Mustura Taretensis

📖 Overview

This species occurs in cool, clear, swift-flowing freshwater streams over a substrate of gravel, cobble and boulders covered in lush green algal growth. It was collected from shallow clearwater regions of depth ~0.5-0.8 m. Associated species were Neolissochilus paucisqamatus, Opsarius dogarsinghi, O. ngawa, Botia histrionica, Schistura rubrimaculata, Glyptothorax trilineatus, and Batasio affinis. The two dissected females (3.88-4.18 cm SL) have unripe ovaries and the stomachs in both contain unidentifiable vegetable matter .

🔬 Taxonomy

🐟 Physical Description

This species is distinguished from all its congeners by the following set characters: dorsal fin with 9½ or 10½ branched rays; caudal fin with 9+8 or 8+8 or 8+7 branched rays; lateral line is complete; with axillary pelvic lobe; processus dentiformis is poorly developed; male with suborbital flap; body depth 12.8-16.0 % SL. Colouration: body with 12-13 irregular dark-brown blotches or bars on flank, alternately arranged with 11-16 dark brown saddles of varying shape and size on the back; dorsum of head with a distinct rhomboid dark brown mark encircling a pale oval area on the nape; basicaudal bar black, with its dorsal extremity presenting as a small, slightly oblique blotch, its ventral extremity presenting as a vertically elongated blotch, more or less connected by an indistinct black region between the two .Cross section: oval.

🌀 Behaviour

Behavioural data for Mustura Taretensis is currently being reviewed.

🦐 Diet

🥚 Reproduction

🌍 Habitat & Distribution

Freshwater; demersal; depth range 0 - 1 m . Tropical

🌿 Ecology

📐 Morphometrics

🌡️ Water Parameters & Tolerance

📊 Population Risk & Fisheries

🐠 Related Species

👥 Community & Contribute