Glyptothorax maceriatus, a new sisorid catfish from Mizoram, northeast India

Glyptothorax maceriatus, new species, is described from the Meghna-Surma River system in Mizoram, northeast India by 

Dr Heok Hee Ng, 

Tropical Marine Science Institute, National University of Singapore 

and 

Dr Lalramliana, 

Department of Zoology, Pachhunga University College, 

Mizoram, India. 

The species differs from most congeners in the Indian subcontinent in having thoracic adhesive apparatus with a narrow elliptic central depression that is almost enclosed posteriorly by skin ridges. The following combination of characters serve to distinguish it from congeners in the Indian subcontinent: nasal barbel not reaching anterior orbital margin; interorbital distance 27.0–31.4% HL; head length 23.7–25.3% SL; head depth 12.5–14.2 % SL; thoracic adhesive apparatus with narrow elliptic central depression that is almost enclosed posteriorly by skin ridges (striae) and with single, non-diverging series of striae running along its edges; width of adhesive apparatus 55.8–72.1% its length; unculiferous ridges of adhesive apparatus not extending anteriorly onto gular region; absence of striae on first pectoral- and pelvic-fin elements; pectoral-fin length 20.7–24.9% SL; dorsal-spine length 13.0–17.1% SL; smooth posterior edge of dorsal spine; dorsal-to-adipose distance 17.8–23.6% SL; body depth at anus 11.3–13.8% SL; pelvic-fin length 15.9–19.1 % SL; length 

of anal-fin base 13.9–16.2% SL; caudal peduncle length 21.4–23.9% SL; and 

caudal peduncle depth 6.4–7.6% SL (3.1–3.4 times in its length).

Ref: Ng HH & Lalramliana (2012). Glyptothorax maceriatus, a new species of sisorid catfish (Actinopterygii: Siluriformes) from north-eastern India. Zootaxa 3416:44-52

Glyptothorax scrobiculus, a new species of sisorid catfish from Mizoram

       Glyptothorax scrobiculus, new species, is described from the Tuirial River and tributaries of the Tuivai River in Mizoram, northeast India. It differs from all congeners in having a furrow running along the entire length of the ventral surface of the pectoral spine. The significance of the furrow is briefly discussed, and it is thought to arise from the posterior expansion of the adhesive surface of the pectoral spine.

It further differs from congeners in having a combination of the following characters: eye diameter 7-8 % HL; interorbital distance 25-30 % HL; unculiferous ridges of thoracic adhesive apparatus not extending anteriorly onto gular region; depressed area in thoracic adhesive apparatus not wholly enclosed by ridges; head length 25.0-26.6 % SL; absence of striae on first pectoral- and pelvic-fin elements etc.

Ng HH & Lalramliana (2012). Glyptothorax scrobiculus, a new species of sisorid catfish (Osteichthyes: Siluriformes) from northeastern India. Ichthyological Exploration of Freshwaters 23 (1): 1-9

Glyptothorax jayarami, a new species of catfish (Teleostei: Sisoridae) from Mizoram, northeastern India

A new sisorid catfish, Glyptothorax jayarami, is described from the Kaladan basin of Mizoram, India by Ms Yumnam Rameshori and Prof Waikhom Vishwanath, Manipur University, Manipur, India.

 It is characteristic in having densely tuberculate skin; an elongate, ovoid thoracic adhesive apparatus with an oval central depression from which the ridges on the apparatus diverge; two blackish-brown blotches at caudal-fin base behind the hypural plate; well developed plicae on the ventral surfaces of simple and adjacent branched rays of pectoral and pelvic fins; a narrow caudal peduncle (5.5–7.9 % SL) and long 2 + 6–7 gill rakers on the first branchial arch.

Barilius profundus, a new cyprinid fish (Teleostei: Cyprinidae) from the Koladyne basin, India

Barilius profundus, a new species of bariline cyprinid fish is described from the Koladyne River, Mizoram, India by M. Dishma and Prof. W. Vishwanath, Manipur University, Manipur, India.

