Dr. Mathews Plamoottil (2)
Description: The new species differs greatly from Mystus oculatus. In M. oculatus median longitudinal groove on head fairly reach occiput (vs. it never reach occiput in M. indicus), nasal barbels never reach occiput (vs. reach occiput), tip of rayed dorsal never reach adipose dorsal origin (vs. fairly reach adipose dorsal origin), posterior base of adipose dorsal never reach above the level of posterior base of anal fin (vs. fairly reach), 8- 9 branched rays present in pectoral fin (vs. 6- 8), 9- 10 branched rays present in anal fin (vs. 7- 8), 12- 14 teeth present on inner side of pectoral spine (vs. 15- 16), a distinct black spot present in front of dorsal spine base (vs. no black spot), dorsal spine longer (14.4-16.5 % SL vs. 8.8- 14.0), adipose dorsal fin base shorter (17.2- 19.0 % SL vs. 22.9- 33.7), inter dorsal distance greater (16.5- 18.2 % SL vs. 5.5- 9.4) and eye diameter greater (33.0- 40.0 % HL vs. 21.7- 29.2), (Plamoottil & Abraham, 2013). Colouration: Fresh specimens: greenish above lateral line, below it greenish white; fins hyaline to light greenish. A bluish oval spot present on shoulder, another triangular bluish spot on caudal base and a distinct and thick band of bluish colour in between the two along the lateral line, width of which is more than half the diameter of eyes. Body and fins decorated with tiny black dots. In preserved specimens after long preservation in formalin, body colour turns to light brownish, (Plamoottil & Abraham, 2013). Habitat: Manimala River at Kuttoor, the type locality of Mystus indicus, is floored by means of gravelly sand dominated sediments, (Plamoottil & Abraham, 2013). Etymology: The species name indicus: refers to the country from which it was described firstly. Latin word “indicus” means ‘of India’.
Central Travancore catfish
None
Bagridae
South Asia: Manimala River drainage, Kerala, India. Type locality: Currently known only from the type locality in Kerala.
10.5cm. (4¼ins)
22-26°C (71-79°F)
6.0-7.0.
Froese,
R. and D. Pauly.
Editors. 2024. FishBase. World Wide Web electronic
publication. www.fishbase.org, ( 02/2024 )
Plamoottil, M. and Abraham N. P.
2013. Mystus indicus and M. heoki, two new catfishes
from Kerala, India. Prof. T.C. Narenderan Trust for
Animal Taxonomy.
Family: Bagridae Back to Ident-A-Cat Click on Thumbnails
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