Kryptoglanis shajii

Kryptoglanis shajii
Not evaluated (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Siluriformes
Family: Kryptoglanidae
Britz, Kakkassery & Raghavan, 2014 [1]
Genus: Kryptoglanis
Vincent & J. Thomas, 2011 [2]
Species: K. shajii
Binomial name
Kryptoglanis shajii
Vincent & J. Thomas, 2011 [2]

Kryptoglanis shajii is a species of subterranean catfish found in subsurface waters in the Western Ghats in Kerala, India. This species grows to a length of 5.9 centimetres (2.3 in) SL.[2][3] It is currently the only known member of its genus and family.[1]

Morphological characteristics

The morphology of K. shajii differs from all other known species of catfish and includes such features as the absence of dorsal fin; the presence of four pairs of barbels; an upwardly directed mouth, with a distinctly projecting lower jaw; subcutaneous eyes; anal fin completely confluent with the caudal fin; anal and caudal fins together carry 70–74 fin rays; and no spines in any of the fins. These differences have led to its being assigned to its own family.[1]

References

  1. 1 2 3 Britz, Ralf; Kakkassery, Francy; Raghavan, Rajeev (6 April 2014). "Osteology of Kryptoglanis shajii, a stygobitic catfish (Teleostei: Siluriformes) from Peninsular India with a diagnosis of the new family Kryptoglanidae" (PDF). Ichthyological Exploration of Freshwaters 24 (3): 193–207. (subscription required (help)).
  2. 1 2 3 Vincent, Moncey; Thomas, John (April 2011). "Kryptoglanis shajii, an enigmatic subterranean-spring catfish (Siluriformes, Incertae sedis) from Kerala, India". Ichthyological Research 58 (2): 161–165. doi:10.1007/s10228-011-0206-6. (subscription required (help)).
  3. Froese, Rainer and Pauly, Daniel, eds. (2014). "Kryptoglanis shajii" in FishBase. February 2014 version.
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