March 13th, 2012 — 1:25pm
It can be distinguished from congeners by the following combination of characters: gill slit angular; presence of subopercular groove, running continuous to origin of pectoral-fin; body black with numerous, small, evenly-spaced light brown spots; head dorsum black with numerous cream spots; pectoral and pelvic fins with cream spots; caudal-fin with iridescen…
Comment » | Category: Cypriniformes, Loaches
March 13th, 2012 — 1:25pm
One of the more commonly-traded members of the genus and often found in mixed shipments which may contain other Gastromyzon spp. or related fishes like Beaufortia kweichowensis. These are typically labelled ‘Borneo sucker’, ‘Hong Kong pleco’, ‘butterfly loach’, etc. regardless of species.
It’s sometimes misidentified as G. punctulatus, a species not currently traded which possesses yellow finnage and a lighter-coloured, less-intensely spo…
Comment » | Category: Cypriniformes, Loaches
March 13th, 2012 — 1:25pm
Field observations have revealed that individuals almost always position themselves facing into the flow, either along the sides, behind or under rocks, their specialised morphology (see ‘notes’) allowing them to feed and maintain position without being swept away.
In nature G. monticola occurs sympatrically alongside Garra borneensis, Osteochilus ingeri, Gastromyzon auronigrus, G. cornusaccus, Nemacheilus olivaceus,…
Comment » | Category: Cypriniformes, Loaches
March 13th, 2012 — 1:25pm
Some individuals do appear very similar to G. farragus, with noticeable spotting on the head, but can usually still be told apart by examining the caudal-fin which tends to contain only a single thick, dark vertical bar in G. farragus whereas in G. ocellatus there are more often two bars, one thick, one thinner. Intermediate forms do exist though meaning identification is sometimes tricky.
Comment » | Category: Cypriniformes, Loaches
March 13th, 2012 — 1:25pm
In fact G. farragus and G. ocellatus represent one of 12 pairs of cryptospecies to be found in the genus, differing in subtle aspects of patterning. Cryptospecies are defined as morphologically similar, but reproductively isolated species which in fishes often inhabit adjacent river basins but in some cases occur sympatrically. The phenomenon may be a result of parallel evolution, and is not normally considered to represent an early stage of speciation.
Comment » | Category: Cypriniformes, Loaches
March 13th, 2012 — 1:25pm
This species has probably not been seen in the aquarium trade yet but has been maintained by a few private collectors.
It can be distinguished from congeners by the following combination of characters: secondary rostrum present; complete postoral pouch present; body colour brown with up to 9 thin gold stripes; head dorsum dark brown with gold reticulate pattern; subopercular groove absent; gill slit vertical; sublacrymal groove present; sno…
Comment » | Category: Cypriniformes, Loaches
March 13th, 2012 — 1:25pm
G. cornusaccus can be distinguished from congeners by the following combination of characters: secondary rostrum present; incomplete postoral pouch present reduced to pockets located posterior to mouth corners; sublacrymal groove present and visible when viewed laterally; juveniles with thick, cream-coloured bars and blotches on body, adults uniformly-coloured; head dorsum plain; subopercular groove absent; gill slit vertical; snout truncate when viewed dorsally; no scales on abdomen; 55-61 lateral line scale…
Comment » | Category: Cypriniformes, Loaches
March 13th, 2012 — 1:25pm
One of the more commonly-traded members of the genus and often found in mixed shipments which may contain other Gastromyzon spp. or related fishes like Beaufortia kweichowensis, these often labelled collectively as ‘Borneo sucker’, ‘Hong Kong pleco’, ‘butterfly loach’, etc. It’s sometimes misidentified as G. punctulatus, a species not currently traded which possesses yellow finnage and a lighter-coloured, less-intensely spotted body.
Comment » | Category: Cypriniformes, Loaches
Butterfly Loach
March 13th, 2012 — 1:25pm
This species is one of several traded variously as 'butterfly loach', 'butterfly plec', 'Hong Kong plec(o)', 'Chinese hillstream loach' or simply 'hill stream loach'. In many countries it's the most common balitorid in the shops but is also often found in mixed shipments containing members of other genera.
Like all balitorids it's an obligate bottom-dweller with specialised morphology adapted to life in fast-flowing water. The paire…
Comment » | Category: Cypriniformes, Loaches
March 13th, 2012 — 1:25pm
Field observations have revealed that individuals almost always position themselves facing into the flow, either along the sides, behind or under rocks, their specialised morphology (see ‘Notes’) allowing them to feed and maintain position without being swept away.
Not many fishes have been able to successfully colonise this narrow ecological niche, but syntopic species in nature include Gastromyzon extrorsus (Petagas River), G. introrsus, G. lepidogaster (Pad…
Comment » | Category: Cypriniformes, Loaches
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Reclassification of Genera: Several genera have been reclassified or merged. For example, the genus Cichlasoma has been split into multiple genera, an...
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Aphyosemion rectogoense
Many thanks cyprin, the image has now been removed.
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