe . though we edit our accounts for accuracy , we cannot guarantee all information in those accounts . while adw staff and contributors provide references to books and websites that we believe are reputable , we cannot necessarily endorse the contents of references beyond our control .
this material is based upon work supported by the national science foundation grants drl 0089283 , drl 0628151 , due 0633095 , drl 0918590 , and due 1122742 . additional support has come from the marisla foundation , um college of literature , science , and the arts , museum of zoology , and information and technology services .
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is described from the rio tocantins basin , brazil . it is distinguished from all congeners by the pres -
holotype was already lost ( gosse , 1971 ; m . desoutter , pers . comm . , 2003 ) , gosse designated a neotype from
xavantina island , rio das mortes , mato grosso state , brazil . gosse ( 1971 ) also described
was long considered to be related to the geophaginae because of its overall body shape . this
. , 2001 ; and ; sparks & smith , 2004 ) . recently ,
epibranchial lobe supported by a thickening of the first epibranchial ( vs . epibranchial lobe supported by the second
epibranchial , or by a laminar expansion of the first epibranchial ; fig . 1 ) ; and the presence of a vomero - palatine
apparatus on roof of the mouth ( vs . roof of mouth not distinctively specializ
process of the first hypobranchial ( fig . 4 ) ; supracleithrum laterosensory canal posteroventrally ang
posterior portion of the dentigerous arm of the dentary slender ; and rakers at base of epibranchial lobe ( fig . 6b ) .
same as holotype ; amnh 233644 , 4 , 113 . 7–158 . 6 mm sl ; mzusp 85825 , 4 ( 2 cs ) 107 . 3–168 . 7 mm sl , rio
maranhão , below rapids of cachoeira do machadinho , 14˚38′18″s , 48˚59′03 . 3″w , 5–1
caramaschi , d . f . moraes and j . k . brondi ; mnrj 26352 5 , 118 . 7
50260 , 4 , 131 . 6–136 mm sl , rio maranhão , rapids below cachoeira do machadinho , 14˚38′18 . 3″s ,
aramaschi , d . f . moraes and d . a . halboth ; mzusp 85827 , 1 , 130 mm
sl , female , rio maranhão , rapids below cachoeira do machadinho , 14˚38′18 . 3″s , 48˚59′03 . 3″w
. caramaschi , d . f . moraes and j . k . brondi ; mzusp 85828 , 1 , 183 . 5 mm sl , male , rio traíras ,
moraes and a . suppa ; mzusp 85830 , 1 , 136 . 8 mm sl , rio traíras , 06–07 december 1997 , e . p
. ; mzusp 85829 , 2 , 110 . 2 mm sl , male , and 121 . 1 mm sl , female , rio das almas , tributary of left margin of
. caramaschi , d . f . moraes and c . a . figueiredo ; mz
85832 , 2 , 154 . 2 mm sl and 187 . 2 mm sl
moraes and d . a . halboth ; mzusp 85833 , 1 , 116 mm sl , female , rio traíras , 20 july 1996 by , e . p caramaschi ,
palmerinha arm , porto serrinha station , 14˚02′57 . 9″s , 048˚29′57 . 1″w and 14˚02′22 . 1″s , 048˚31′28 . 6″w , 0
. moraes and d . a . halboth ; mzusp 85835 , 3 , 100 . 7 –
aranhão , near bridge between uruaçú and niquelândia , 20 june 1996 , e . p
moraes , d . a . halboth ; mzusp 85838 , 2 ( 1 cs ) . 135m
85839 , 130 mm sl , rio passa três , 14 october 1998 , r . iglesias
dorsal view , anterior to top . cartilage black . scale bar = 1mm .
morphometric data for holotype and paratypes are given in table 1 . body laterally compressed .