 

It is distinguished from congeners in having the following combination of characters: great body depth at dorsal-fin origin (32.0–37.3 % SL), 17–18 pre-dorsal scales, 7–10 dark blue bars on the sides of the body, 30–32 + 2–3 lateral line scales, ½7/1/2½ lateral transverse scales and 12 circumpeduncular scales.

Monopterus ichthyophoides, a new species of scaled swamp eel from Mizoram, India

Monopterus ichthyophoides is described from specimens collected from the Sawleng River and a public well at Luangmual, both in the Barak River drainage in Mizoram, India by Dr Ralf Britz, Department of Zoology, Natural History Museum, London, Mr HT Lalremsanga , Mr Lalrotluanga Department of Zoology, Mizoram University & Dr Lalramliana, Department of Zoology, Pachhunga University College.

Monopterus ichthyophoides differs from all other species of synbranchids in having only 2 branchiostegal rays (vs 5–6). It differs further from all other synbranchids, except M. cuchia, M. fossorius, M. indicus, and M. desilvai by the presence of scales. It differs from the latter four species also by the number of vertebrae (79–82 + 34–37 = 114–117 vs M. cuchia 99–112 + 55–70 = 166–188, M. fossorius 73 + 53-56 = 126 -129, M. indicus 93–99 + 42–45=137–144, M. desilvai 75 +69 =144). It differs further from M. cuchia in having the scales restricted to the posterior part of its body (vs extending anteriorly up to the head) and from M. desilvai and M. indicus in having scales extending anteriorly far beyond the vent (vs. ending posterior to vent in M. desilvai and M. indicus, but with a small separate scale patch in M. indicus)

Batasio convexirostrum, a new species of catfish (Teleostei: Bagridae) from Koladyne basin, India

Batasio convexirostrum, a new bagrid catfish, is described from the Koladyne drainage, Mizoram, India.  by A. DARSHAN, Directorate of Coldwater Fisheries Research (ICAR), Bhimtal-263 136, Uttarakhand, India with  N. ANGANTHOIBI and W. VISHWANATH, Department of Life Sciences, Manipur University, Canchipur-795 003, Manipur, India.

It is distinguished from congeners by a combination of the following characters: body with a dark-brown oblique predorsal bar on a uniform light-brown background; very short dorsal to adipose distance (1.7–4.1% SL); snout length 39.2–45.5% head length; eye diameter 24.6–29.8% head length; gill rakers on the first branchial arch 4–5; pectoral spine length 14.6–17.6% standard length; adipose-fin base length 31.0–34.9% standard length; post-adipose distance 10.6–13.7% standard length; branched pectoral fin rays 9–10; and 39–40 vertebrae. 

For more information:

http://www.mapress.com/zootaxa/2011/f/z02901p058f.pdf

Two New species of Glyptothorax from Mizoram

Two new species of Glyptothorax (Glyptothorax ater and Glyptothorax caudimaculatus) are described from the Koladyne basin of Mizoram State, India by Dr Nongmaithem Anganthoibi and Prof. Waikhom Vishwanath, Manipur University, Manipur.

Glyptothorax ater is distinguished from its congeners by the following combination of characters: dark brown body with two horizontal light creamish stripes, one each along mid-dorsal line and lateral lines; two pale creamish ovoid spots on either side of the dorsal-fin origin connected by thin creamish oblique stripes forming spectacle like mark; greatly arched predorsal profile; shorter nasal barbel not reaching anterior margin of eye; rhomboidal thoracic adhesive apparatus with a conspicuous central depression, longitudinally elongated and with a constriction at mid-length; ventral surfaces of the pectoral spine and two to four outer rays of the pelvic fin pleated.

