Thoracic Adhesive Apparatus Research Articles

Two new species of the South Asian catfish genus Pseudolaguvia from northeastern India (Teleostei: Sisoridae).

Two new species of sisorid catfish, Pseudolaguvia magna and P. jiyaensis, are described from the upper Brahmaputra River basin in Arunachal Pradesh, northeastern India. Pseudolaguvia magna differs from its congeners by its much larger size (47.0 mm standard length vs. a maximum of 35.6 mm), by having a broader rhomboid thoracic adhesive apparatus, two pale-brown or cream patches on the mid-dorsal region across the dorsal midline: one rectangular to elliptic patch on the mid-interdorsal region, and another indistinct elliptic to irregular patch between the adipose and caudal-fins; and a small, round, pale-brown to cream spot on the lateral side of the head; and except for P. inornata, P. austrina, P. virgulata, and P. assula, in lacking pale to cream cross-bands on the body. Another syntopic new species, Pseudolaguvia jiyaensis, is distinguished from its congeners by having the thoracic adhesive apparatus almost reaching the pelvic-fin origin, and by having fewer vertebrae (25-27 vs. 28-34; except in P. tenebricosa and P. tuberculata). Details of the combination of characters differentiating each of the new species from its congeners are provided in the respective diagnoses.

Glyptothorax igniculus, a new species of sisorid catfish (Teleostei: Siluriformes) from Myanmar.

Glyptothorax igniculus, new species, is described from the Chindwin River system (part of the Irrawaddy River drainage) in northwestern Myanmar. It differs from other species of Glyptothorax in the Irrawaddy drainage except G. burmanicus in having a thoracic adhesive apparatus with a lanceolate central depression that is nearly enclosed posteriorly by skin ridges, vs. having an adhestive apparatus that is open caudally. In G. burmanicus the adhesive apparatus is oval in outline and completely closed. Glyptothorax chindwinicus Vishwanath & Linthoingambi, 2007 is shown to be a junior synonym of G. burmanicus Prashad & Mukerji, 1929. Glyptothorax rugimentum is reported for the first time from the Chindwin drainage.

Glyptothorax pantherinus, a new species of catfish (Teleostei: Sisoridae) from the Noa Dehing River, Arunachal Pradesh, India

Glyptothorax pantherinus, a new sisorid catfish species, is described from the Noa Dehing River of Arunachal Pradesh, India. The new species can be distinguished from its congeners by the following combination of characters: mottled skin; a well-developed obtuse leaf-shaped thoracic adhesive apparatus with no central depression, unculiferous ridges of the apparatus not extending anteriorly onto the gular region, and the ridges uninterrupted except for the posterior-most region; one bean-shaped cream-coloured spot on either side of the dorsal-fin origin; ventral surface of the simple rays of the paired fins are plaited marginally and distally.

A new catfish of the genus Glyptothorax from the Kaladan basin, Northeast India (Teleostei: Sisoridae)

Glyptothorax churamanii, a new sisorid catfish species from the Kaladan basin of Mizoram State, Northeast India isdescribed. It is distinguished from the congeners of Glyptothorax in the NE Indian region by the combination of thefollowing characters: an oblong thoracic adhesive apparatus opening caudally with an inverted V-shaped mediandepression on its posterior half; the ventral lobe of the caudal fin longer than the dorsal lobe, with diffused blacksubmarginal bands on each lobe; sparsely tuberculate skin; ventral surfaces of pectoral spine and first (and sometimessecond) rays of pelvic fins pleated, plicae on pectoral spine arranged in rows, continuous distally and dissociated in a series of three to five hexagonal-shaped spots in each row; and 3+10 rakers on the first branchial arch.

