Fish referred to as G. rufa are marketed worldwide as ‘doctor fish’, with the questionable ability to remove dead and scaly skin and ease complaints such as psoriasis. These fish are quite commonly available in the aquarium trade as well, although in both cases it is unclear whether they represent G. rufa or another, related species.

G. qiaojiensis can be differentiated from closely-related congeners by the configuration of its proboscis, which is quadrate (1.6-1.8 times wider than long), reflected downwards against the snout and heavily tuberculated anteriorly, and the relative size of its mental disc which measures 48.7-55.9 % HL.

Among other Garra species from Southeast Asia and China, G. orientalis is most similar to G. salweenica and G. fuliginosa in that all three possess a roughly triangular, trilobed proboscis on the snout, the anterior margin of which is densely tuberculated, and the inferior margin not in contact with the depressed rostral surface, i.e., the proboscis projects forwards.

G. notata is one of a number of congeners to lack both a transverse groove and a proboscis on the snout. It also possesses 33-34 lateral line scales and a series of dark spots at the base of the dorsal-fin rays, and lacks scales on the lower portion of the body and abdomen.

The genus Garra is a particularly enigmatic grouping with new taxa…

This species is diagnosed by the following combination of characters: body moderate sized; head squarish; no proboscis or transverse groove on snout; mental disc length 96.9% its own width; pre…

This species is endemic to and widespread within peninsular India, where it has been recorded from the states of Gujrat, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Orissa, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Goa, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala.

It is thus found in numerous river systems of which some of the most important include the Tapti, Narmada, Mahanadi, Godavari, Krishna, and Cauvery.

This species is characterised by possession of a transverse groove on the snout, directly in front of the eyes, and a bifurcate proboscis with a conical keratinised tubercle at each anterior tip.

G. kalpangi is distinguished from other Garra species from the Himalayan foothills by the following combination of characters: two pairs of barbels; a weakly developed proboscis represented by a squarish area anterior to the nostrils; 16 circ…

G. hughi is occasionally available in the ornamental trade and may be labelled ‘chocolate algae eater’.

The original diagnosis of this species by Silas states that it can be identified by the following combination of characters: elongate body form; broad head…

This species can be distinguished from congeners inhabiting the Red River basin in Yunnan province, China, by the following combination of characters: no barbels; 46-52 lateral line scales; 16 circumpeduncular scales; pharyngeal teeth in 3 rows, 2.4.5-5.4.2; snout rounded, no secondary rostrum, no longitudinal…