Glyptothorax caudimaculatus is distinguished from its congeners by the following combination of characters: rhomboidal-shaped thoracic adhesive apparatus with its unculiferous ridges extending anteriorly onto the gular region; central depression on thoracic adhesive apparatus opening posteriorly in an inverted V-shaped form; sparsely granulated skin; papillated lips; long nasal barbel, its length being 35.2-43.3 % HL; acutely pointed snout; ventral surface of paired fin rays non-plaited; and posteriorly serrated pectoral-fin spine.

For more information see:

Two new species of Glyptothorax from the Koladyne basin, Mizoram, India (Teleostei: Sisoridae)

Nongmaithem Anganthoibi* and Waikhom Vishwanath*

Ichthyological Exploration of Freshwaters Volume 21 • Number 4 • December 2010

A NEW CATFISH, Pseudecheneis koladynae FROM MIZORAM, INDIA

Pseudecheneis koladynae, a new species of sisorid catfish, is described from the Koladyne basin of Mizoram State, India by eminent ichthyologist from Manipur University, Prof Vishwanath and Dr Anganthoibi, published in Ichthyological Exploration of Freshwaters

Diagnosis:Pseudecheneis koladynae is distinguished from its congeners by the following combination of characters: three isolated ovoid yellow nuchal patches, one in mid-dorsal line in front of dorsal-fin origin and two on either side of the middle spot, slightly behind; prominent bony spur on the antero-dorsal surface of the first dorsal-fin pterygiophore; short caudal peduncle (length 16.0-18.8 % SL); pelvic fin not reaching the base of the first anal-fin ray; and distinct sexual dimorphism with robust conical papilla in males and flat leaf-like comparatively smaller bilobed papilla with a small mid-ventral lobe in females.

For more information see 

Pseudecheneis koladynae, a new sisorid catfish from Mizoram, India (Teleostei: Siluriformes)

Nongmaithem Anganthoibi and Waikhom Vishwanath

Ichthyological Exploration of Freshwaters, Vol. 21, No. 3, pp. 199-204, September 2010

Glyptothorax chimtuipuiensis, A NEW CATFISH FROM MIZORAM, INDIA

Glyptothorax chimtuipuiensis, a new species of sisorid catfish, is described from the Koladyne basin of Mizoram State, India by eminent ichthyologist from Manipur University, Prof Vishwanath and Dr Anganthoibi, published in ZOOTAXA. It is characterized by having a short and stout body with granulated skin; the dorsal profile anterior to the adipose fin strongly arched; a short and smooth dorsal spine, its length 5.1–8.9% SL; a pectoral-fin length of 16.8–21.9% SL, with the ventral surface of its first simple ray plaited; an adipose-fin base length 22.1–27.3% SL; and a chevron-shaped thoracic adhesive apparatus, the middle of its base concave, opening caudally with a depression at its posterior end, followed by a small fold of skin.

Diagnosis. A species of short, stout Glyptothorax, with granulated skin; the dorsal profile is greatly arched anterior to the adipose fin; the dorsal spine is short and smooth, its length 5.1–8.9% SL; the pectoral-fin length is 16.8–21.9% SL, the ventral surface of its first simple ray plaited; the adipose-fin base length is 22.1–27.3% SL; the thoracic adhesive apparatus is chevron shaped, wider than long, the median ridges of the apparatus perpendicular to its base, slightly diverging laterally (Fig. 1c), its base concave, open caudally, with a shallow depression at its posterior end followed by a small fold of skin.
For more information see the paper
N. ANGANTHOIBI & W. VISHWANATH (2010):
 Glyptothorax chimtuipuiensis, a new species of catfish (Teleostei: Sisoridae)
from the Koladyne basin, India

 http://www.mapress.com/zootaxa/2010/f/z02628p062f.pdf

A NEW CATFISH Pseudolaguvia spicula from NE INDIA (MIZORAM) AND BANGLADESH

A new miniature sisorid catfish has been described from the northeastern Indian state of Mizoram and Bangladesh in a recent issue of the journal Zootaxa. 