outer rows . dentary with teeth restricted to anterior half . edentulous posterior half forming ascending slender
curve parallel with articular web of anguloarticular . small gap present between coronoid process of dentary and
: transforming ctenoid scales . horizontal scale series , 33 * ( 5 ) , 34 ( 11 ) , 35 ( 19 ) , 36 ( 5 ) ,
lateral line series , 22 ( 1 ) , 24 ( 3 ) , 25 * ( 10 ) , 26 ( 9 ) , 27 ( 9 ) , 28 ( 2 ) , 23 ( 6 ) , 29 ( 1 ) . lower lateral line series , 13 ( 2 ) , 14 ( 10 ) ,
15 ( 14 ) , 16 * ( 13 ) , 17 ( 1 ) , 19 ( 1 ) , three scales in single caudal - fin lateral line . transverse scale rows , 16 * ( 1 ) , 17 ( 7 ) ,
base of last spine to middle of base of soft rays . caudal fin scaled except for distal tip of rays . s
proximal one fourth of fin length . base of anal fin scaled . base of pectoral fin scaled . opercle with three irregular
above posterior tip of premaxillary dentigerous arm . preopercle without scales . chest scales only sl
s 16 . pectoral - fin rays 15 ( 7 ) , 16 ( 36 ) . dorsal -
with median , anterior , spinous process ( fig . 4a ) . first epibranchial deep , with ventral margin concave and uncinate
ig . 1a ) . tooth plates present on fourth ceratobranchial . no gill rakers associated
: total vertebrae count 32–33 , with 16 ( 16 * ) abdominal and 16 ( 16 * ) caudal . well - developed
between parasphenoid and vomer . preopercle with seven lateral - line foramina . parasphenoid apophysis well
stripes , between eye and upper lip , darker to middle of snout . upper preorbital stripe running
portion of eye , lower stripe along ventral margin of eye . stripe present on cheek from corner of the mouth to
preopercle . upper lip darker than lower . dark blotch covering opercle darker on its center . seven or eight irregular
vertical dark bars along body with last one on median rays of caudal fin . dorsal - fin rays pale yellow , darker
distally . interradial membrane gray . black irregular blotch extending from middle to distal margin of first to
seventh soft dorsal - fin rays . last soft dorsal - fin rays dark g
length and dark pigment in its less scaled posterior most portion . about five irreg
posteromedian portion of fin . anal - fin rays yellowish on base , becoming darker distally , with hyaline small spots
bluish . upper lip greenish but bluish distally . lower lip bluish . branchiostegal membrane ventral to opercle red .
concentration of red pigmentation on scapular area . dorsal fin greenish over scaled portion , with small faint bluish
or white irregular blotches over red background over membrane . blotches on posterior soft ray
spots and with black blotch on anterior six dorsal - fin soft rays . distal m
background . caudal fin greenish over scaled portion with distal margin grayish . central portion of fin with some
changes in habitat after the impounding of the serra da mesa dam . although the species was found in the area after
ows to hades , land of the souls . this is in reference to the rio das almas , which means river of the
specialized . its body is less depressed ( fig . 7 ) , the snout less acute , the eyes more anterior , the ventral portion of the
body is rounded , and the ventral scales not conspicuously smaller than flank scales . b
generic assignment of the new species . as a consequence , we provide an expanded diagnosis to include characters
not related to rheophilic habitat , including two characters not found in other cichlids . these two characters are
ventral projection of the vomer bordered laterally by a depression on each side of this projection . along the medial
posteriorly from the projection of the vomer . each flap is bordered by a series of papillae , and in all members of t
ari , 1989 ) and the cypriniformes ( reid , 1982 ) . reid ( 1982 ) proposed that this com
collected in the course of the project : “estudos básicos sobre a ictiofauna do ahe serra da mesa , go” . thanks to
usp ) , scott schaefer , barbara brown and r . arrindell ( amnh ) , mary
a and fábio di dario . thanks are due to the department of grants and
de la torre , j . & scott , b . ( 2011 ) suppo
bartolette , r . , souza - lima , r . , figueiredo , c . a . , moraes , d . f . & caramaschi , e . p
roberts , c . d . ( 1993 ) comparative morphology of spined scales and their phylogenetic significance in the teleostei .
