''Parachiloglanis hodgarti'', the torrent catfish, is a
species
In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...
of
catfish
Catfish (or catfishes; order Siluriformes or Nematognathi) are a diverse group of ray-finned fish. Named for their prominent barbels, which resemble a cat's whiskers, catfish range in size and behavior from the three largest species alive, ...
of the
family
Family (from la, familia) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its ...
Sisoridae.
Distribution
''P. hodgarti'' inhabits the
Ganges
The Ganges ( ) (in India: Ganga ( ); in Bangladesh: Padma ( )). "The Ganges Basin, known in India as the Ganga and in Bangladesh as the Padma, is an international river to which India, Bangladesh, Nepal and China are the riparian states." is ...
and
Brahmaputra
The Brahmaputra is a trans-boundary river which flows through Tibet, northeast India, and Bangladesh. It is also known as the Yarlung Tsangpo in Tibetan, the Siang/Dihang River in Arunachali, Luit in Assamese, and Jamuna River in Bangla. It ...
drainages in
India
India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
,
Bangladesh
Bangladesh (}, ), officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh, is a country in South Asia. It is the eighth-most populous country in the world, with a population exceeding 165 million people in an area of . Bangladesh is among the mos ...
,
Nepal
Nepal (; ne, नेपाल ), formerly the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal ( ne,
सङ्घीय लोकतान्त्रिक गणतन्त्र नेपाल ), is a landlocked country in South Asia. It is mai ...
, and
China
China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...
. It has also been listed from
Abor Hills
The Abor Hills is a region of Arunachal Pradesh in the far northeast of India, near the border with China. The hills are bordered by the Mishmi Hills and Miri Hills, and drained by the Dibang River, a tributary of the Brahmaputra.
During the Br ...
,
Meghalaya
Meghalaya (, or , meaning "abode of clouds"; from Sanskrit , "cloud" + , "abode") is a states and union territories of India, state in northeastern India. Meghalaya was formed on 21 January 1972 by carving out two districts from the state of As ...
,
Darjeeling
Darjeeling (, , ) is a town and municipality in the northernmost region of the Indian state of West Bengal. Located in the Eastern Himalayas, it has an average elevation of . To the west of Darjeeling lies the easternmost province of Nepal, ...
,
Kali River,
Teesta valley and Nepal.
Description
''P. hodgarti'' is diagnosed by having no post-labial groove (unlike other members of Glyptosternina), gill openings not extending to the underside,
homodont
In anatomy, a heterodont (from Greek, meaning 'different teeth') is an animal which possesses more than a single tooth morphology.
In vertebrates, heterodont pertains to animals where teeth are differentiated into different forms. For example ...
dentition, pointed teeth in both jaws, tooth patches joined into a
crescent-shaped band in upper jaw, and 13–16 branched
pectoral fin
Fins are distinctive anatomical features composed of bony spines or rays protruding from the body of a fish. They are covered with skin and joined together either in a webbed fashion, as seen in most bony fish, or similar to a flipper, as ...
rays. This fish species has a depressed head. The body is elongate, and it is depressed anteriorly. The skin is smooth dorsally but often
tuberculate on the underside of the body. The lips are thick, fleshy, and
papilla
Papilla (Latin, 'nipple') or papillae may refer to:
In animals
* Papilla (fish anatomy), in the mouth of fish
* Basilar papilla, a sensory organ of lizards, amphibians and fish
* Dental papilla, in a developing tooth
* Dermal papillae, part of ...
ted. The eyes are minute, dorsally located, and subcutaneous (under the skin). The gill openings are narrow, not extending below the pectoral fin base. The paired fins are
plaited to form an adhesive apparatus. This species grows to a length of
TL.
References
{{Taxonbar, from=Q1040476
Sisoridae
Fish described in 1923
Catfish of Asia
Fish of Bangladesh
Freshwater fish of India
Freshwater fish of China
Fish of Nepal