Heok Hee Ng and Lalramliana named the new catfish Pseudolaguvia spicula, after its relatively short dorsal and pectoral-fin spines of this species when compared to many congeners. 

Pseudolaguvia spicula, a new miniature sisorid catfish is discovered from the Surma-Meghna River system in India and Bangladesh.  Pseudolaguvia spicula can be distinguished from congeners in having a combination of: head width 19.2–22.6% SL, dorsal-fin spine length 11.6–14.3% SL, length of dorsal-fin base 13.2–15.9% SL, pectoral-fin spine length 15.7–17.4% SL, length of adipose-fin base 14.7–17.1% SL, pelvic-fin length 14.6–17.1% SL, body depth at anus 12.8–16.8% SL, caudal peduncle length 15.4–17.9% SL, caudal peduncle depth 7.9–9.6% SL, caudal-fin length 24.2–27.5% SL, snout length 48.6–51.9% HL, eye diameter 10.6–13.9% HL, 30–32 vertebrae, smooth anterior edge of dorsal-fin spine, thoracic adhesive apparatus reaching beyond base of last pectoral-fin ray, absence of pale y-shaped marking on dorsal surface of head and supraoccipital process, and indistinct, pale vertical bands on body. 

HHN and LRL acknowledged the Raffles Museum of Biodiversity Research and Dr Tawnenga Principal, Pachhunga University College respectively. Department of Zoology, PUC is now undertaking UGC sponsored ‘Certificate Course on Pisciculture’ under the coordination of Dr K. Lalchhandama.
LRL thanks to Remsangpuia, Kawlengmawia, Angcha-a (Chanmari West),  Lalhminghlua, Terema (Saikhawthlir),  Pa Mawia (Bilkhawthlir),  Lalthazuala (Zawlnuam, Thuampui) and Pu Thianga (Minor Irrigation) Kolasib for rendering their help in collection of the new species.

For more information, see the paper: Ng, HH and Lalramliana (2010): Pseudolaguvia spicula, a new sisorid catfish (Teleostei: Sisoridae) from Bangladesh and northeastern India. Zootaxa 2568:61-68.
http://www.mapress.com/zootaxa/2010/f/z02558p068f.pdf

A NEW CATFISH DICOVERED IN MIZORAM

A new species of sisiorid cat fish named Pseudolaguvia virgulata is recently discovered from the Barak River drainage in Mizoram, a north eastern state of India. This new finding is published in Zootaxa (25/6/10) by Dr Heok Hee Ng, Raffles Museum of Biodiversity Research, Singapore and Dr Lalramliana Assistant Professor, Department of Zoology, Pachhunga University College, Mizoram. They mentioned that members of the sisorid genus Pseudolaguvia are small catfishes found in rivers draining the sub-Himalayan region and Myanmar. They superficially resemble miniature species of Glyptothorax in overall morphology and in having a thoracic adhesive apparatus with a median depression, but can be distinguished in having prominent postcoracoid processes. Dr Lalramliana told the reporter that eleven species of Pseudolaguvia are considered valid so far and with this it become twelve. The new species can be distinguished from congeners in having a brown body with two or three narrow, pale longitudinal stripes and a pale Y-shaped marking on the dorsal surface of the head. Dr Lalramliana highlighted that fish fauna in Mizoram is poorly documented and credit should be given to Dr Tawnenga, Principal Pachhunga University College as he is the one who gave support to document the fish fauna of Mizoram which is undertaken by Department of Zoology of the institution.
The authors thanks to Mr Remsangpuia, Mr Kawlengmawia and Mr Hmingtea for rendering their help in collection of the new species.
http://www.mapress.com/zootaxa/2010/f/z02518p068f.pdf

SYSTEMATIC LIST AND DISTRIBUTION OF FISHES IN MIZORAM, TRIPURA AND BARAK DRAINAGE OF NORTHEASTERN INDIA

you can find the numbers of fishes documented so far under the given link
http://www.zoosprint.org/ZooPrintJournal/2007/March/2599-2607.pdf

Major rivers and its tributaries

The rivers of Mizoram constitute a major part of the topography of Mizoram. Aided by heavy rainfall during the rainy seasons and occasional rainfall throughout the year, most of the Mizoram rivers are perennial in nature.

