Sahyadria chalakkudiensis

Sahyadria chalakkudiensis is occurring in the southwestern Indian freshwater fish from the carp family (Cyprinidae ).

While it was still assumed in the original description, that the bar in the Chalakudy River is endemic, it has been found recently also in the Periyar and the living to the south of Palakkad -like barbels, which were considered previously as a population of Denisonbarbe ( Sahyadria denisonii ) must be assigned based on the molecular genetic studies Sahyadria chalakkudiensis.

Features

Sahyadria chalakkudiensis is 12.5 cm long and has a sleek, torpedo-shaped body with a pointed head and a large, forked tail fin. The back is olive color, the body sides and belly silvery white. Sahyadria chalakkudiensis is very similar to the closely related Denison or Rotstreifenbarbe and thus very different from the species of the genus Puntius. As with the Denisonbarbe the ends of the two sections of the caudal fin are white with black and yellow bands below. The first rays of the dorsal fin are red. From the tip of the snout over the upper portion of the iris to below the dorsal fin shows a red ribbon. The strong in Denisonbarbe black tape on the sides of the body beneath the red, which extends from the tip of the snout through the eye to the caudal fin root is formed only weak in Sahyadria chalakkudiensis.

Way of life

Sahyadria chalakkudiensis lives in pristine, oxygen-rich headwaters of rivers under overhanging trees and on rocky, sandy river bottoms. It is more crepuscular than diurnal and an omnivore that feeds into the nature of worms, insects, crustaceans, plant material and organic residues.

The IUCN classified the species as endangered ( Endangered ), since it has been found that different populations have declined by the uncontrolled fishing for aquarium purposes, pollution and introduction of alien species and 50 to 70 %.