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.
Schistura is a genus of fish in the stone loach family Nemacheilidae native to the streams and rivers of the southern and eastern Asia. Some of these species are troglobitic.
Schistura mahnerti is a species of tropical freshwater fish of the stone loach family Nemacheilidae. It inhabits fast-flowing streams of Thailand and Myanmar (Burma). S. mahnerti is one of the more recent species to be introduced to the aquarium trade.
Schistura alticrista is a species of ray-finned fish in the genus Schistura. This stone loach has only been recorded in the basin of the Nam Mae Yuam, a tributary of the Salween River in Mae Hong Son Province, north west Thailand. It has been reported that this species has been recorded in the Salween mainstream near the inflow of the Nam Mae Yuam. The habitat from which the species has been collected is small streams over a substrate of pebbles. This fish is harvested by subsistence fisheries. Species in the genus Schistura are omnivores although the majority of their diet is animal matter such as zooplankton, insects, worms and crustaceans with small amounts of plant material and detritus. S. alticrista is occasionally traded in the aquarium trade.
Schistura balteata is a species of ray-finned fish in the stone loach genus Schistura. It found in hill streams draining from the Myinmoletkat Taung mountain in Tenasserim in southern Myanmar, and has now been recorded in western Thailand too. It is kept in the aquarium trade where it is often referred to as the sumo loach, the specific name derives from the Latin balteatus, which means baldric or shoulder strap, referring to the colour pattern this species.
Schistura breviceps is a species of ray-finned fish in the stone loach genus Schistura. It has only been recorded in the drainage system of the Mae Nam Kok, a tributary of the Mekong in northern Thailand and Myanmar. It has been seen in streams with a moderate flow over gravel or stone stream beds.
Schistura cincticauda is a species of ray-finned fish in the stone loach genus Schistura. It has been recorded from a tributary of the Salween River in Thailand, Myanmar and Laos.
Schistura daubentoni is a species of ray-finned fish in the stone loach genus Schistura. Iyt is found in the middle Mekong drainage in central Laos and northern Cambodia, including the Tonlé San and lower Kong River and it is considered that it is probably found in the reaches of the Mekong between these areas and in eastern Thailand. The specific name honours François d’Aubenton a zoologist at the Muséum National d’Histoire naturelle in Paris, who collected type specimen in 1964.
Schistura desmotes is a species of ray-finned fish in the stone loach genus Schistura. It is found in Ratchaburi Province of Thailand where it inhabits streams with a moderate current and a gravel or stone substrate. The specific name desmotes mean "prisoner" and refers to the 7–9 broad dark-brown transverse bands on the fish's body, which reminded Fowler of a striped prisoner's uniform.
Schistura kengtungensis is a species of ray-finned fish in the stone loach genus Schistura. It is found in the Mekong basin in China, Thailand, Myanmar and Laos.
Schistura maepaiensis is a species of ray-finned fish, a stone loach in the genus Schistura. It has been recorded from the Salween basin in Mae Hong Son and Tak Provinces in north western Thailand and may also occur in Myanamar. Its habitat is riffles in streams with a gravel or stone bed and a moderate to fast current. It is occasionally found in the aquarium trade and its populations may be affected by any human activities which interrupt fast flowing water, such as logging or agriculture.
Schistura menanensis is a species of ray-finned fish, a stone loach in the genus Schistura. It has only been recorded the Mae Nam Nan drainage, a branch of the Chao Phraya in Thailand where it has been observed in streams with moderate to fast currents, in riffles, with gravel to stone beds. The specific name menanensis refers to the type locality of this species on the Mae Nam Nam.
Schistura moeiensis is a species of ray-finned fish, a stone loach, in the genus Schistura. It is found in the Mae Nam Noi drainage system, a tributary of the Salween, the Mae Nam Noi forms the border between Thailand and Myanmar. It has been recorded from streams which have a moderate to fast current, in riffles, over beds consisting of gravel to stone.
Schistura nicholsi is a species of ray-finned fish, a stone loach, in the genus Schistura. It is found in the Mekong basin of north eastern Thailand, Laos and it is also likely to be found in Cambodia. It occurs in shallow riffles with moderate to fast flows. Human modification of the rivers' morphology through such activities as logging and agriculture are affecting this species range. However, its distribution covers a wide geographic range and it is assessed as Least Concern by the IUCN. The specific name honors John Treadwell Nichols (1883-1958) who was curator of fishes at the American Museum of Natural History and who made an important contribution to the ichthyology of China, and especially to the knowledge of loaches.
Schistura paucicincta is a species of ray-finned fish, a stone loach, in the genus Schistura. It is only known from the Mae Nam Noi drainage, a tributary of the Salween River which forms the border between Thailand and Myanmar. This species inhabits streams with a moderate to fast current, in riffles, over beds varying from gravel to stone but it has also been recorded in small forest streams in very shallow water.
Schistura poculi is a species of ray-finned fish, a stone loach, in the genus Schistura. This species of stone loach is currently thought to occur in the basins of the Mekong, Salween and Chao Praya rivers in Myanmar, Thailand and Laos. However, these may refer to more than one species, in which case the name S. poculi belongs to the population in the Chao Praya. It can be found in streams with moderately fast to fast currents among riffles where there are substrates which vary from gravel to stone. The specific name poculi means "bowl" and refers to the type locality, Doi Angkon in Thailand with angkon meaning "crow's bowl".
Schistura robertsi is a species of ray-finned fish, a stone loach, in the genus Schistura. It is found on the western side of the Malay Peninsula from Tanintharyi Region in southern Myanmar to Trang Province in Peninsular Thailand and on Langkawi Island in Malaysia. It occurs in streams and hill creeks, inhabiting stretches with stream beds made up of gravel and small stones and it is threatened by developments for tourism, agriculture, livestock farming, residential property and commercial property. The specific name honours the American ichthyologist Tyson R. Roberts who collected most of the original type series which were used by Maurice Kottelat to describe the species.
Schistura schultzi is a species of ray-finned fish, a stone loach, in the genus Schistura. It has been recorded from the Mekong in Chiang Rai Province and Loei Province in Thailand, it should also be present in Bokeo Province in Laos. Almost nothing is known about this species biology. The specific name honours Leonard Peter Schultz (1901-1986) who was Curator of Fishes at the United States National Museum.
Schistura similis is a species of ray-finned fish, a stone age, in the genus Schistura. It occurs in the Mae Nam Noi drainage, a tributary of the Salween which forms the border between Thailand and Myanmar. The species has only been recorded in Thailand but most likely occurs in Myanmar too. It has been recorded in streams with a moderate to fast current, in riffles, over substrates consisting of gravel to stone.
Schistura vinciguerrae is a species of ray-finned fish, a stone loach, in the genus Schistura which is found in the Irrawaddy and Salween River basins in Myanmar, and the Chindwin drainage in Myanmar and Manipur, India. The specific name honours the Italian ichthyologist Decio Vinciguerra, who classified Burmese fishes and described the species, Schistura multifasciata, which S. vinciguerrae was separated from.
