Mystus malabaricus
{{Short description|Species of fish}}
{{Speciesbox
| image = Mystus malabaricus from Trivandrum, India.jpg
| status = NT
| status_system = IUCN3.1
| genus = Mystus
| species = malabaricus
| authority = (Jerdon, 1849)
| synonyms = {{specieslist
|Bagrus malabaricus |Jerdon, 1849
|Hara malabarica |(Jerdon, 1849)
|Macrones malabaricus |(Jerdon, 1849)
}}
| synonyms_ref = {{GBIF |title=Mystus malabaricus (Jerdon, 1849) |id=5201922 |access-date=30 August 2024}}
}}
Mystus malabaricus, commonly known as the Jerdon's catfish or koori, is a small to medium-sized freshwater fish of the family Bagridae found in the Western Ghats region of India.{{Cite web |title=Mystus malabaricus (Jerdon, 1849) {{!}} Species |url=https://indiabiodiversity.org/species/show/257128 |access-date=2024-08-30 |website=India Biodiversity Portal |language=en}} They are found in the hilly streams of Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra.
Etymology
The generic epithet, Mystus, is probably derived from mystax (Greek; "whiskered", referring to the four pairs of barbels characteristic of the family). The specific epithet malabaricus refers to Malabar, region in southern India, where the type locality is situated.{{Cite web |title=Mystus malabaricus : fisheries |url=https://www.fishbase.se/summary/Mystus-malabaricus |access-date=2024-08-30 |website=www.fishbase.se}}{{Cite web |title=PlanetCatfish.com - Mystus malabaricus (Bagridae) Cat-eLog |url=https://www.planetcatfish.com/common/species.php?species_id=453 |access-date=2024-08-30 |website=www.planetcatfish.com |language=en-gb}}
Ecology
Members of this genus have been reported as facultative air-breathers.{{Citation |title=References |date=1997 |work=Air-Breathing Fishes |pages=265–288 |url=http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/b978-012294860-2/50011-8 |access-date=2024-08-30 |publisher=Elsevier |doi=10.1016/b978-012294860-2/50011-8 |isbn=978-0-12-294860-2|url-access=subscription }} M. malabaricus is amphidromous, meaning they migrate to brackish waters for purposes other than breeding. They have demersal habit, found in shallow hill streams with rocky bottom.{{cn|date=September 2024}}
Description and diagnosis
Nasal barbels never reach occiput, it reaches a middle point between occiput and orbit; outer mandibulars reach to tip of pectorals; occipital process connected to dorsal front by an interneural shield; tip of rayed dorsal reaches to base of adipose dorsal front; any other fins touch each other; dorsal spine smooth both internally and externally; anal fin inserted considerably behind anal opening; upper caudal lobe longer than lower one. Sensory organs distinctly seen on lateral line. Color: body greenish; eyes blackish blue.{{cn|date=September 2024}}
= Diagnosis =
Body elongate; dorsal and ventral profiles nearly straight; maxillary barbels reach to middle or end of pelvic fins; cephalic fontanel single, shallow and never reach to occiput; occipital process short and it do not reach dorsal front; the former cannot be seen externally as predorsal region is covered by a thick layer of flesh; caudal lobes rounded.{{cn|date=September 2024}}
Other species from the region include (list incomplete){{Cite web |title=Fish Identification |url=https://fishbase.de/identification/SpeciesList.php?genus=Mystus |access-date=2024-08-30 |website=fishbase.de}} -
- Mystus montanus (Jerdon, 1849) ; TL - Mananthawady, Wayanad
- Mystus armatus (Day 1895) ; TL - 'Cochin Malabar'- Trichur
- Mystus oculatus (Valenciennes 1840) ; TL - Kuttiady, Malabar
- Mystus sengtee (Sykes 1839) TL- Dukhun, India
Distribution
M. malabaricus has been reported from the Western Ghats across Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu{{cn|date=September 2024}} and Maharashtra. The type locality is assigned as "mountain streams of Malabar" by Jerdon{{Cite book |last=Madras Literary Society |url=https://archive.org/details/madrasjournalofl2918madr |title=Madras Journal of Literature and Science |publisher=Colombo: Madras Literary Society |others=London Natural History Museum Library}}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Taxonbar|from=Q1815431}}
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