Crown Scaly Stream Loach

📖 Overview

Found in upland areas on the bottoms of cool, clear, flowing streams with pools and forest canopy. Collected between 721-1,155 m above sea level in steep streams in Huay Nampan and tributaries of the Nan River basin. At the time of sampling during the start of the hot-dry season, Huay Nampan was about 2-4 m wide and 0.2-0.5 m deep; water volume might be higher during the rainy season. Encountered only in shaded areas and was absent from light-exposed open areas and lowlands. Substrate was composed mainly of stones, bedrock, and some sand and gravel in small pools. The upper stream bank was covered by large native trees with more than 90% canopy cover and at the time of sampling, the water was clear, and the temperature was 18.4°C (air temperature 22.5°C), conductivity 2.6 S/ m, and pH 6.5. Collected together with Schistura menanensis (Nemacheilidae) and Oreoglanis suraswadii (Sisoridae). Gut content analysis indicated that this species feeds mainly on aquatic insect larvae .

🔬 Taxonomy

🐟 Physical Description

Anal soft rays: 8; Vertebrae: 30. Schistura sirindhornae is distinguished from all other congeners in having overlapping scales on the entire body similar to the scales of balitorids, transparent scales on the belly and thorax, a lateral-line canal that is similar to that of most cyprinids and balitorids in being present across the entire lateral-line surface of the scale instead of being represented only by a pore, and a unique color pattern of irregular brown bars on the back and side of the faint yellow-orange body, a bright triangular orange mark on the occiput, an orange crown-shaped mark between the eyes, an uninterrupted black mark along the base of the dorsal fin, a crescent-shaped bar on the base of the caudal fin, and bright iridescent orange areas on the upper and lower extremities of the caudal-fin base. Scales are generally larger than those of other nemacheilids with a larger focal area . : elongated.

🌀 Behaviour

Behavioural data for Crown Scaly Stream Loach is currently being reviewed.

🦐 Diet

Diet information for Crown Scaly Stream Loach is currently being compiled.

🥚 Reproduction

Reproduction data for Crown Scaly Stream Loach is currently being compiled.

🌍 Habitat & Distribution

Freshwater; benthopelagic; pH range: ? - 6.5. Tropical; ? - 18°C

🌿 Ecology

📐 Morphometrics

🌡️ Water Parameters & Tolerance

📊 Population Risk & Fisheries

🐠 Related Species

🔍 Similar Species

👥 Community & Contribute