. r . & van dyke , g . c . ( 1985 ) r
comportamento alimentar de duas espécies de curimata , sintópicas no pantanal de mato grosso ( osteichthyes , characiformes ) .
teleocichla wajapi , a new species of cichlid from the rio jari , brazil , with comments on t . centrarc . . .
teleocichla wajapi , a new species of cichlid from the rio jari , brazil , with comments on t . centrarchus kullander , 1988 ( teleostei : cichlidae ) abstract teleocichla wajapi , new species , is described from the rio jari basin , northern brazil . the new species differs from its congeners by possessing four anal - fin spines , 56–62 scales in e1 series , smaller orbital diameter ( 24 . 6–30 . 2 % of head . . . [ show full abstract ]
‘cichlasoma’ scitulum : a new species of cichlid fish from the río de la plata region in argentina , b . . .
' cichlasoma ' scitulum , new species , is described from the rio rosario drainage in the rio de la plata region of uruguay , and from lower rio uruguay tributaries in argentina , uruguay and brazil . it is easily distinguished from the other two species of the ' cichlasoma facetum group in meristic and coloration characters . ' cichlasoma ' scitulum has the highest anal - fin spine counts of the three . . . [ show full abstract ]
geophagus abalios , g . dicrozoster and g . winemilleri ( perciformes : cichlidae ) , three new species fro . . .
we describe three new species of geophagus from the orinoco and casiquiare drainages of venezuela , bringing the total number of described species in the genus to fourteen , and of venezuelan species to six . all three species are distinguished from g . grammepareius , g . taeniopareius , g . argyrostictus and g . harreri by lacking an infraorbital stripe , which is either reduced to a preopercular mark . . . [ show full abstract ]
xenurobrycon coracoralinae , a new glandulocaudine fish ( ostariophysi : characiformes : characidae ) fro . . .
uma nova espécie de peixe da tribo xenurobryconini , sub - família glandulocaudinae , xenurobrycon coracoralinae , é descrito para a bacia do rio araguaia , brasil . a nova espécie distinguese das demais espécies do gênero por apresentar ganchos apenas no último raio não ramificado e nos primeiros quatro , raramente cinco , raios ramificados da nadadeira anal dos machos . a nova espécie se distingue das . . . [ show full abstract ]
anyone have a copy of this new paper to share ? many thanks in advance .


mesonoemacheilus herrei is a critically endangered fish described by teodor t. nalbant and banarescu in 1982 .

it is endemic to india and is currently only recorded within the indira gandhi wildlife sanctuary and national park in tamil nadu .

mesonoemacheilus herrei

scientific name : mesonoemacheilus herrei ( nalbant & bănărescu , 1982 ) iucn status : critically endangered occurrence : curr . . .
rema devi , k . and t . j . indra , 2002 - journal of the bombay natural history society 99 ( 2 ) : 333 - 337 a note on mesonoemacheilus herrei nalbant and banarescu ( cypriniformes : balitoridae : noemacheilinae ) .
in addition , the lips are usually less deeply - furrowed in mesonoemacheilus than nemacheilus spp . while bãnãrescu and nalbant ( 1995 ) noted that mesonoemacheilus is the only nemacheilid genus exhibiting a greater degree of brownish than whitish colouration .