Glyptothorax maceriatus, a new species of sisorid catfish (Actinopterygii: Siluriformes) from north-eastern India

Glyptothorax maceriatus, new species, is described from the Meghna-Surma River system in Mizoram, northeast India.It differs from most congeners in the Indian subcontinent in having thoracic adhesive apparatus with a narrow elliptic cen-tral depression that is almost enclosed posteriorly by skin ridges. The following combination of characters serve to distin-guish it from congeners in the Indian subcontinent: nasal barbel not reaching anterior orbital margin; interorbital distance27.0–31.4% HL; head length 23.7–25.3% SL; head depth 12.5–14.2 % SL; thoracic adhesive apparatus with narrow el-liptic central depression that is almost enclosed posteriorly by skin ridges (striae) and with single, non-diverging series ofstriae running along its edges; width of adhesive apparatus 55.8–72.1% its length; unculiferous ridges of adhesive appa-ratus not extending anteriorly onto gular region; absence of striae on first pectoraland pelvic-fin elements; pectoral-finlength 20.7–24.9% SL; dorsal-spine length 13.0–17.1% SL; smooth posterior edge of dorsal spine; dorsal-to-adipose dis-tance 17.8–23.6% SL; body depth at anus 11.3–13.8% SL; pelvic-fin length 15.9–19.1 % SL; length of anal-fin base13.9–16.2% SL; caudal peduncle length 21.4–23.9% SL; and caudal peduncle depth 6.4–7.6% SL (3.1–3.4 times in its length).

Glyptothorax jayarami, a new species of catfish (Teleostei: Sisoridae) from Mizoram, northeastern India

A new sisorid catfish, Glyptothorax jayarami, is described from the Kaladan basin of Mizoram, India. It is characteristicin having densely tuberculate skin; an elongate, ovoid thoracic adhesive apparatus with an oval central depression fromwhich the ridges on the apparatus diverge; two blackish-brown blotches at caudal-fin base behind the hypural plate; welldeveloped plicae on the ventral surfaces of simple and adjacent branched rays of pectoral and pelvic fins; a narrow caudal peduncle (5.5–7.9 % SL) and long 2 + 6–7 gill rakers on the first branchial arch.

Glyptothorax dikrongensis, a new species of catfish (Teleostei: Sisoridae) from Arunachal Pradesh, northeastern India

Glyptothorax dikrongensis, a new species of sisorid catfish from the Dikrong River in northeastern India, is described. Glyptothorax dikrongensis can be differentiated from all congeners, except G. indicus, G. rugimentum and G. obliquimaculatus, by the presence of an unculiferous patch on the posterior region of the lower lip, in between the inner mandibular-barbel bases, and unculiferous striae of the thoracic adhesive apparatus extending anteriorly onto the gular region. Glyptothorax dikrongensis is distinguished from G. indicus by the following combination of characters: equal distance between the posterior end of the pectoral-fin base and the pelvic-fin origin and between the pelvic-fin and the anal-fin origin (vs. distance between posterior end of pectoral-fin base and pelvic-fin origin greater than between pelvic-fin origin and anal-fin origin), and the pelvic-fin origin anterior to or almost at a vertical through the posterior end of the dorsal-fin base (vs. posterior to the dorsal-fin base). Glyptothorax dikrongensis is distinguished from G. rugimentum in lacking vertical bars on the body and caudal peduncle, and having a deeper caudal peduncle (8.4–9.2 vs. 6.1–7.6% SL) and a shorter dorsal-fin spine (10.1–11.1 vs. 15.2–18.6% SL). It is distinguished from G. obliquimaculatus in lacking dark, oblique blotches on the body, and in having a shorter dorsal-fin spine (10.1–11.1 vs. 13.4–16.4% SL).

Glyptothorax chimtuipuiensis, a new species of catfish (Teleostei: Sisoridae) from the Koladyne basin, India

Glyptothorax chimtuipuiensis, a new species of sisorid catfish, is described from the Koladyne basin of Mizoram State, India. It is characterized by having a short and stout body with granulated skin; the dorsal profile anterior to the adipose fin strongly arched; a short and smooth dorsal spine, its length 5.1–8.9% SL; a pectoral-fin length of 16.8–21.9% SL, with the ventral surface of its first simple ray plaited; an adipose-fin base length 22.1–27.3% SL; and a chevron-shaped thoracic adhesive apparatus, the middle of its base concave, opening caudally with a depression at its posterior end, followed by a small fold of skin.

