Ayumodoki

Last updated

Ayumodoki
Leptobotia curta by OpenCage.jpg
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Cypriniformes
Family: Botiidae
Genus: Parabotia
Species:
P. curtus
Binomial name
Parabotia curtus
(Temminck & Schlegel, 1846)
Synonyms [2]
  • Cobitis curtaTemminck & Schlegel, 1846
  • Botia curta(Temminck & Schlegel, 1846)
  • Capoeta curta(Temminck & Schlegel, 1846)
  • Hymenophysa curta(Temminck & Schlegel, 1846)
  • Leptobotia curta(Temminck & Schlegel, 1846)

The ayumodoki or kissing loach (Parabotia curtus) is a species of ray-finned fish in the family Botiidae. [3] It is found in lakes and streams on Honshu, the largest island in Japan. [4] Spawning grounds for kissing loach are ditches and small reservoirs for rice cultivation of a river system located in Japan. The kissing loach migrates to flooded areas, including paddy field areas, for spawning in early summer and the spawning of this species is limited after the formation of flooded areas over terrestrial vegetation. [5] These flooded areas are the result of water from mountain streams and irrigation ponds flooding once dry land which create creating man-made wetlands. [6] [7] As, adults, Parabotia curtus migrate from these flooded paddy fields to fast moving, muddy streams and rivers like the Yodo River. [3]

Contents

Physical description

The kissing loach has an elongated body that is colored a deep dark brown dorsally with lighter brown vertical stripes extending down the sides. The head is compressed and is pointed in the front where six barbels are located on the underside of the head near the mouth. They have large gill openings, a moderately forked caudal fin with dark stripes, lobate pectoral fins, and a lateral line present starting close to the operculum and stretching to the base of the caudal fin. [8]

Early development

In a study conducted by Tsukasa Abe and Tatsuya Sakamoto they tested the early development of kissing loach with special reference to the hatching at the early stage as well as the movement of the larvae toward the water surface. The bottoms of these areas, that are reported to be the spawning grounds for these fishes, are covered with vegetation that are submerged by irrigation water for rice cultivation during the spawning period in early summer. It is at this time "(spawning areas submerged for 39 days in 2005), the water depth at the spawning ground was 54.4 ± 0.4 cm [mean ± standard error (SE); 35 days], and the dissolved oxygen at the bottom and near the water surface (20 cm in depth) was measured at 1800 hours for 35 days with a water quality meter. The bottom water temperature was also measured hourly for 35 days using a data logger with a self-contained thermometer" (Abe & Sakamoto, 2011).<ref>Abe, T., Sakamoto, T. Embryonic development and larval behavior of the kissing loach (Parabotia curta): adaptations to an ephemeral, hypoxic environment. Ichthyol Res 58, 238–244 (2011).

Reproduction

Parabotia curtus only lay eggs once a year and spawn in early summer in flooded areas like ditches or small reservoirs used to harvest rice. [9] One of these spawning ground include paddy fields stemming from the Yoshii River in Okayama. [5] They migrate from rivers like the Yoshii River in June and have to spawn very quickly since the flooded paddy fields and ditches are only flooded for a few days. [6]

Diet

When Parabotia curtus is young they are still in the paddy fields where they hatched, water fleas here are huge food source for both Parabotia curtus and other juvenile fish hatched in these areas. [10] Once juvenile loaches make their way to rivers and river channels, their suction mouths are fully developed and they scan the muddy river bottom for detritus, mud worms, and other macrofauna using the barbels that are located on the bottom and around their mouths. [11]

Conservation status

Current conservation status on Parabotia curtus is that it is listed on the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUSN) Red List as critically endangered. [7] [12] Land-use change and urbanization in Japan is expanding rapidly and is beginning to threaten important river ecosystems in Japan. Many environmental organizations have begun to work with government officials to try and expand these crucial ecosystems and to prevent urbanization and destruction of the few natural habitats left used for spawning for many species of fish, like the protected kissing loach. [9]

In 2012 a plan to build a city park with a sports stadium was announced by the Kameoka city government. The developers of this city soon realized, after speaking with many environmental and conservational organizations, the planned location of the stadium would destroy an important spawning ground for juvenile fish and by building the land up flooding in certain areas could occur. In 2016, they decided that it was best to move the location to avoid the destruction of the few remaining natural loach habitats left in Japan. [13]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cypriniformes</span> Order of fishes

Cypriniformes is an order of ray-finned fish, including the carps, minnows, loaches, and relatives. Cypriniformes is an Order within the Superorder Ostariophysi consisting of "Carp-like" Ostariophysins. This order contains 11-12 families, although some authorities have designated as many as 23, over 400 genera, and more than 4,250 species, with new species being described every few months or so, and new genera being recognized frequently. They are most diverse in southeastern Asia, and are entirely absent from Australia and South America. At 112 years old, the longest-lived cypriniform fish documented is the bigmouth buffalo.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cobitidae</span> Family of fishes

