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.
Hemimyzon is a genus of freshwater ray-finned fish belonging to the family Balitoridae, the river or hillstream loaches. The species in this genus are found in eastern Asia.
Botiidae, the pointface loaches, 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.
Psilorhynchus is a genus of ray-finned fish in the family Psilorhynchidae native to South Asia. This genus is the only member of its family. The members of Psilorhynchus are small benthic fishes which occur in rivers and streams with fast to swift currents, hence they are often referred to as torrent minnows. They are distributed in southern Asia, in the Indo-Burma region and the Western Ghats.
Balitora is a genus of ray-finned fishes in the family Balitoridae endemic to Asia.
Homaloptera is a genus of ray-finned fish in the family Balitoridae.
Loaches are ray-finned fish of the suborder Cobitoidei. 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 Cobitoidei comprise about 107 genera divided among 9 families.
Barbucca is a genus of loaches native to Southeast Asia. It is currently the only genus in its family.
Physoschistura is a genus of fish in the family Nemacheilidae found mostly in Southeast Asia.
Protomyzon is a genus of ray-finned fish belonging to the family Gastromyzontidae, commonly called the hillstream loaches, although this also refers to the loaches in the family Balitoridae. The loaches in this genus are endemic to Borneo.
Sewellia is a genus of fish in the family Gastromyzontidae. They are commonly called hillstream loaches and are found in Laos and Vietnam. According to Roberts (1998) a possible defining characteristic of the genus Sewellia is their posterior pelvic valve is highly complex and different from other rheophilic loaches, their posterior pelvic valve involves the overlapping of the second to last ventrally exposed rays. Adapted to high velocity streams, Sewellia have depressed body shapes that are laterally expanded, thus increasing their hydrodynamical properties and allowing them to better stay attached to rocks in swift current. Sewellia also have paired fins with a single simple ray and numerous branched rays allowing them to grip rocks in swift current.
Vaillantella, the long-fin loaches, is a small genus of loaches found in Southeast Asia. This genus is the only member of the family Vaillantellidae having been confirmed as such by M. Kottelat in his review of the loaches in 2012.
Serpenticobitis, popularly known as serpent loaches, is a small genus of loaches found in the Mekong River Basin in Southeast Asia. It is the only genus in the family Serpenticobitidae.
The Nemacheilidae, or stone loaches, are a family of cypriniform fishes that inhabit stream environments, mostly in Eurasia, with one genus, Afronemacheilus found in Africa. The family includes about 790 species.
Balitoropsis also known as the lizard loaches is a genus of freshwater ray-finned fishes belonging to the family Balitoridae, the loaches in this family are commonly known as hillstream loaches although this name also refers to the loaches in the family Gastromyzontidae. These loaches are found in mainland Southeast Asia, Sumatra and Borneo.
The Gastromyzontidae are a family of loaches native to China and Southeast Asia, where typically found in streams and rivers with a fast current. The family includes about 137 species in eighteen genera. This family was resurrected by M. Kottelat in his review and revision of the loaches in 2012. They are commonly called hillstream loaches.
Homalopteroides is a genus of freshwater ray-finned fishes belonging to the family Balitoridae, the loaches in this family are commonly known as hillstream loaches although this name also refers to the loaches in the family Gastromyzontidae. These loaches are found in Southeast Asia.
Homalopterula is a genus of freshwater ray-finned fishes belonging to the family Balitoridae, the loaches in this family are commonly known as hillstream loaches although this name also refers to the loaches in the family Gastromyzontidae. These loaches are found only in Sumatra in Indonesia.
Pseudohomaloptera is a genus of freshwater ray-finned fish belonging to the family Balitoridae, the river or hillstream loaches. The species in this genus are found in eastern Asia.
Dorosomatidae is a family of clupeiform fishes. It is now recognized by FishBase as a family in its own right; it had been considered to be a subfamily of Clupeidae. It contains 31 extant genera.
