Description:
The new species differs
greatly from Mystus oculatus. In M. oculatus
median longitudinal groove on head fairly reach occiput
(vs. it never reach occiput in M. indicus),
nasal barbels never reach occiput (vs. reach occiput),
tip of rayed dorsal never reach adipose dorsal origin
(vs. fairly reach adipose dorsal origin), posterior
base of adipose dorsal never reach above the level
of posterior base of anal fin (vs. fairly reach),
8- 9 branched rays present in pectoral fin (vs. 6-
8), 9- 10 branched rays present in anal fin (vs. 7-
8), 12- 14 teeth present on inner side of pectoral
spine (vs. 15- 16), a distinct black spot present
in front of dorsal spine base (vs. no black spot),
dorsal spine longer (14.4-16.5 % SL vs. 8.8- 14.0),
adipose dorsal fin base shorter (17.2- 19.0 % SL vs.
22.9- 33.7), inter dorsal distance greater (16.5-
18.2 % SL vs. 5.5- 9.4) and eye diameter greater (33.0-
40.0 % HL vs. 21.7- 29.2), (Plamoottil & Abraham,
2013).
Colouration: Fresh specimens: greenish
above lateral line, below it greenish white; fins
hyaline to light greenish. A bluish oval spot present
on shoulder, another triangular bluish spot on caudal
base and a distinct and thick band of bluish colour
in between the two along the lateral line, width of
which is more than half the diameter of eyes. Body
and fins decorated with tiny black dots. In preserved
specimens after long preservation in formalin, body
colour turns to light brownish, (Plamoottil &
Abraham, 2013).
Habitat: Manimala River at Kuttoor,
the type locality of Mystus indicus, is floored
by means of gravelly sand dominated sediments, (Plamoottil
& Abraham, 2013).
Etymology: The species name indicus:
refers to the country from which it was described
firstly. Latin word “indicus” means ‘of
India’.
Common
Name:
Central Travancore catfish
Synonyms:
None
Family:
Bagridae
Distribution:
South Asia:
Manimala River drainage, Kerala, India. Type
locality: Currently known only from the type
locality in Kerala.
Size:
10.5cm. (4¼ins)
Temp:
22-26°C (71-79°F)
p.H.
6.0-7.0.
Reference:
Froese,
R. and D. Pauly.
Editors. 2024. FishBase. World Wide Web electronic
publication. www.fishbase.org, ( 02/2024 ) Plamoottil, M. and Abraham N. P.
2013. Mystus indicus and M. heoki, two new catfishes
from Kerala, India. Prof. T.C. Narenderan Trust for
Animal Taxonomy.
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