{ author1 , author2 . . . } , ( n . d . ) . mesonoemacheilus herrei nalbant & banarescu , 1982 . [ online ] india biodiversity portal , species page : { name of species field } available at : urltoken [ accessed date jul 9 , 2018 ] .
batik loach / zodiac loach scientific name : mesonoemacheilus triangularis ( sir francis day , 1865 ) , reverted to nemacheilus triangul . . .
a species of mesonoemacheilus having 8 branched rays ; 2 or 3 rows of v and y - shaped large yellow spots edged with black over body .
mesonoemacheilus spp . are omnivorous although the bulk of their diet consists of small insects , worms , crustaceans and other zooplankton with only relatively small amounts of plant matter consumed .
shaji , c . p . , 2002 - indian journal of fisheries 49 ( 2 ) : 217 - 221 mesonoemacheilus remadevii ( pisces : balitoridae . nemeacheilinae ) from silent valley national park , kerala .
mesonoemacheilus : from the greek meso , meaning ‘half’ , nema , meaning ‘thread , filament’ , and cheilos , meaning ‘lip’ , in reference to the relatively less deeply - furrowed lip in members compared to that in nemacheilus spp .
all mesonoemacheilus spp . are endemic to rivers draining the western ghats and the genus is separated from the closely - related nemacheilus by members possessing two pairs of rostral barbels which are confluent at their bases vs . rostral barbels present but not confluent .
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day , 1867 ( menon 1987 ) . but , eschmeyer and fricke ( 2010 ) treat it as a separate species .
critically endangered b1ab ( iii ) + 2ab ( iii ) ver 3 . 1
rema devi , k . r . , gopalakrishnan , a . , arunachalam , m . , shrikant , j . , johnson , j . a . , rahul , k . & molur , s .
is endemic to india ' s western ghats in the anamalai hills and has an extent of occurrence of about 50 km² and an area of occupancy of around 5 km² . although it occurs in a protected area , the landscape matrix includes forest fragments in tea plantations with the major threat to the species being pesticide run - off in the stream . hence it is assessed as critically endangered .
is known from the indira gandhi wildlife sanctuary in the anamalai hills of the western ghats ( k . r . devi
. 2005 ) where it is restricted to a very small area ( 5 km² area of occupancy ( aoo ) and 50 km² extent of occurrence ( eoo ) ) amidst plantations .
there is no published literature on the population density of this species . it is a rare species .
is a benthic species that prefers hilly areas with gravel , cobbles and bedrock with a little amount of sand as the substrate ( menon 1987 ) .
it is rarely collected by specialist aquarists , but otherwise , there is no consumptive trade on the species .
this species is threatened by pesticides run - off from plantations ( cardamom , tea and coffee ) , as well as by the construction of check - dams .
it is present in the indira gandhi wildlife sanctuary . no species specific conservation measures are in place .
to make use of this information , please check the < terms of use > .
greek , mesos = half + greek , nema = fialement + greek , cheilos = lip ( ref . 45335 )
jayaram , k . c . , 1999 . the freshwater fishes of the indian region . narendra publishing house , delhi - 110006 , india . 551 p . ( ref . 31807 )
phylogenetic diversity index ( ref . 82805 ) : pd 50 = 0 . 6250 [ uniqueness , from 0 . 5 = low to 2 . 0 = high ] .
bayesian length - weight : a = 0 . 00851 ( 0 . 00376 - 0 . 01926 ) , b = 2 . 93 ( 2 . 74 - 3 . 12 ) , in cm total length , based on lwr estimates for this ( sub ) family - body shape ( ref . 93245 ) .
trophic level ( ref . 69278 ) : 2 . 8 ±0 . 3 se ; based on size and trophs of closest relatives
resilience ( ref . 69278 ) : high , minimum population doubling time less than 15 months ( preliminary k or fecundity . ) .
vulnerability ( ref . 59153 ) : low vulnerability ( 17 of 100 ) .