Cobitidae, also known as the True loaches, is a family of Old World freshwater fish. They occur throughout Eurasia and in Morocco, and inhabit riverine ecosystems. Today, most "loaches" are placed in other families. The family includes about 260 described species. New species are being described regularly.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Clown loach</span> Species of fish

The clown loach, or tiger botia, is a tropical freshwater fish belonging to the botiid loach family. It is the sole member of the genus Chromobotia. It originates in inland waters in Indonesia on the islands of Sumatra and Borneo. In Sentarum, West Borneo that fish named: ulanguli. It is a popular fish in the freshwater aquarium trade and is sold worldwide.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Burmese border loach</span> Species of fish

The Burmese Border loach, angelicus loach or polka dot loach, Botia kubotai, is a recently described species that has quickly become a popular tropical fish for freshwater aquariums. In 2002, fish collectors working in western Thailand began to expand their search into Myanmar (Burma) area from the Three Pagodas Pass Thai-Myanmar border to look for new fish for the aquarium trade. This is one of several species discovered and explains the origin of the fish's common name: Burmese Border Loach. Its specific epithet honors Katsuma Kubota of an aquarium export company in Thailand who first purchased the catch and sent them out for identification.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Spined loach</span> Species of fish

The spined loach is a common freshwater fish in Europe. It is sometimes known as spotted weather loach, not to be confused with the "typical" weather loaches of the genus Misgurnus. This is the type species of the spiny loach genus (Cobitis) and the true loach family (Cobitidae).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pond loach</span> Species of freshwater fish

The pond loach, also known as the Dojo loach, oriental weatherloach or oriental weatherfish, is a freshwater fish in the loach family Cobitidae. They are native to East Asia, but are also popular as an aquarium fish and introduced elsewhere in Asia and to Europe, America and Australia. The alternate name weather loach is shared with several other Cobitidae, including the other members of the genus Misgurnus and the spotted weather loach. This term comes from their ability to detect changes in barometric pressure before a storm and react with frantic swimming or standing on end.

<i>Syncrossus berdmorei</i> Species of fish

Syncrossus berdmorei is a freshwater fish in the loach family Botiidae. It is native to streams and rivers in Thailand, Burma, and nearby parts of northeastern India, where typically found over a soft bottom near boulders and submerged trees. Syncrossus berdmorei grows up to 10 in (25 cm) and can be kept in private aquariums.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Snakeskin gourami</span> Species of fish

The snakeskin gourami is a species of gourami native to Southeast Asia. Prior to the merging of Belontidae to the family Osphronemidae, the snakeskin gourami was regarded as the largest member of its family. It is still the largest species in its genus and subfamily.

Lepidocephalichthys jonklaasi, known as the Jonklaas's loach or the spotted loach, is an endemic fish species restricted to the wet zone of Sri Lanka. The species was first recorded from the Wilpita area. It is currently known from 12 locations in the wet zone including Beraliya, Dombagaskandha, Madakada, Gilimale, Hiyare, Kottawa, Kanneliya, Weddagala, Nakiyadeniya, Pahiyangala and Boralugoda. It is recorded from a wide range of altitudes. Due to its restricted range and the threats to its habitat Lepidocephalichthys jonklaasi, is listed as an Endangered species. The species has already begun to disappear from some of the sites mentioned above due to destruction and fragmentation of its habitat and many other threats that are operating on the species.

Leptobotia is a genus of fish in the family Botiidae endemic to China.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stone loach</span> Species of fish

The stone loach is a European species of fresh water ray-finned fish in the family Nemacheilidae. It is one of nineteen species in the genus Barbatula. Stone loaches live amongst the gravel and stones of fast flowing water where they can search for food. The most distinctive feature of this small fish is the presence of barbels around the bottom jaw, which they use to detect their invertebrate prey. The body is a mixture of brown, green and yellow.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Botiidae</span> Family of fishes

Botiidae is a family of cypriniform ray-finned fishes from South, Southeast, and East Asia. Until recently they were placed in the true loach family Cobitidae, until Maurice Kottelat revised the loaches and re-elevated this taxon to family rank in 2012. The family includes about 56 species.

The true Kuhli loach, occasionally referred to as eel loach, is a small eel-like freshwater fish belonging to the loach family (Cobitidae). They originate from the island of Java in Indonesia. This snake-like creature is very slender and nocturnal.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Loach</span> Superfamily of fishes

Loaches are fish of the superfamily Cobitoidea. They are freshwater, benthic (bottom-dwelling) fish found in rivers and creeks throughout Eurasia and northern Africa. Loaches are among the most diverse groups of fish; the 1249 known species of Cobitoidea comprise about 107 genera divided among 9 families.

<i>Parabotia</i> Genus of fishes

Parabotia is a genus of loaches. Most species in the genus are endemic to China, but P. curtis is from Japan, P. dubius is from Vietnam, and P. mantschuricus is from the Amur River basin.

