Jerdon's Baril

description

Description. See Tables 1 and 2 for morphometric and meristic characters, and Figures 4 and 5 for general appearance. Body deep, its depth about one-third SL, laterally compressed, dorsal profile slightly curved, ventral profile deeply convex. Caudal peduncle deep, depth almost equal to length. Head small, length about one-fourth SL, depth more than three-fourths length, dorsal profile almost straight, a slightly raised at nape. Eyes large, placed forward, their diameter about one-third HL. Mouth oblique, angle of gape almost reaching posterior margin of orbit. Two pairs of minute barbels (rostral and maxillary). Nostrils closer to eye than to snout tip. Lower jaw slightly longer than upper jaw. Snout length about one-third HL. Dorsal fin with 3 simple and 10 ½ (3) branched rays, posterior margin slightly concave, origin anterior to analfin origin. Pelvic fin short, not reaching anal-fin origin, with 1 simple and 8 (3) branched rays. Anal-fin with 3 simple and 13 ½ (3) branched rays, ventral margin deeply concave, a sharp curve among first few branched rays. Pectoral fin with 1 simple and 10 (1) – 11 (2) branched rays. Caudal fin deeply forked, lobes subequal, lower lobe slightly l

Barilius ardens (Teleostei: Cyprinidae), a new species from the Western Ghats, India, with redescription of B. malabaricus and B. canarensis

diagnosis

Diagnosis. Barilius canarensis is distinguished from B. ardens by its unique colour pattern, consisting of a double row of spots along the length of the body, the first row with 9 – 13 round or oval bluish-green spots 1 – 2 scales high and 1 – 2 scales wide and the second row, with 3 – 4 smaller spots reaching up to the anal-fin origin (vs. a row of 7 – 9 large, vertically-elongate, bluish-green blotches 4 – 6 scales high and 2 – 3 scales wide along the length of the body, of which in large adults the first three blotches are fragmented into a smaller row of blotches: see Figs. 1 & 4) Moreover, B. canarensis can be distinguished from B. ardens by its fifth ceratobranchial, which has 5 + 4 + 2 (vs. 5 + 4 + 3) teeth; by possessing 14 – 15 (vs. 16 – 18) predorsal scales, and having the dorsal and anal fins margined with white (vs. broadly margined with bright orange: see Figs. 1 & 4). B. canarensis can be distinguished from B. malabaricus by having 10 ½ (vs. 11 ½) branched dorsal-fin rays and 13 ½ (vs. 14 ½ – 15 ½) branched anal-fin rays, and having the dorsal and anal fins margined with white (vs. broadly margined with bright orange: see Figs. 4 & 6). B. canarensis can be distinguish

Barilius ardens (Teleostei: Cyprinidae), a new species from the Western Ghats, India, with redescription of B. malabaricus and B. canarensis

distribution

Distribution. Barilius canarensis was collected from the Netravathi River in south Canara (south-western Karnataka) during our surveys, but probably occurs through a wider range in the south Karnataka and north Kerala regions.

Barilius ardens (Teleostei: Cyprinidae), a new species from the Western Ghats, India, with redescription of B. malabaricus and B. canarensis