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habitat in the anaimalai hills region of the western ghats mountain range , southern india .
this species is similar in appearance to m . guentheri but can be told apart by a number of characters ( see ' notes ' below ) .
described from the anaimalai hills range of the western ghats mountains in southern india with type locality over 1000 m amsl in the municipality of valparai , coimbatore district , tamil nadu state .
the anaimalai area contains several wildlife sanctuaries and national parks and is home to numerous endangered plant and animal species including ‘flagship’ species such as elephant and tiger .
these are often shaded by surrounding forest cover with the substrate normally composed of coarse sand , gravel , rocks and boulders covered with an epilithic layer of algae , diatoms plus other microorganisms and detritus .
aquatic plants are usually absent , though lagenandra and blyxa spp . have been observed at some lower - gradient localities .
flow rate and turbidity vary somewhat depending on the time of year with both increasing dramatically during the annual monsoon season which occurs between june and september .
not difficult to maintain under the correct conditions ; we strongly recommend keeping it in a tank designed to resemble a flowing stream or river with a substrate of variably - sized rocks , sand , fine gravel , and some water - worn boulders .
this can be further furnished with driftwood branches arranged to form a network of nooks , crannies , and shaded spots , thus providing broken lines of sight .
while the majority of aquatic plants will fail to thrive in such surroundings hardy types such as microsorum , bolbitis , or anubias spp . can be grown attached to the décor .
though torrent - like conditions are unnecessary it does best if there is a high proportion of dissolved oxygen and some water movement in the tank meaning power filter ( s ) , additional powerhead ( s ) , or airstone ( s ) should be employed as necessary .
like many fishes that naturally inhabit running water it’s intolerant to accumulation of organic pollutants and requires spotless water in order to thrive , meaning weekly water changes of 30 - 50 % tank volume should be considered routine .
in the aquarium they will accept dried foods of a suitable size but should not be fed these exclusively .
daily meals of small live and frozen fare such as daphnia , artemia , bloodworm , etc . will result in the best colouration and condition .
fishes which inhabit similar biotopes in nature , especially small , open water - dwelling cyprinids constitute the best options , and one or two schools can make a visible difference to the confidence of this naturally reclusive loach .
other possibilities include rheophilic loaches from genera such as pseudogastromyzon , beaufortia and sewellia ( avoid the more delicate genera , e . g . , gastromyzon ) plus benthic cyprinds like crossocheilus and garra species .
similarly - shaped relatives such as other nemacheilus , acanthocobitis and schistura spp . are not really recommended although a combination may work in larger aquaria , while sedate bottom - dwellers such as corydoras spp . catfishes are best omitted entirely .
this species is relatively peaceful with conspecifics and seems to appreciate being maintained in a group . the purchase of four or more specimens is therefore highly recommended .
adult females are likely to grow slightly larger and be rounder - bellied than males when gravid .
males have a prominent suborbital flap and develop thickened pectoral - fin rays with rows of tubercules when sexually mature .
unrecorded in captivity and little has been written about its natural life history , but success with the congener m . triangularis was reported by an american aquarist in 2004 .
an adult pair was removed from a community set - up containing several loach species and introduced to a 38 litre tank fitted with a small hang - on filter , the outflow of which was directed towards a plastic box filled with aquarium gravel .
two large spawning mops were also added and weighed down using a piece of tile , and the author noted that the male was exhibiting reflective reddish - bronze colouration in the lower body and belly .
the male was however found dead the morning so a second individual was introduced since the female still appeared to be gravid .
the following day the fish were observed swimming up and down one side of the tank together , then entering one of the mops .
close examination using a magnifying glass revealed ‘hundreds’ of clear , non - adhesive eggs on the base of the tank , and the adults were then removed after the male was seen eating them . water temperature was 76°f / 24 . 4°c .
the eggs were examined under a microscope at various stages of development and recorded to swell to a size of approximately 0 . 7 mm with a cellular cap apparent at just 3 hours of age .
hatching seemingly began around 24 hours post - fertilisation , and once complete the mops , tub of gravel and hang - on filter were removed with the latter replaced by an air - driven sponge filter .
once the first few fry showed signs of eye and intestinal development and had apparently consumed the yolk sac they were fed small amounts of ‘ fry starter’ , presumably a proprietary product , and by squeezing the sponge from a mature filter into the tank .
