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Kumar, R.G et. al. 2024

Abstract: We describe a new species of Horabagrus, found in sympatry with H. nigricollaris, from the Chalakkudy river basin in Kerala, South India. Horabagrus obscurus, new species, differs from the two other known species in the genus in its colour pattern, lesser body width at the pectoral girdle, shorter barbels and total vertebral counts. Differences in partial sequences of the mitochondrial COI and CytB genes also serve to distinguish the new species from congeners. The new discovery reasserts the importance of the Chalakkudy river basin as a hotspot of piscine diversity in the Western Ghats, (Kumar, R.G et. al. 2024). Colouration: Live specimens exhibit a greenish-brown body colour, mottled with black, darker dorsally. Belly white, sometimes with diffused yellow colour in the region of transition. The head is dark, almost black, above the lower margin of the orbit, white below. There is a black humeral spot, roughly about the same diameter as the eye, with a yellow to white patch immediately antero-ventral to it. The caudal fin is reddish orange, with its base, upper, lower and outer margins outlined in black. The anal fin is reddish orange, margined in black. The dorsal fin is dark brown to black, sometimes with a diffuse white distal margin, (Kumar, R.G et. al. 2024). Habitat: The species is currently known from the Chalakkudy river basin between the Athirapilly waterfalls and the dam at Thumburmuzhy. The habitat in this region features rapid water flow over a hard substrate of bedrock. Sympatric species include H. nigricollaris, Osteochilichthys longidorsalis, Sahyadria chalakkudiensis, D. filamentosa, Garra surendranathanii and Labeo nigrescens, (Kumar, R.G et. al. 2024). Aquarium Care: Will need a large tank with places to hide as they are extremely nocturnal and will only be seen sporadically during the day. Diet: Will eat most prepared foods and is an easy fish to keep as long as tankmates are not too small as they will eat small fish. Etymology: The specific name obscurus: From the Latin obscurus, meaning dark or cloudy, a reference to the colour pattern of the fish. The word obscure in English also means cryptic or ambiguous and refers to the confusion between H. obscurus and the sympatric H. nigricollaris.

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Horabagridae

Asia: Chalakkudy River basin, Western Ghats of India.

25.0cm. (10ins)

23-25°C (73-77°F)

6.5-7.2.

Fish in the News 2024
Kumar, R.G., Ravi, C., Krishnaprasoon, N.P. & Basheer, V.S. 2024. A new sympatric species of Horabagrus (Siluriformes: Horabagridae) from the Chalakkudy river basin in Kerala, India. Indian Journal of Fisheries, 71 (4): 20-26.