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Gagata itchkeea (Sykes, 1839)

Image contributors to this species:

Adrian Taylor (2)

ScotCat Sources:

Other Sources:

Relevant Information:

Description: Dorsal spines (total): 1; Dorsal soft rays (total): 6; Vertebrae: 34 - 35. Apparently a small species with a deep body, approximately equal to head length. Eye very large, greater than snout length. Snout blunt; mesethmoid greatly enlarged, more strongly projecting ventrally when compared with congeners. Tympanum large, its width equal to eye diameter. Swim bladder chamber with a greatly expanded dorsal bony roof but no ventral bony enclosure. Jaws with well-developed conical teeth in several irregular rows. Cranial roofing bones more superficial than in any other Nangrina, and covered with thin skin; cranial surface rugose. Posterior cranial fontanel very small, less than 1/3 length of anterior fontanel; lateral fontanels absent; subtemporal fossa absent. Anal fin with 4-5 simple rays, 8-10 branched rays. Aquarium Care: This is a peaceful species which would be better kept in a group of about 6 specimens with plenty of swimming space. Provide good filtration and aeration. Provide a sand substrate with plants as an option. Diet: Live, frozen and tablet foods. Etymology: The specific name itchkeea: Marathi vernacular for this species in India, which, as Sykes explained in 1841, he adopted “so that naturalists who travel the country can always obtain” the species.

Common Name:

None

Synonyms:

Phractocephalus itchkeea, Arius pumilus

Family:

Sisoridae

Distribution:

Asia: Narmada, Krishna and Cauvery River basins, India. Type locality: Deccan, India.

Size:

7.0cm. (2¾ins)

Temp:

23-26°c (73-79°f.)

p.H.

6.5-7.2.

IUCN Red List

Gagata itchkeea has been assessed as Vulnerable as it is a habitat specialist with and estimated area of occupancy (AOO) between 1,000 and 1,200 km². The species is found in only 7-10 fragmented locations and its habitat is declining because of the anthrapogenic activities such as deforestation and recreational activities leading to siltation and pollution of the rivers. Also, fishing can also be a threat to the species as the species is often present as large shoals and hence more vulnerable to large catches, and needs updating, (IUCN 2020).

Reference:

Baensch, H.A. and R. Riehl, 1991. Aquarien atlas. Bd. 3. Melle: Mergus, Verlag für Natur-und Heimtierkunde, Germany. 1104 p.
Dahanukar, N. 2020. Gagata itchkeea (amended version of 2011 assessment). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2020.
Ferraris, C.J. Jr., 2007. Checklist of catfishes, recent and fossil (Osteichthyes: Siluriformes), and catalogue of siluriform primary types. Zootaxa 1418:1-628.
Froese, R. and D. Pauly. Editors. 2011. FishBase. World Wide Web electronic publication. www.fishbase.org, version.
Roberts, T.R. and C.J. Ferraris Jr., 1998. Review of South Asian sisorid catfish genera Gagata and Nangra, with descriptions of a new genus and five new species. Proc. Calif. Acad. Sci. 50(14):315-345.
The ETYFish Project Fish Name Etymology Database © Christopher Scharpf.

Family: Sisoridae Back to Ident-A-Cat Click on Thumbnails

Gagata itchkeea

Gagata itchkeea

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