artemia nauplii were introduced to the diet 24 hours later and progressively larger foods as the young fish grew . 500 individuals were eventually raised to saleable size .
it’s unclear if this species has ever been exported for the aquarium hobby outside of india but there may be a chance of finding the occasional specimen mixed in with shipments of m . guentheri or m . triangularis .
it was earlier considered synonymous and may still be confused with m . guentheri since both species share similar body patterning consisting of rows of yellowish , dark - edged spots .
however , according to the identification key of rema devi and indra ( 2002 ) , the two can be distinguished by a combination of factors as follows : body spots ‘y’ or ‘v’ shaped ( vs . rounded in m . guentheri ) ; caudal peduncle relatively short ( vs . relatively long ) ; anal - fin reaching base of caudal - fin ( vs . anal - fin not reaching base of caudal - fin ) ; caudal peduncle with a dark spot ( vs . caudal peduncle with a dark band or bar ) ; suborbital flap pronounced , being longer than its width ( vs . not pronounced and shorter than its width ) ; distance between eye and nostril less than half diameter of eye ( vs . more than half ) ; lateral line prominent to origin of anal - fin , discontinuous or absent after ( vs . prominent and complete ) ; pelvic - fin extending 75 % of distance between its origin and that of the anal - fin ( vs . 50 % ) .
with regard to the remaining members of the genus , only m . triangularis is regularly exported for the aquarium trade and is easily told apart since its body patterning consists of 6 - 7 pale , vertical bars with dark edges and a brownish base colour .
m . petrubanarescui has dark body stripes , m . menoni a reticulated pattern of dark bands and blotches , m . pambarensis more branched dorsal - fin rays ( 8 - 10 , usually 9 , vs . 7 - 8 in m . guentheri ) plus an elongate body , the depth of which fits more than 5 . 5 times into the sl , m . pulchellus also has more branched dorsal - fin rays ( always 10 ) and m . remadevii lacks dark markings in the fins .
rema devi and indra ( 2002 ) noted that schistura savona from northern india uniquely shares both this feature plus possession of confluent rostral barbels and that this may warrant further study , though it appears that this suggestion has not been followed to date .
the family nemacheilidae is widely - distributed across most of eurasia with the indian subcontinent , southeast asia and china representing particular centres of species diversity .
singh , a . , n . sen , p . m . bãnãrescu and t . t . nalbant , 1982 - travaux du museum d ' histoire naturelle , vol . 23 ( for 1981 ) : 201 - 212 new noemacheiline loaches from india ( pisces , cobitidae ) .
boggs , s . , 2004 - finformation 57 ( 7 ) : 4 - 5 spawning the batik loach ( neomcheilus triangularis ) .
bãnãrescu , p . m . and t . t . nalbant , 1995 - travaux du museum d ' histoire naturelle : 429 - 495 a generical classification of nemacheilinae with description of two new genera ( teleostei : cypriniformes : cobitidae ) .
kottelat , m . , 2012 - raffles bulletin of zoology supplement 26 : 1 - 199 conspectus cobitidum : an inventory of the loaches of the world ( teleostei : cypriniformes : cobitoidei ) .
tang , q . , h . liu , r . mayden and b . xiong , 2006 - molecular phylogenetics and evolution 39 ( 2 ) : 347 - 357 comparison of evolutionary rates in the mitochondrial dna cytochrome b gene and control region and their implications for phylogeny of the cobitoidea ( teleostei : cypriniformes ) .
zacharias , v . j . and k . c . minimol , 1999 - journal of the bombay natural history society 96 ( 2 ) : 288 - 290 noemacheilus menoni , a new species of fish from malappara , periyar tiger reserve , kerala .
šlechtová , v . , j . bohlen and h . h . tan , 2007 - molecular phylogenetics and evolution 44 ( 3 ) : 1358 - 1365 families of cobitoidea ( teleostei ; cypriniformes ) as revealed from nuclear genetic data and the position of the mysterious genera barbucca , psilorhynchus , serpenticobitis and vaillantella .
