| Rita Temporal range: Lower Pliocene - Recent |
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|---|---|
| Rita rita | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Siluriformes |
| Family: | Bagridae |
| Genus: | Rita Bleeker, 1854 |
| Species | |
| Synonyms | |
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Gogrius |
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Rita is a genus of catfishes (order Siluriformes) of the family Bagridae. It includes six extant species, R. chrysea, R. gogra, R. kuturnee, R. macracanthus, R. rita, and R. sacerdotum, and one extinct species, R. grandiscutata.[1]
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Rita species are found in large rivers throughout the Indian subcontinent and Myanmar.[2] R. chrysea inhabits the Mahanadi River system in Orissa and Madhya Pradesh, India.[3] R. gogra originates from rivers of Deccan up to the Krishna River system in India.[4] R. kuturnee comes from Peninsular India from Deccan rivers up to Krishna river system.[5] R. macracanthus is known from the Indus River drainage in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and northwestern India.[2] R. rita is distributed in Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Nepal, Bangladesh, and Myanmar.[6] R. sacerdotum originates from the Irrawaddy River basin in Myanmar.[7]
Rita species are capable of reach 150 centimetres (59 in) TL; this large size is found in Rita rita.[2][6] However, mature specimens of about 20–30 cm (5–12 in) SL are more commonly encountered.[2]
These catfish have a single pair of mandibular barbels, an elongated Weberian apparatus firmly sutured to the basioccipital, and the sensory canal on the posttemporal enclosed with bone.[2]
R. chrysea occurs in rivers and large streams.[3] R. gogra and R. kuturnee inhabit large rivers.[4][5] R. rita is a sluggish, bottom-dwelling catfish.[8] It inhabits rivers and estuaries, preferring muddy to clear water. It also prefers backwater of quiet eddies.[6]
R. macracanthus feeds on invertebrates and small fishes.[2] R. rita is a carnivorous catfish; the bulk of its diet consists of mollusks. In addition, it feeds on small fishes, crustaceans, insects, as well as on decaying organic matter.[8]
R. chrysea spawn during the monsoon months.[3] The breeding season for R. macracanthus lasts form June to the end of July, during which the fish migrates to colder waters in shoals.[2]