Indian barbel

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Indian barbel
Indian barbel, male

Indian barbel, male

Systematics
without rank: Otophysa
Order : Carp-like (Cypriniformes)
Subordination : Carp fish-like (Cyprinoidei)
Family : Carp fish (Cyprinidae)
Genre : Oreichhys
Type : Indian barbel
Scientific name
Oreichhys crenuchoides
Shepherd , 2009

The Indian barbel ( Oreichhys crenuchoides ) is a freshwater fish from the carp family (Cyprinidae). The species was first described by Frank Schäfer in 2009 , but has been known in the aquarium hobby for a long time. He assigned the specific epithet crenuchoides because the raised dorsal fin of the male reminded him of the spotted tetra ( Crenuchus spilurus ). The species is so far only known from the north of the Indian state of West Bengal from the Jorai River, a tributary of the Brahmaputra near the border with Assam .

features

The type specimens of the Indian high fin barbel examined at the first description were 1.7 to 2.5 cm long, lengths of up to 3.4 cm are known. Males are usually larger than females. The body of the fish is typical of a barb, slightly high back, the head short and high, the mouth terminal and horseshoe-shaped. The upper jaw is longer than the lower jaw, the lips are narrow. The greatest body height is at the beginning of the dorsal fin. In dominant males, the dorsal fin reaches a height of up to 42% of the standard length . The sideline is short and only extends over 2 to 5 pored scales. The pharyngeal teeth stand in three rows, all of which are slightly raised at the top. Gill traps are missing.

The caudal fin is forked, both lobes are rounded, the lower one slightly longer than the upper one.

The head and body are gray-yellow in color, the top is darker. The scales on the back and on the sides of the body are darkly colored at their base, which leads to a reticulated, dark pattern. The base of the caudal fin is marked by a dark spot. The first two to four ported scales on the sidelines have brown spots. The paired fins, the anal and caudal fin are transparent or light yellow, their fin rays in some individuals are dark gray. In dominant males, the unbranched dorsal fin rays are black, the branched ones alternately dark and light, the fin membrane transparent or yellowish, blackish at the ends. In juvenile fish, females and suppressed males, the first two unbranched dorsal fin rays are black, the following unbranched dorsal fin rays and the one or two following branched ones are marked in the middle with a yellow dot, the following branched ones show a black spot. The fin membrane is transparent. Stressed fish hardly show any colors.

Way of life

The previously known habitat of the Indian barbel is a slow flowing river with relatively clear water and a muddy bottom. During the breeding season, the males are territorial and occupy small territories . Rivals are intimidated by straightening the dorsal fin, if this has no effect, fights ensue in which the opponents grab each other by the mouth. The females lay their sticky eggs like harlequin harlequin on the underside of leaves, roots and stones and swim with their belly up.

literature

  • Frank Schäfer: Oreichhys crenuchoides , a new cyprinid fish from West Bengal, India. Ichthyol. Explor. Freshwaters, vol. 20, no. 3, pp. 201–211, 11 figs., 2 tabs., September 2009, © 2009 by Verlag Dr. Friedrich Pfeil, Munich, Germany - ISSN  0936-9902

Web links

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