Glyptothorax malabarensis, a new catfish (Teleostei: Sisoridae) from the Western Ghats of Kerala, India

Glyptothorax malabarensis, a new species of the Asian catfish family Sisoridae, is described from a hill stream of an upper tributary of the west-flowing Valappattanam River drainage of Kerala State, India. It is distinguished from its congeners in Peninsular India by the following combination of characters: body depth 19.6–9.9% SL, caudal peduncle length 14.3–14.7% SL and caudal peduncle depth 12.4–12.7% SL (caudal peduncle depth 86.4–88.1% of its length); thoracic adhesive apparatus approximately pentagonal, as long as broad, without a median depression; skin of head and body minutely granulated; and a coloration in life consisting of a black background with three flesh-red or orange transverse bands on body, in preservative changing to dark grey with black mottling and three yellowish-white transverse bands.

Pseudolaguvia virgulata, a new sisorid catfish (Teleostei: Sisoridae) from Mizoram, northeastern India

Pseudolaguvia virgulata, a new South Asian sisorid catfish species, is described from the Barak River drainage in Mizoram, India. The new species can be distinguished from congeners in having a brown body with two or three narrow, pale longitudinal stripes and a pale Y-shaped marking on the dorsal surface of the head. Additional distinguishing characters from its congeners are a serrated anterior edge of the dorsal spine, the thoracic adhesive apparatus reaching beyond the base of the last pectoral-fin ray, head width, pectoral-fin length, length of dorsal-fin base, dorsal-spine length, body depth at anus, length of adipose-fin base, caudal peduncle length, caudal peduncle depth, snout length, interorbital distance, and total number of vertebrae.

A new species of sisorid catfish genus Glyptothorax (Teleostei: Sisoridae) from Salween drainage of Yunnan, China

A new species of the genus Glyptothorax, Glyptothorax obliquimaculatus sp. nov. is described from the Xiaohei River, a tributary of the Nanting River, Salween drainage, in southwestern Yunnan province, China. This new species can be distinguished from its congeners by the following combination of characteristics: unculiferous ridges of the thoracic adhesive apparatus extending anteriorly onto the gular region; body with irregular dark blotches scattered along lateral surface (blotches mostly oblique); skin smooth on head and body; dorsal spine smooth without serrations on its posterior margin; lips smooth; posterior margin of pectoral spine with 7-8 serrations; dorsal-fin base 11.0-13.2% SL; pectoral-fin length 15.6-19.6% SL; depth of caudal peduncle 8.6-9.8% SL; head width 19.1-24.0% SL; nasal barbel length 23.3-33.3% HL.

Glyptothorax ketambe, a new catfish (Teleostei: Sisoridae) from northern Sumatra

Glyptothorax ketambe, a new species of sisorid catfish is described from the Alas River drainage in Nangroe Aceh Darussalam Province, northern Sumatra. Glyptothorax ketambe can be distinguished from all other Sundaic congeners except G. schmidti and G. siamensis in having a color pattern consisting of a dark brown body with yellowish midlateral and mid-dorsal stripes. It differs from G. schmidti and G. siamensis in having a combination of: caudal-peduncle depth 7.6–8.9% SL, head width 16.1–17.9% SL, thoracic adhesive apparatus not reaching to the level of the base of the last pectoral-fin ray, and thoracic adhesive apparatus with an almost straight lateral margin. The identity of G. schmidti is also clarified in this study.

