Synonyms:

Garra mirofrontis Chu & Cui, 1987

original description

Vernacular names:

奇额墨头鱼

Chinese (Mandarin)

Etymology:

--

Size / Weight:

67.6 mm SL, EPC 0983, EB-CN 93-10, Beiqiaohe River 北桥河, Mekong basin, Yunnan Province, China (ME, 2010-10-01).

Up to 82 mm SL, paratype, KIZ 735086, Mekong basin, Xishuangbanna, China (Chu & Cui, 1987).

Diagnosis:

Snout with transverse groove directly in front of eyes; proboscis bifurcate, each anteriormost end with a conical keratinized tubercle.

Life coloration: Body a broad, black stripe, stripe somewhat irregular, superimposed by a large peduncle spot; below whitish, devoid of any pattern; broad, dark brown stripe distally extending over dorsum; interspace between stripes lightbrown, irregularly organized; head conspicously graphite colored; iris red; all fins hyaline with first two membranes light brown except pectoral entirely light brown.

Sex differentiation:

--

Distribution:

Widely distributed in upper Mekong basin in Yunnan Province, China, but never frequent. Reported from Mekong tributaries in Lincang Prefecture and Xishuangbanna. Type material originates form Menglun and Mengyang, Xishuangbanna. Occurence in Puer Prefecture expected.

Ecology:

Occurring in Beiqiaohe River, EB-CN 93-10, a torrential stream, 25 m broad, 1 m deep, very fast current over rocks and boulders, conditions referring to high water levels, intense agriculture along shores, no primary riparian vegetation left.

Syntopic with Abbottina rivularis (Basilewsky, 1855), Schistura latifasciata (Zhu & Wang, 1985), Barilius caudiocellatus Chu, 1984, and Pseudorasbora parva (Temminck & Schlegel, 1846).

Water: Highly turbid; water parameters: 22 ºC in 20 cm depth, 7.6 pH, 70 µS/cm; cloudy, alternating sunny weather (ME, 2010-10-01, 15:00).

Conservation status:

IUCN Red List not evaluated.

Aquarium maintenance:

no reports available.  

Remarks:

These photographs are the first showing a specimen of Garra mirofrontis. The original description just features hand drawn bw figures which are excellent and detailled, though.