chikilidae is a family of indian caecilians , the 10th and most recent ( 2012 ) family of caecilians ( legless amphibians ) to be identified , although the type species , chikila fulleri ( formerly herpele fulleri ) was first described in 1904 .

the discovery that this was a separate lineage resulted from genetic analyses of specimens collected during about 250 soil-digging expeditions over five years that covered every northeast indian state .

a team of biologists led by university of delhi herpetologist sathyabhama das biju described the family as representing as many as seven species apparently endemic to the region .

in september 2012 , some of these species were also found in lawachara national park in the sylhet region of northeastern bangladesh .

the family 's lineage is believed to have originated in africa , where their closest living relatives are found .

chikilids grow to about 4 in ( 10 cm ) in length .

they have very limited eyesight and skulls adapted for burrowing .

their eggs hatch into adult caecilians , with no larval stage in between .

the mothers stay wrapped around their developing eggs for two to three months , apparently not eating at all during this period .

until this discovery , only nine families of caecilians were known from across the wet tropical regions of southeast asia , india , sri lanka , parts of east and west africa , the seychelles , central america and northern and eastern parts of south america .

from morphological and dna analyses , the researchers concluded the new family had evolved independently of other caecilians since the time of the dinosaurs .

chikilidae

chikilidae <EOT> dana campbell selected " chikilidae " to show in overview on " chikilidae " .

an adult chikilidae with eggs and hatchlings . ( sathyabhama das biju / ap )

the name chikilidae was chosen because it mirrors what the locals call it in their garo language .

the chikilidae is a caecilian , the most primitive of three amphibian groups that also include frogs and salamanders .

his first effort in conserving the chikilidae was to give it a scientific name mirroring what the locals use in their garo language . the chikilidae is a caecilian , the most primitive of three amphibian groups that also include frogs and salamanders .

biju ' s team worked best during monsoon season , when the digging is easier and chikilidae lay eggs in waterlogged soils .

dr . biju and his colleagues named the new family chikilidae and describe it in the proceedings of the royal society b .

the chikilidae stems from the caecilians family and is the most primitive of three amphibian groups that also include frogs and salamanders .

according to relaxed molecular clock analyses , the lineage of chikilidae diverged in the early cretaceous , about 140 million years ago .

delhi professor sathyabhama das biju displays an adult chikilidae in his laboratory in new delhi , india . ( mustafa quraishi / ap )

his first effort in conserving the chikilidae was to give it a scientific name mirroring what the locals use in their garo language .

systematics of the caecilian family chikilidae ( amphibia : gymnophiona ) with the description of three new species of chikila from northeast india .

an egg of a chikilidae , which researchers found digging through mud in north - eastern india . ( sathyabhama das biju / getty images )

within the chikilidae family , the team has already identified three species , and is on its way to classing three more , he said .

an adult chikilidae , a new species of legless amphibian known as a caecilian , with eggs and hatchlings . ( sathyabhama das biju / ap )

systematics of the caecilian family chikilidae ( amphibia : gymnophiona ) with the description of three new species of chikila from northeast india . - pubmed - ncbi

a possibly superfluous set of eyes is shielded under a layer of skin , and may help the chikilidae gauge light from dark as in other caecilian species .

an indo - european team of scientists has discovered a new family of legless amphibians called chikilidae , adding a major branch to the amphibian tree of life .

over five years of digging through forest beds in the rain , the team has identified an entirely new family of amphibians - called chikilidae - endemic to the region but with ancient links to africa .

in fact , the chikilidae is harmless , and may even be the farmer ' s best friend — feasting on worms and insects that might harm crops , and churning the soil as it moves underground .

in fact , the chikilidae is harmless , and may even be the farmer ' s best friend - feasting on worms and insects that might harm crops , and churning the soil as it moves underground .

chikilidae is the latin version of the word chikilid , which originates from the garo language , kamei said . the garo language is used in the indian state of meghalaya , as well as in neighboring bangladesh .

asianscientist ( mar . 5 , 2012 ) – an indo - european team of scientists has discovered a new family of legless amphibians which they called chikilidae , adding a major branch to the amphibian tree of life .

unexpected to many , molecular phylogenetic analyses of dna ( mitochondrial and nuclear ) and comparative cranial anatomy showed a sister - group relationship with the herpelidae , african relatives found more than 7 , 000 miles away from the chikilidae .

so far , biju ' s team has determined that an adult chikilidae will remain with its eggs until they hatch , forgoing food for some 50 days . when the eggs hatch , the young emerge as tiny adults and squirm away .