Two new species of Glyptothorax (Teleostei: Sisoridae) from central Vietnam

Two new species of Glyptothorax are described from the rivers draining the Annam Cordilleras in central Vietnam. Glyptothorax filicatus n. sp. is distinguished from congeners in Indochina in having a diverging pattern of striae running along the edges of the central depression in the thoracic adhesive apparatus, and a combination of the following characters: dorsal spine length 13.7–15.1% SL, pectoral fin length 21.5–21.9% SL, length of adipose-fin base 13.3–15.0% SL, depth of caudal peduncle 8.4–8.8% SL, body depth at anus 15.1–16.0% SL, snout length 48.0–52.9% HL, eye diameter 8.9– 9.9% HL, anterior nuchal plate strongly demarcated in beige and caudal peduncle with a pale vertical band. Glyptothorax strabonis n. sp. is distinguished from congeners in Indochina in having a very small eye (6.2–6.5% HL), and a combination of the following characters: length of caudal peduncle 20.5–21.2% SL, depth of caudal peduncle 7.5–9.2% SL, body depth at anus 13.7–20.9% SL, head width 17.9–18.8% SL, presence of 14–16 serrae on posterior margin of pectoral spine, and coloration consisting of a dark-brown body with indistinct pale mid-lateral and mid-dorsal stripes.

Glyptothorax coracinus, a new species of hillstream catfish from Cambodia (Teleostei: Sisoridae)

Glyptothorax coracinus sp. nov. is described from the western face of the Krâvanh (Cardamom) Mountains and Dâmrei (Elephant) Mountains in southwestern Cambodia. It can be distinguished from congeners by its color pattern consisting of blackish brown body with indistinct pale longitudinal stripes on the lateral line and mid-dorsal regions of the body, pale markings on the nuchal plate absent, length of adipose-fin base 12.3–14.5% SL, length of caudal peduncle 18.6– 21.0% SL, depth of caudal peduncle 7.9–9.4% SL, body depth at anus 11.0–14.6% SL, eye diameter 6.3–7.2% HL, 36– 37 vertebrae, tubercles on the dorsal surface of the head with a single, median ridge, and anastomosing striae absent on thoracic adhesive apparatus that does not reach the level of the base of the last pectoral-fin ray.

Glyptothorax plectilis, a new species of hillstream catfish from northern Sumatra (Teleostei: Sisoridae)

ABSTRACT Glyptothorax plectilis sp. nov. is described from the Alas River drainage in northern Sumatra. It can be distinguished from congeners in Sundaland in having a combination of: length of adipose-fin base 12.9–16.7% SL, adipose maximum height 5.3–8.1% SL, caudal peduncle depth 8.4–10.6% SL, body depth at anus 15.3–18.6% SL, head length 25.3– 28.5% SL, snout length 47.9–53.8% HL, premaxillary teeth visible when mouth is closed, anterior and lateral edges of thoracic adhesive apparatus gently convex, diverging pattern of striae running along edges of central depression in thoracic adhesive apparatus, narrow v-shaped depression at posteromedial part of adhesive apparatus open posteriorly, and an almost uniformlycolored body. The taxonomic status of Sundaland Glyptothorax is also briefly discussed. New taxon: Glyptothorax plectilis Ng and Hadiaty

Fishes of the genus Glyptothorax Blyth (Teleostei: Sisoridae) from Manipur, India, with description of three new species

Manuscript 1443; © ZOO; Date of publication 21 February 2007 Received 29 September 2005; Revised received 15 April 2006; Finally accepted 21 January 2007 2617 March 2007 | ISSN 0973-2535 (Print edition); 0973-2551 (Online edition) www.zoosprint.org ABSTRACT Sisorid catfishes of the genus Glyptothorax of Manipur, India is revised. Glyptothorax ngapang sp. nov., G. granulus sp. nov. and G. chindwinica sp. nov. are described from Chindwin basin of the state. Characteristic differences in the new species include: G. ngapang sp. nov. in its well tuberculated skin and slender caudal peduncle; G. granulus sp. nov. in having granulated skin and thoracic adhesive apparatus width 78.9-85.0% its length; and G. chindwinica sp. nov. in having large head, depth at nape 55.856.7% HL, teeth on upper jaw as broad patch, lateral extent of lower jaw tooth band more than that of upper, and thoracic adhesive apparatus with a shallow pit in the centre. G. manipurensis is differentiated from G. striatus and its status and synonymy with G. sinense is discussed. A key to identification of species of the genus of the state is given.