Some of the rivers flowing through Mizoram are:

Tlawng or Dhaleshwari,
Teirei,
Tuirini,
Serlui,
Chhimtuipui or Kolodyne,
Khawthlangtuipui or Karnaphuli,
Tuichang,
Tuirial or Sonai,
Tuichawng,
Mat,
Tuipui or Khawchhak tuipui,
Tuivawl 

The northern part of the state comprises of some important rivers like the Tlawng or Dhaleshwari, Tuirial or Sonai and some other rivers. Rivers like Mat, Tyao, Tuichang, and Tuipui fall in the southern part of Mizoram. The rivers of Mizoram are the main source of water for the people of the state. The perennial rivers of the state feed the lush green vegetation of Mizoram.

MIZORAM: A BRIEF STORY

Perching on the high hills of North Eastern corner, Mizoram is a storehouse of natural beauty with its endless variety of landscape, hilly terrains, meandering streams deep gorges, rich wealth of flora and fauna. Flanked by Bangladesh on the west and Myanmar on the east and south, Mizoram occupies an importance strategic position having a long international boundary of 722 Kms.

World-renowed for their hospitality, Mizos are a close-knit society with no class distinction and no discrimination on grounds of sex. The entire society is knitted together by a peculiar code of ethics 'Tlawmngaihna' an untranslatable term meaning on the part of everyone to be hospitable kind, unselfish and helpful to others.

The Land :
Mizoram is a mountainous region which became the 23rd State of the Union in February 1987. It was one of the districts of Assam till 1972 when it became Union Territory. Sandwiched between Myanmar in the east and and south and Bangladesh in the west, Mizoram occupies an area of great strategic importance in the north-eastern corner of India. It has a total of 630 miles boundary with Myanmar and Bangladesh. Mizoram has the most variegated hilly terrain in the eastern part of India. The hills are steep and are separated by rivers which flow either to the north or the south creating deep gorges between the hill ranges. The average height of the hills is about 900 metres. The The highest peak in Mizoram is the Phawngpui (Blue Mountain) with a height of 2210 metres. Mizoram has a pleasant climate. It is generally cool in summer and not very cold in winter. During winter, the temperature varies from 11 C to 21 C and in the summer it varies between 20 C to 29 C. The entire area is under the direct influence of the monsoon. It rains heavily from May to September and the average rainfall in Aizawl is 208 cm. Winter in Mizoram is wonderfully blue, and in the enchanting view of wide stretches of a vast lake of cloud. Mizoram has great natural beauty and endless variety of landscape and is very rich in flora and fauna. Almost all kinds of tropical tress and plants thrive in Mizoram. The hills are marvelously green.

Climate:
The upper part of the hills are, predictably cold, cool during the summer, while the lower reaches are relatively warm and humid. Storms break out during March-April, just before or around the summer. The maximum average temperature in the summer is 30 degree C while in the winter the minimum average temperature is around 11 degree C. The four months between November and February are winter in Mizoram which is followed by the spring. The storms come in the middle of April to herald the beginning of the summer. The mercury starts rising and the hills come under the cover of a haze. The three months from June to August are know as the rainy season. The climate as at its moderate best in the two autumnal months. September and October, when the temperature moves between 19 to 24 degree C.

Taken all in all, Mizoram is made up of wooded hills, swift flowing rivers quicksilver streams and still lakes, the combination of all this is a rarity. And it is the combination of these physical features that has given Mizoram its own charm and fascination.