Hillstream loach

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iHillstream loaches

Beaufortia kweichowensis

Scientific classification

Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Actinopterygii
Order:	Cypriniformes
Family:	Balitoridae

Subfamilies

Balitorinae
Nemacheilinae
See text for genera.

The hillstream loaches are a family Balitoridae^[1] of small Eurasian fish. Most species are rheophilic, living in swift, clear and well-oxygenated streams. Several species of the subfamily Balitorinae live in fast-flowing streams or torrents and have a large sucker mouth and modified ventral fins used for clinging to rocks. They have a number of similarities with the sibling family of loaches (Cobitidae), such as multiple barbels around the mouth. They should not be confused with Plecostomus, which looks similar but is a type of catfish.

The family includes over 600 species in more than 60 genera. Many of the species are popular for aquaria.

[edit] Classification

Subfamily Balitorinae
- Annamia
- Balitora
- Beaufortia
- Bhavania
- Crossostoma
- Cryptotora
- Dienbiena
- Erromyzon
- Gastromyzon
- Glaniopsis
- Hemimyzon
- Homaloptera
- Homalosoma
- Hypergastromyzon
- Jinshaia
- Katibasia
- Lepturichthys
- Liniparhomaloptera
- Metahomaloptera
- Neogastomyzon
- Neohomaloptera
- Paraprotomyzon
- Parhomaloptera
- Plesiomyzon
- Protomyzon
- Pseudogastromyzon
- Pseudohomaloptera
- Sectoria
- Sewellia
- Sinogastromyzon
- Sinohomaloptera
- Travancoria
- Vanmanenia

Subfamily Nemacheilinae
- Aborichthys
- Acanthocobitis
- Barbatula
- Barbucca
- Dzihunia
- Ellopostoma
- Heminoemacheilus
- Ilamnemacheilus
- Indoreonectes
- Lefua
- Longischistura
- Mesonoemacheilus
- Micronemacheilus
- Nemacheilus
- Nemachilichthys
- Neonoemacheilus
- Nun
- Oreonectes
- Orthrias
- Oreias
- Paracobitis
- Paranemachilus
- Physoschistura
- Protonemacheilus
- Schistura
- Seminemacheilus
- Sphaerophysa
- Sundoreonectes
- Traccatichthys
- Tuberoschistura
- Turcinoemacheilus
- Vaillantella
- Yunnanilus