commonly known as tailless - burrowing caecelians , the chikilidae is a legless , snake - like caecilian , the most primitive of three amphibian groups that also include salamanders and frogs . all 180 species of caecelians are restricted to the wet tropics of the world .

dna testing suggests the chikilidae ' s closest relative is in africa — with the two evolutionary paths splitting some 140 million years ago when dinosaurs roamed what was then a southern supercontinent called gondwana , since separated into today ' s continents of africa , antarctica , australia , south america and the indian subcontinent .

dna testing suggests the chikilidae ' s closest relative is in africa - with the two evolutionary paths splitting some 140 million years ago when dinosaurs roamed what was then a southern supercontinent called gondwana , since separated into today ' s continents of africa , antarctica , australia , south america and the indian subcontinent .

“for the last four or five years , we have extensively studied all kinds of habitats . we have received tremendous support from the local people . we found a group of animals ; we gave them a new family status , and we named it chikilidae , ” said lead author rachunliu g . kamei .

biju ' s team worked best during monsoon season , when the digging is easier and chikilidae lay eggs in waterlogged soils . gripping garden spades with blistered hands , the researchers along with locals they hired spent about 2 , 600 man hours digging for the elusive squigglers , usually found about 16 inches ( 40 centimeters ) deep .

but this legless amphibian ' s time in obscurity has ended , thanks to an intrepid team of biologists led by university of delhi professor sathyabhama das biju . over five years of digging through forest beds in the rain , the team has identified an entirely new family of amphibians — called chikilidae — endemic to the region but with ancient links to africa .

family chikilidae jurassic ( 200–145 . 5 million years ago ) to present ; perforate stapes ; septomaxillae and prefrontals absent ; lower jaws possess two rows of teeth ; 1 genus , 7 species ; northeastern india . family dermophiidae cretaceous ( 145 . 5–65 . 5 million years ago ) to present ; secondary annuli and annular scales present ; viviparous ; 4 genera , …

the chikilidae ' s discovery , made along with co - researchers from london ' s natural history museum and vrije university in brussels , brings the number of known caecilian families in the world to 10 . three are in india and others are spread across the tropics in southeast asia , africa and south america . there is debate about the classifications , however , and some scientists count even fewer caecilian families .

the chikilidae ' s home in long - ignored tropical forests now faces drastic change under programs to cut trees , plant rice paddy , build roads and generate industry as india ' s economic growth fuels a breakneck drive in development . more industrial pollutants , more pesticides and more people occupying more land may mean a world of trouble for a creature that can be traced to the earliest vertebrates to creep across land .

a taxonomic review of the monogeneric northeast indian caecilian family chikilidae is presented based on 64 specimens . chikila fuilleri ( alcock , 1904 ) , known previously only from a single specimen collected more than 100 years ago , is rediagnosed and characterised based on recent collections . we describe three additional species new to science , chikila alcocki sp . nov . , chikila darlong sp . nov . , and chikila gaiduwani sp . nov . this species - level taxonomy is consistent with mitochondrial dna sequence data . a key to the species of chikila is presented .

a team of scientists led by dr . sd biju of university of delhi ( urltoken ) has discovered an entirely new family of legless amphibians from india and named it chikilidae . their closest relatives are found around 7 , 000 miles away in africa highlighting ancient biogeographical links between india and africa . chikilids live exclusively under the soil and hence the common name tailless burrowing caecilians . this rare find is a result of over 2000 person hours of digging in more than 250 localities in northeast india . chikilids show interesting parental care : mother lays transparent eggs and she guards her egg clutch constantly without feeding for up to 70 days .

this family was recently described in 2012 ( kamei et al ) after extensive survey efforts in the northeast india . a total of 1177 person hours were dedicated in the discovery of the caecilian chikila fulleri , the first described species in the new family chikilidae . from molecular phylogenetic analyses ( both mitogenomic and nuclear dna ) and comparative cranial anatomy , they determined chikilids were more closely related to the african family herpelidae than indotyphlidae , diverging about 140 ± ca 20 ma . further , they propose this family represents an ancient radiation in wet tropical forests and thus evidence for the persistence of cretaceous period habitat in the northeastern india region .

new delhi — since before the age of dinosaurs it has burrowed unbothered beneath the monsoon - soaked soils of remote northeast india — unknown to science and mistaken by villagers as a deadly , miniature snake .

their discovery , published wednesday in a journal of the royal society of london , gives yet more evidence that india is a hotbed of amphibian life with habitats worth protecting against the country ' s industry - heavy development agenda .

it also gives exciting new evidence in the study of prehistoric species migration , as well as evolutionary paths influenced by continental shift .

