Cypriniformes: Nemacheilidae
Schistura kloeztliae Kottelat, 2000
Synonyms:
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Schistura kloeztliae Kottelat, 2000
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original designation
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Vernacular names:
Etymology:
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The generic name ‘schistura’ is a composition of two Greek words; ‘skhizeîn’: to split, ‘oura’: tail; an allusion to a forked caudal fin. Gender: feminine.
The specific epithet ‘kloeztliae’ is the feminine genitive of ‘kloetzli’; a woman, this species is named after.
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Size / Weight:
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max. 47 mm SL, NRM 33199, holotype (Kottelat, 2000).
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Diagnosis:
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Series of large, black blotches along the lateral line (sometimes fused to form a stripe), each of them connected with blotches along dorsal mid-line; black bar shortly in front of extremity of caudal peduncle; short black bar on lower half of base of caudal and black spot near base of uppermost caudal rays; 2 vertical rows of black spots on caudal rays; 8+8 branched caudal rays (Kottelat, 2001).
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Sex differentiation:
Distribution:
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The holotype NRM 33199 has been purchased by S. O. Kullander and F. Fang on 1995-03-28 from a market of Mengla City, Xishuangbanna, Yunnan Province, China (Kottelat, 2000).
Nam Youan basin, Louang Namtha Province, Laos, and Yunnan Province, China (Kottelat, 2001).
In EW-CN 71-10, a tributary of Nanlahe River 南拉河, Mekong 澜沧江 basin, Mengla County 勐腊市, Xishuangbanna 西双版纳, Yunnan Province, China; in EW-CN 76-10, a tributary of Mozhehe River 磨者河, Mekong basin, Mengla County, Xishuangbanna, Yunnan province, China; found in high currents of riffles over rocks and boulders exclusively, never in stagnant waters, in 10-20 cm depth (ME, pers. obs., 2010-01-03, 2010-01-05).
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Ecology:
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In EW-CN 76-10 sympatrical in the riffles with Opsariichthys sp., Schistura sp.; S. kloeztliae was found in riffle sections in 10-20 cm depth only.
Data of EW-CN 76-10: 645 m asl, N 22º 04', E 101º 15'; 20 ºC, 8.4 pH, 260 µS/cm, 130 mg/l (ppm; TDS), measured on 2010-01-05, 14:00; a tributary of Mozhehe River, Mekong basin, Yunnan Province, China (ME, pers. obs., 2010-01-05).
Pectoral fins are bend upwards posteriorly, an adaptation to its niche; riffles. The shape of the pectoral fins creates down-force which pushes the fish down, against the substratum.
Insectivorous, feeding upon aquatic insect larvae hidden in rock interspaces (ME, pers. obs., 2010-01-03, 2010-01-05).
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Conservation status:
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IUCN Red List not evaluated.
This species seems to be frequent in the Eastern, upper Mekong basin, Yunnan Province, China (ME, pers. obs., 2010-01-03, 2010-01-05).
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Aquarium maintenance:
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Requires extreme clean, well oxygenated water; high current. Special current pumps from the marine segment with frequent cleaning intervals.
Big boulders with smooth surfaces should be the mayor decoration. Broad leafed water plants only, if withstand the current.
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Remarks:
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A beautiful species for riffle setup tank.
S. kloeztliae is tentatively placed into the catch-all genus Schistura. Further investigations will show its taxonomic position.
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Figure 1. Schistura kloeztliae; mature fish, lateral view, caught 2010-01-03, not preserved, EW-CN 71-10, Nanlahe River, Mekong basin, Mengla County, Xishuangbanna, Yunnan Province, China.
Figure 3. Biotope of Schistura kloeztliae; EW-CN 71-10, a tributary of Nanlahe River, Mekong basin, Mengla County, Xishuangbanna, Yunnan Province, China.
Figure 4. Schistura kloeztliae; mature fish, lateral view, caught 2010-01-03, not preserved, blotches fused to broad longitudinal stripe along flank midline, EW-CN 71-10, Nanlahe River, Mekong basin, Mengla County, Xishuangbanna, Yunnan Province, China.
Figure 5. Biotope of Schistura kloeztliae; EW-CN 76-10, a tributary of Mozhehe River, Mekong basin, Mengla County, Xishuangbanna, Yunnan Province, China.
Figure 6. Schistura kloeztliae; mature fish, dorsolateral view, caught 2010-01-05, not preserved, EW-CN 76-10, Mozhehe River, Mekong basin, Mengla County, Xishuangbanna, Yunnan Province, China.
Figure 2. Map of southern Yunnan Province, China.
EW-CN 71-10, Nanlahe River, Mekong basin, Mengla County, Xishuangbanna, Yunnan Province, China.
EW-CN 76-10, Mozhehe River, Mekong basin, Mengla County, Xishuangbanna, Yunnan Province, China.
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