Pseudecheneis Explained

Pseudecheneis is a genus of sisorid catfishes native to Asia.

Species

There are currently 19 recognized species in this genus:

• Pseudecheneis brachyurus W. Zhou, X. Li & Y. Yang, 2008^[1]
• Pseudecheneis crassicauda H. H. Ng & Edds, 2005^[2]
• Pseudecheneis eddsi H. H. Ng, 2006^[3]
• Pseudecheneis gracilis W. Zhou, X. Li & Y. Yang, 2008^[1]
• Pseudecheneis immaculatus X. L. Chu, 1982
• Pseudecheneis koladynae Anganthoibi & Vishwanath, 2010^[4]
• Pseudecheneis longipectoralis W. Zhou, X. Li & Y. Yang, 2008^[1]
• Pseudecheneis maurus H. H. Ng & H. H. Tan, 2007^[5]
• Pseudecheneis paucipunctatus W. Zhou, X. Li & Y. Yang, 2008^[1]
• Pseudecheneis paviei Vaillant, 1892
• Pseudecheneis serracula H. H. Ng & Edds, 2005^[2]
• Pseudecheneis sirenica Vishwanath & Darshan, 2007^[6]
• Pseudecheneis stenura H. H. Ng, 2006^[3]
• Pseudecheneis sulcata (McClelland, 1842)^[3] (Sucker throat catfish)
• Pseudecheneis sulcatoides W. Zhou & X. L. Chu, 1992
• Pseudecheneis suppaetula H. H. Ng, 2006^[7]
• Pseudecheneis sympelvica T. R. Roberts, 1998
• Pseudecheneis tchangi (Hora, 1937)^[3]
• Pseudecheneis ukhrulensis Vishwanath & Darshan, 2007^[6]

Distribution

Pseudecheneis species are rheophilic fish that occur in the headwaters of major river drainages throughout South and Southeast Asia.^[2] They are found in the upper reaches of rivers throughout the Subhimalayan and Indochinese region.^[7] They are distributed in the Ganges and Brahmaputra drainages of northern India and Nepal and eastwards to the Ailao Mountains along the upper Red River drainage of Vietnam and the Annamese Cordillera.^[3] P. maurus represents the first record of the genus on the rivers draining to the eastern face of the Annamese Cordillera.

Description

Pseudecheneis species are easily distinguished among sisorids in having a thoracic adhesive apparatus consisting of a series of transverse ridges (laminae) separated by grooves (sulcae).^[2] The dorsal and pectoral fins have one spine each. The head is short and anteriorly depressed with a sharp snout and small mouth. The lips are thick, fleshy, and papillate. The body is elongate, from moderately to greatly depressed. The eyes are small and dorsally-located. The skin is smooth. Mouth small. The maxillary barbels are very short. The mandibular barbels are papillate. The gill openings are narrow. Paired fins are plaited to form an adhesive apparatus.^[8]

Notes and References

1. A review of the catfish genus Pseudecheneis (Siluriformes: Sisoridae) from China, with the description of four new species from Yunnan. Wei . Zhou . Xu Li . Ying Yang . The Raffles Bulletin of Zoology . 56 . 1. 107–124. 2008.
2. Two new species of Pseudecheneis, rheophilic catfishes (Teleostei: Sisoridae) from Nepal. Heok Hee. Ng. Edds, David R. . Zootaxa. 1047. 1–19. 2005. 10.11646/zootaxa.1047.1.1 .
3. The identity of Pseudecheneis sulcata (M'Clelland, 1842), with descriptions of two new species of rheophilic catfish (Teleostei: Sisoridae) from Nepal and China. Heok Hee. Ng. Zootaxa. 1254. 45–68. 2006. 10.11646/zootaxa.1254.1.3 .
4. Pseudecheneis koladynae, a new sisorid catfish from Mizoram, India (Teleostei: Siluriformes). Anganthoibi. Vishwanath . Ichthyological Exploration of Freshwaters. 2010. 21. 3. 199–204.
5. Pseudecheneis maurus, a new species of glyptosternine catfish (Teleostei: Sisoridae) from Central Vietnam. Heok Hee. Ng. Tan, Heok Hui . Zootaxa. 1406. 25–32. 2007. 10.11646/zootaxa.1406.1.3 .
6. Vishwanath. W. Darshan, A. . 2007. Two new catfish species of the genus Pseudecheneis Blyth (Teleostei: Siluriformes) from northeastern India. Zoos' Print Journal. 22. 3. 2627–2631. 10.11609/jott.zpj.1608.2627-31. free.
7. Pseudecheneis suppaetula, a new species of glyptosternine catfish (Teleostei: Sisoridae) from India. Heok Hee. Ng. Zootaxa. 1267. 59–68. 2006. 10.11646/zootaxa.1267.1.3 .
8. Genera of the Asian Catfish Families Sisoridae and Erethistidae (Teleostei: Siluriformes). Alfred W.. Thomson. Page, Lawrence M. . Zootaxa. 1345. 1–96. 2006. 10.11646/zootaxa.1345.1.1 .