The large-scale loach is a species of true loach that is native to Mainland China, Hainan, Taiwan, Korea, and the Russian Far East. It can be found in water bodies such as the Yangtze Basin, Pearl River, Amur River, and various other drainages. There are several known invasive populations in places such as Barcelona, the San Joaquin River in California, and the majority of Japan. The large-scale loach is typically brown, grey, or golden in color with mottled or speckled black dots, which leads to it sometimes called a "peppered loach" when sold at pet stores. It is a small loach, growing between 7.3 to 15.4 cm TL.

<i>Syncrossus hymenophysa</i> Species of fish

Syncrossus hymenophysa, commonly known as the tiger loach, tiger botia or green tiger loach, is a species of freshwater fish in the loach family Botiidae. It is native to fast mountain streams and large rivers, over soft substrates and often near submerged boulders and fallen trees, in Peninsular Malaysia, Borneo and Sumatra. Unlike most loaches, S. hymenophysa is very aggressive, especially when food is added to the tank.

<i>Syncrossus helodes</i> Species of fish

Syncrossus helodes, commonly known as banded loach, tiger botia or lesser katy loach, is a freshwater fish in the loach family Botiidae. It is native to rivers in Vietnam, Thailand, Laos and Cambodia. S. helodes resembles S. hymenophysa from Borneo, Sumatra and Peninsular Malaysia, and the two have frequently been confused. It differs from the latter species by the absence of a dark spot on the dorsal fin, 10–12 bars on body without blue borders and the presence of irregular dark markings on the lower body.

Vaillantella maassi, the forktail loach, is a species of loach in the family Vaillantellidae, a monogeneric family with two other species, Vaillantella cinnamomea and Vaillantella euepiptera. They are from Southeast Asia.

<i>Syncrossus beauforti</i> Species of fish

Synocrossus beauforti, the barred loach, chameleon loach or chameleon botia, is a species of freshwater fish from the loach family Botiidae which is found in mainland south-east Asia.

References

  1. Watanabe, K.; Abe, T.; Iwata, A.; Shimizu, T.; Hosoya, K. (2015). "Parabotia curtus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2015: e.T11661A83606443. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2015-4.RLTS.T11661A83606443.en . Retrieved 15 November 2021.
  2. "Synonyms of Parabotia curtus (Temminck & Schlegel, 1846)". Fishbase . Retrieved 19 August 2017.
  3. 1 2 Kottelat, M. (2012): Conspectus cobitidum: an inventory of the loaches of the world (Teleostei: Cypriniformes: Cobitoidei). Archived February 11, 2013, at the Wayback Machine The Raffles Bulletin of Zoology, Supplement No. 26: 1-199.
  4. R. Froese; D. Pauly, eds. (2017). "Parabotia curtus (Temminck & Schlegel, 1846) Kissing loach". Fishbase . Retrieved 19 August 2017.
  5. 1 2 Abe, Tsukasa; Sakamoto, Tatsuya (2011). "Embryonic development and larval behavior of the kissing loach (Parabotia curta): adaptations to an ephemeral, hypoxic environment". Ichthyological Research. 58 (3): 238–244. Bibcode:2011IchtR..58..238A. doi:10.1007/s10228-011-0217-3. S2CID   19129495.
  6. 1 2 Abe, Tsukasa (2007). "Spawning Behavior of the Kissing Loach (Leptobotia curta) in Temporary Waters". Zoological Science. 24 (8): 850–853. doi: 10.2108/zsj.24.850 . PMID   18217493. S2CID   21899167.
  7. 1 2 Yuma, Masahide (1997). "Distribution of the freshwater fishes of Japan: an historical overview" (PDF). Environmental Biology of Fishes. 52 (1–3): 97–124. doi:10.1023/A:1007451417556. S2CID   26033409.
  8. Jordan, David (1903). "A review of the Cobitidae or Loaches of the Rivers of Japan" (PDF). Proceedings of the United States National Museum. 26 (1332): 765–774. doi:10.5479/si.00963801.26-1332.765.
  9. 1 2 Ueda, Minoru (2008). "Project for restoring ayumodoki, a species designated as a national treasure, through rice paddy fish channels and use of idle farmland". Archived from the original on 2021-11-19.
  10. Hata, Kenji (2002). "Perspectives for fish protection in Japanese paddy field irrigation systems". Department of Regional Resources – National Institute for Rural Engineering. 36: 211–218.
  11. Watanabe, Kiyoko (1983). "Feeding behavior of the Japanese loach, Misgurnus aguillicaudatus (Cobitididae)" (PDF). Department of Zoology Kyoto University. 1 (1–2): 86–90. doi:10.1007/BF02347834. S2CID   24768716.
  12. Kano, Yuichi (2018). "Photo images, 3D models and CT scanned data of loaches (Botiidae, Cobitidae and Nemacheilidae) of Japan". Biodiversity Data Journal. 6 (6): e26265. doi: 10.3897/BDJ.6.e26265 . PMC   6048182 . PMID   30026666.
  13. Watanabe, Katsutoshi (2017). "Sports stadium moved for an endangered loach, but conservation concerns still remain – a report from Japan" (PDF). Newsletter of the IUCN SSC/WI Freshwater Fish Specialist Group - Saving Freshwater Fishes and Habitats.