The Mekong or Mekong River is a transboundary river in East Asia and Southeast Asia. It is the world's twelfth-longest river and the third-longest in Asia with an estimated length of 4,909 km (3,050 mi) and a drainage area of 795,000 km2 (307,000 sq mi), discharging 475 km3 (114 cu mi) of water annually. From its headwaters in the Tibetan Plateau, the river runs through Southwest China, Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia, and southern Vietnam. The extreme seasonal variations in flow and the presence of rapids and waterfalls in the Mekong make navigation difficult. Even so, the river is a major trade route between Tibet and Southeast Asia. The construction of hydroelectric dams along the Mekong in the 2000s through the 2020s has caused serious problems for the river's ecosystem, including the exacerbation of drought.
The Mekong giant catfish, is a large, threatened species of catfish in the shark catfish family (Pangasiidae), native to the Mekong basin in Southeast Asia and adjacent China. It is considered critically endangered due to overfishing and habitat loss.
The Siamese crocodile is a medium-sized freshwater crocodile native to Indonesia, Brunei, East Malaysia, Laos, Cambodia, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam. The species is critically endangered and already extirpated from many regions. Its other common names include Siamese freshwater crocodile, Singapore small-grain, and soft-belly.
The giant barb, Siamese Giant carp, or simply Siamese carp is the largest species of cyprinid in the world. These migratory fish are found only in the Mae Klong, Mekong, and Chao Phraya River basins in Indochina. Populations have declined drastically due to habitat loss and overfishing, and the giant barb is now considered critically endangered.
The Siamese algae-eater is a species of freshwater fish in the carp family, Cyprinidae. This bottom-dwelling tropical fish is found in mainland Southeast Asia, including the Chao Phraya and Mekong basins as well as the Malay Peninsula. Its natural habitats are streams and rivers as well as flooded forests during the rainy season. The Siamese algae-eater should not be confused with the flying fox or the false siamensis , lacking the distinctive black bands of the former.
The giant salmon carp, also termed the Mekong giant salmon carp, is a species of freshwater fish in the family Cyprinidae and the single species in the monotypic genus Aaptosyax. It is endemic to the middle reaches of the Mekong River in northern Cambodia, Laos, and Thailand. Its population is much reduced (>90%) as a result of overfishing and habitat degradation, and it is now considered Critically Endangered.
The Jullien's golden carp is a species of endangered freshwater ray-finned fish in the family Cyprinidae found in Southeast Asian river basins. Its existence is being threatened by various economic activities, such as large-scale agriculture and the building of dams for hydropower.
Belodontichthys is a genus of sheatfishes native to Asia.
Macrognathus siamensis, the peacock eel or spotfin spiny eel, is a spiny eel found in freshwater habitats throughout Southeast Asia. They are commercially important as food and aquarium fish.
Henicorhynchus is a genus of cyprinid fish that occurs in Southeast Asia.
Macrochirichthys macrochirus, the long pectoral-fin minnow and giant sword minnow or freshwater wolf-herring, is a species of cyprinid fish found in rivers and lakes in Southeast Asia where it is used as a food fish. It is the only member of its genus. It is predatory and reaches up to 1 m (3.3 ft) in length.
Parasikukia is a genus of cyprinid fish containing a single species, P. maculata. It is found in the Mekong in Thailand, Laos and Cambodia as well as the Mae Klong, Chao Phraya and south eastern river systems in Thailand and the westward drainages of the Cardamom Hills in Cambodia.
Shark minnow is a species of small cyprinid fish found in Southeast Asia from the Mae Klong River to the Mekong. It lives mainly in rivers, moving into flooded forests and fields during the floods and back into the river as the floods recede. It usually swims close to the surface in schools of many individuals. It is one of the most abundant of the different types of minnow-sized fishes known as pla sio in Thailand.
Hampala dispar, also known as the eye-spot barb or the spotted hampala barb, is a southeast Asian species of cyprinid, endemic to the basin of the Mekong. It is found in Thailand, Laos and Cambodia.
Henicorhynchus entmema, the notched mud carp or lesser silver mud carp, is a species of freshwater fish in the family Cyprinidae. It is endemic to Indochina. It is common in the Mekong and also occurs in the Mae Klong and Chao Phraya basins as well as in the associated lowland areas. It is a keystone species in the Mekong.
Labiobarbus siamensis is a freshwater fish of the family Cyprinidae native to the rivers of Thailand.
Parachela siamensis is a small species of freshwater ray-finned fish in the carp and minnow family Cyprinidae.
Paralaubuca harmandi is a species of freshwater ray-finned fish from the family Cyprinidae, the carps and minnows from south east Asia. It occurs in the Mekong and Chao Praya in Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam. It is a solitary species which is normally found as scattered individuals in the shallow and medium depths of large rivers. It feeds on zooplankton and insects of larger size than the other species in Paralaubuca. It moves into floodplains during the monsoon to feed and maybe to breed, and it has also been recorded undertaking short migrations upstream in rivers. It is fished for by both commercial and subsistence fisheries and it is processed into fermented products in Cambodia while elsewhere it is salted and dried. This species is rare in the aquarium trade.
Scaphognathops bandanensis, the common name, "Bandan sharp-mouth barb" is a freshwater fish in cyprinid family native to the Mekong basin in Indochina. It is characterized by small head is triangular and without barbels.
Parambassis siamensis is a species of freshwater ray-finned fish in the Asiatic glassfish family Ambassidae. It is native to the mainland Southeast Asia in Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, and Laos; records from Singapore and Java (Indonesia) probably are introductions. Its range includes the Mekong, Mae Klong, and Chao Phraya basins. It grows to 7.5 cm (3.0 in) standard length, although typical length is about 4 cm (1.6 in).