Pseudecheneis maurus, a new species of glyptosternine catfish (Teleostei: Sisoridae) from Central Vietnam

A new species of sisorid catfish, Pseudecheneis maurus, is described from the Song Thuy Loan drainage in Central Vietnam. Pseudecheneis maurus can be distinguished from congeners in having a combination of a very short adipose-fin base (1.2 times length of anal-fin base vs. 1.5–2.0 times; 15.7% SL vs. 17.6–30.6), thoracic adhesive apparatus with sulcae not meeting at midline and the absence of distinct pale spots on the body.

Pseudolaguvia ferula, a new species of sisoroid catfish (Teleostei: Erethistidae) from India

Pseudolaguvia ferula, a new species of erethistid catish, is described from the Brahmaputra River drainage in India. It can be distinguished from congeners in having a terete (vs. depressed) head and body, manifested in the narrower head width (17.1–19.1% SL vs. 19.4–23.4), a smaller anterior fontanel (about one third the length of the frontals vs. at least half the length), and very faint, poorly contrasting cream bands that are sometimes absent on some individuals (vs. sharply contrasting cream bands on a brown body). It can be further distinguished from congeners in having a unique combination of the following characters: dorsal-spine length 17.3–18.7% SL, pectoral-spine length 20.2–24.3% SL, pelvic-fin length 13.0–14.7% SL, length of adipose-fin base 11.5–13.0% SL, caudal peduncle depth 6.9–7.8% SL, body depth at anus 12.1–13.8% SL, eye diameter 8.6–11.7% HL, vertebrae 28–30, and thoracic adhesive apparatus reaching to midway between bases of last pectoral-fin ray and first pelvic-fin ray. with its unculiferous ridges joined at their posterior ends.

Glyptothorax botius (Hamilton, 1822), a valid species of catfish (Teleostei: Sisoridae) from northeast India, with notes on the identity of G. telchitta (Hamilton, 1822)

Glyptothorax botius is revalidated from synonymy with G. telchitta. Both G. botius and G. telchitta are known from the Ganges River drainage in northeast India, and differ from congeners in the region in having a combination of large, prominent tubercles on the head and body, a thoracic adhesive apparatus without a median depression, and a very slender body and caudal peduncle. Glyptothorax botius was previously considered a synonym of G. telchitta, but differs from it in having a more rounded snout when viewed laterally, the presence (vs. absence) of dark saddles on the body, a thoracic adhesive apparatus with broader folds of skin, a longer adipose-fin base (12.0–16.4% SL vs. 9.5–11.5) and a more slender caudal peduncle (3.1–4.2% SL vs. 4.7–5.9). Both species are redescribed in this study, and neotypes are designated to fix their taxonomy.

Adhesive apparatus in certain Indian hill stream fishes

The results of a detailed study on the adhesive apparatus of Indian hill stream cyprinid and sisorid fishes are presented. The structure of the mental suctorial disc in the genus Garra is described. Histological study of the mental region of Crossocheilus and Psilorhynchus has also been made and compared with the mental disc of Garra. The muscles of the disc which control its movements in bringing a partial vacuum during adhesion have been investigated. The complexity of the geniohyoideus muscles in Garra is interesting. Variations in the degree of development and histological modifications of the mental disc are exhibited by the fishes of the genus Garra.A thoracic adhesive apparatus in the form of longitudinal or transverse ridges and grooves is present in the sisorids, Laguvia, Glyptothorax and Pseudecheneis except Gagata. A close study has revealed that the adhesive apparatus of the catfishes works mainly on the principle of friction. The variations in shape, size and location of the adhesive apparatus in various species are correlated to their respective habitats.Structural variation in the adhesive apparatus of Pseudecheneis is maximum in comparison to that in Laguvia and Glyptothorax. It is discovered that the modifications are associated with the presence of multi‐spinous layers, formation of caps by the basal or holdfast cells and with the transformation of loose areolar tissue into thick collagenous dermis. The presence of a pad of adipose tissue in the region of the adhesive apparatus has been reported and its physiological significance as a source of stored food suggested.The anterior part of the protractor ischii muscle is modified to control the action of the adhesive apparatus. In Pseudecheneis, besides the m. protractor ischii, the ventral part of m. mesioventral is also associated with the adhesive apparatus.