Lepidocephalichthys thermalis

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Lepidocephalichthys thermalis
Thermalis.jpg
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Cypriniformes
Family: Cobitidae
Genus: Lepidocephalichthys
Species:
L. thermalis
Binomial name
Lepidocephalichthys thermalis
(Valenciennes, 1846)
Synonyms
List

Cobitis carnaticusJerdon, 1849Cobitis carnaticusJerdon, 1849Cobitis mysorensisJerdon, 1849Cobitis mysorensisJerdon, 1849Cobitis rubripinnisJerdon, 1849Cobitis rubripinnisJerdon, 1849Cobitis thermalisValenciennes, 1846Cobitis thermalisValenciennes, 1846Lepidocephalichthys thermalis(Valenciennes, 1846)Lepidocephalichthys thermalis(Valenciennes, 1846)Platacanthus agrensisDay, 1865Platacanthus agrensisDay, 1865

Contents

Lepidocephalichthys thermalis, known as common spiny loach or spotted loach, is a species of freshwater fish found in India and Sri Lanka. [1] [2]

They are found usually in quiet, flowing waters with a sandy substrate. It grows to 38 cm (15 in) standard length. [2]

The species name, thermalis, references the fact that the type locality of this species was the Kanniya Hot Springs from Sri Lanka. However, this species is not exclusively restricted to hot springs. [3]

Also endemic Lepidocephalichthys jonklaasi is found in Sri Lanka. Jayaram (1981) reports that at least six other species occur in the north-eastern part of India (Assam to Burma). Tilak and Hussain (1981) have written a review on the systematics of the Indian members of the genus.

Lepidocephalichthys jonklaasi is distinguished from L. furcatus, L. micropogon, L. manipurensis, and L. goalparensis by rounded/truncated (vs. forked) caudal fin, from L. irrorata and L. kranos by absence of scales on top of head, from L. guntea, L. hasselti, L. tomaculum, L. alkaia, and L. annandalei by broad regularly spaced dark bars (vs. reticulations, spots, or stripe) on caudal fin, from L. thermalis, L. arunachalensis, L. coromandelensis, and L. berdmorei by vertically elongated, dark spots on side that form irregular, thin bars (vs. round spots that sometimes form squares or thin stripe), and from L. lorentzi by thinner, more irregularly spaced dark side bars, dorsal-fin origin anterior (vs. posterior) to pelvic-fin origin, and larger size (to 45 vs. 33 mm SL), (Havird and Page 2010).

The two Sri Lankan species L. jonklaasi and L. thermalis are not very closely related. They are easily differentiated by body shape and proportions, colour pattern, and form of sexual dimorphism that is unique to L. jonklaasi. Further, a mature adult L. jonklaasi is significantly longer than L. thermalis. It is not easily confused with L. thermalis owing to its distinctive colour pattern and robust, tubular body.

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References

  1. 1 2 Dahanukar, N.; de Alwis Goonatilake, S.; Fernado, M.; Kotagama, O. (2019). "Lepidocephalichthys thermalis". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2019: e.T172360A60610915. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2019-3.RLTS.T172360A60610915.en . Retrieved 19 November 2021.
  2. 1 2 Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.). "Lepidocephalichthys thermalis". FishBase . February 2019 version.
  3. ↑ Ahnelt, Harald; Sudasinghe, Hiranya (2024). "A collection of fishes from the enigmatic type locality of fish species described by Georges Cuvier and by Achille Valenciennes, the hot springs of Kanniya at Trincomalee, Sri Lanka | Société Française d'Ichtyologie - Cybium". Cybium. 48 (4). doi:10.26028/cybium/2024-037.
  1. ↑ "Archived copy" (PDF). portals.iucn.org. Archived from the original (PDF) on 12 January 2014. Retrieved 22 May 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
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