Hyalobagrus

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Hyalobagrus
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Siluriformes
Family: Bagridae
Genus: Hyalobagrus
Ng & Kottelat, 1998
Binomial name
Hyalobagrus flavus
Ng & Kottelat, 1998
Hyalobagrus leiacanthus
Ng & Kottelat, 1998
Hyalobagrus ornatus
(Duncker, 1904)

Hyalobagrus is a genus of catfishes (order Siluriformes) of the family Bagridae. It includes three species, H. flavus, H. leiacanthus, and H. ornatus.[1]

Contents

[edit] Distribution

Hyalobagrus species are distributed in Asia. H. flavus is currently known only from the Batang Hari drainage in Sumatra and the Mentaya River basin in southern Borneo.[2] H. leiacanthus is currently known only from the Kapuas River and the Barito River basins in central Borneo.[3] H. ornatus originates from the Muar River drainage in the southern Malay Peninsula of Malaysia and Kapuas basin in western Borneo.[4]

[edit] Physical description

These catfish species are small and transparent.[5] The three species can be distinguished by differences in body shape, coloration, and the degree of serrations on the anterior edge of the pectoral fin spine.[6] The three species range from about 3–4.4 centimetres (1.2–1.7 in) SL.[2][3][4]

Hyalobagrus species are sexually dimorphic, males possess a genital papilla, and gravid females are easy to spot since their blue-green eggs are visible through their bellies.[5]

[edit] Ecology

These catfish are mid-water swimmers.[5] They are also schooling fish.[6] H. flavus inhabits brown water habitats that are closely associated with blackwater peat swamps.[6] H. ornatus also inhabits peat.[4] In the wild, H. flavus occur in large shoals, sometimes mixed with other species of shoaling catfish such as Pseudeutropius brachypopterus and P. moolengurghae. In their natural habitat, they are almost always found closely associated with submerged vegetation.[6]

[edit] In the aquarium

H. flavus and H. ornatus are known to be exported for the aquarium trade.[6][4] H. flavus first appeared in the hobby in the 1980s.[6] They seem to do best in a heavily planted tank with tankmates that will not out compete them for food.[5] They are a peaceful, diurnal community species that accept all kinds of foods.[6] None of these species have been bred in captivity.[5]

[edit] References

  1. ^ Ferraris, Carl J., Jr. (2007). "Checklist of catfishes, recent and fossil (Osteichthyes: Siluriformes), and catalogue of siluriform primary types" (PDF). Zootaxa 1418: 1–628. 
  2. ^ a b "Hyalobagrus ". FishBase. Ed. Ranier Froese and Daniel Pauly. June 2007 version. N.p.: FishBase, 2007.
  3. ^ a b "Hyalobagrus leiacanthus". FishBase. Ed. Ranier Froese and Daniel Pauly. June 2007 version. N.p.: FishBase, 2007.
  4. ^ a b c d "Hyalobagrus ornatus". FishBase. Ed. Ranier Froese and Daniel Pauly. June 2007 version. N.p.: FishBase, 2007.
  5. ^ a b c d e Linder, R. Shane (March 2000). "The Catfishes of Asia Family Bagridae part one" (PDF). Cat Chat 1 (1). 
  6. ^ a b c d e f g PlanetCatfish::Catfish of the Month::November 2004 (2005-11-10). Retrieved on 2007-06-19.