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disclaimer : itis taxonomy is based on the latest scientific consensus available , and is provided as a general reference source for interested parties . however , it is not a legal authority for statutory or regulatory purposes . while every effort has been made to provide the most reliable and up - to - date information available , ultimate legal requirements with respect to species are contained in provisions of treaties to which the united states is a party , wildlife statutes , regulations , and any applicable notices that have been published in the federal register . for further information on u . s . legal requirements with respect to protected taxa , please contact the u . s . fish and wildlife service .
froese , r . and d . pauly . editors . 2011 . fishbase . world wide web electronic publication . < a href = ' urltoken ' target = ' _ blank ' > www . fishbase . org , version ( 10 / 2011 ) . < / a >
< a target = ' _ blank ' href = ' urltoken ' > iucn 2011 . iucn red list of threatened species . version 2011 . 2 . exported on 12 january 2012 < / a >
froese , r . and d . pauly . editors . 2013 . fishbase . world wide web electronic publication . ; urltoken version ( 12 / 2013 ) .
a general description , with any kind of information about the taxon . its main goal is summarize the most relevant or attractive characteristics of this taxon to the general public .
s . s . mishra , laishram kosygin , p . t . rajan and k . c . gopi , zoological survey of india in venkataraman , k . , chattopadhyay , a . and subramanian , k . a . ( editors ) . 2013 . endemic animals of india ( vertebrates ) : 1–235 + 26 plates . ( published by the director , zoological survey of india , kolkata )
general description of the sites where the species is found ( ecosystem , forest , environment or microhabitat ) . includes realm ( e . g terrestrial etc ) and climatic information ( e . g boreal ) ; also includes requirements and tolerances ; horizontal and vertical ( altitudinal ) distribution . also includes information referring to territorial extension of the individual or group in terms of its activities ( feeding , mating , etc . ) , associated mostly to vertebrates .
arai , kerala in india . jayaram , k . c . 1999 the freshwater fishes of the indian region . narendra publishing house , delhi - 110006 , india . 551 p .
enumerates geographic entities where the taxon lives . covers ranges , e . g . , a global range , or a narrower one ; may be biogeographical , political or other ( e . g . , managed areas like conservencies ) ; endemism ; native or exotic . does not include altitudinal distribution , which is covered under habitat .
2006 iucn red list of threatened species . www . iucnredlist . org . downloaded july 2006 .
describes the likelihood of the species becoming extinct in the present day or in the near future . population size is treated under population biology , and trends in population sizes are treated under trends . however , this is the preferred element if an object includes all of these things and details about conservation listings .
a checklist of the fishes of kerala state is presented , along with their scientific and common name . . .
using freshwater kbas for informing conservation and development policy and action in kerala and tamil . . .
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occurrence : currently only known from a 5 sq . km . area in the indira gandhi wildlife sanctuary , anaimalai hills , valparai , tamil nadu
aquarium type : species / specialist loach setup . will do well in a hillstream type tank .
hillstream loach / gray ' s stone loach scientific name : balitora brucei ( gray 1830 ) iucn status : near threatened occurrence . . .
hillstream loach scientific name : bhavania australis ( jerdon 1849 ) iucn status : least concern occurrence : southern india , we . . .
polka dotted loach scientific name : schistura corica ( hamilton , 1822 ) , reverted to nemachelius corica iucn status : least conce . . .
various caridina species from west bengal , india . shrimps sponsored by : malabar tropicals .
torrentfish / rainbow minnow scientific name : psilorhynchus nudithoracicus ( psilorhynchus sucatio nudithoracicus - tilak and h . . .
firefly loach / olive loach scientific name : schistura cf . devdevi ( s . devdevi - hora 1935 ) iucn status : near threatened oc . . .
banded loach / ring loach scientific name : schistura beavani ( günther , 1868 ) iucn status : least concern occurrence : northe . . .
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