" this is a major hotspot of biological diversity , but one of the least explored , " biju said in an interview with the associated press . " we hope this new family will show the importance of funding research in the area . we need to know what we have , so we can know what to save . "

an egg clutch of the new species . ( sathyabhama das biju / ap )

" we hope when the locals see the name , and their language , being used across the world , they will understand this animal ' s importance and join in trying to save it , " biju said . " india ' s biodiversity is fast depleting . we are destroying these habitats without mercy . "

biju — a botanist - turned - herpetologist now celebrated as india ' s " frogman " — has made it his life work to find and catalog new species . there are too many cases of " nameless extinction , " with animals disappearing before they are ever known , he said . " we don ' t even know what we ' re losing . "

amphibians are particularly vulnerable , and have drastically declined in recent decades . the same sensitivity to climate and water quality that makes them perfect environmental barometers also puts them at the greatest risk when ecological systems go awry .

biju , however , is working the reverse trend . since 2001 , he has discovered 76 new species of plants , caecilians and frogs — vastly more than any other scientist in india — and estimates 30 - 40 percent of the country ' s amphibians are yet to be found .

because they live hidden underground , and race off at the slightest vibration , much less is known about them than their more famous — and vocal — amphibious cousins , the frogs . only 186 of the world ' s known amphibious species are caecilians , compared with more than 6 , 000 frog species — a third of which are considered endangered or threatened .

even people living in northeast indians misunderstand the caecilians , and rare sightings can inspire terror and revulsion , with farmers and villagers chopping them in half out of the mistaken belief that they are poisonous snakes .

much remains to be discovered in further study , biju said , as many questions remain about how the creatures live .

they grow to about 4 inches ( 10 centimeters ) , and can ram their hard skulls through some of the region ' s tougher soils , shooting off quickly at the slightest vibration . " it ' s like a rocket , " biju said . " if you miss it the first try , you ' ll never catch it again . "

" it was backbreaking work , " said research fellow rachunliu kamei , who even passed out in the forest once , and some days found not even one specimen .

" but there is motivation in knowing this is an uncharted frontier , " said kamei , lead researcher and main author of the study paper .

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since before the age of dinosaurs it has burrowed unbothered beneath the monsoon - soaked soils of remote northeast india - unknown to science and mistaken by villagers as a deadly , miniature snake .

but this legless amphibian ' s time in obscurity has ended , thanks to an intrepid team of biologists led by university of delhi professor sathyabhama das biju .

their discovery , published today in a journal of the royal society of london , gives yet more evidence that india is a hotbed of amphibian life with habitats worth protecting against the country ' s industry - heavy development agenda .

' this is a major hotspot of biological diversity , but one of the least explored , ' biju said .

' we hope this new family will show the importance of funding research in the area . we need to know what we have , so we can know what to save . '

' we hope when the locals see the name , and their language , being used across the world , they will understand this animal ' s importance and join in trying to save it , ' biju said .

' india ' s biodiversity is fast depleting . we are destroying these habitats without mercy . '

biju - a botanist - turned - herpetologist now celebrated as india ' s ' frogman ' - has made it his life work to find and catalog new species .

there are too many cases of ' nameless extinction , ' with animals disappearing before they are ever known , he said . ' we don ' t even know what we ' re losing . '

the same sensitivity to climate and water quality that makes them perfect environmental barometers also puts them at the greatest risk when ecological systems go awry .

biju , however , is working the reverse trend . since 2001 , he has discovered 76 new species of plants , caecilians and frogs - vastly more than any other scientist in india - and estimates 30 - 40 percent of the country ' s amphibians are yet to be found .

three are in india and others are spread across the tropics in southeast asia , africa and south america .

there is debate about the classifications , however , and some scientists count even fewer caecilian families .

because they live hidden underground , and race off at the slightest vibration , much less is known about them than their more famous - and vocal - amphibious cousins , the frogs .

only 186 of the world ' s known amphibious species are caecilians , compared with more than 6 , 000 frog species - a third of which are considered endangered or threatened .

they grow to about 4 inches , and can ram their hard skulls through some of the region ' s tougher soils , shooting off quickly at the slightest vibration . ' it ' s like a rocket , ' biju said . ' if you miss it the first try , you ' ll never catch it again . '

gripping garden spades with blistered hands , the researchers along with locals they hired spent about 2 , 600 man hours digging for the elusive squigglers , usually found about 16 inches deep .

' it was backbreaking work , ' said research fellow rachunliu kamei , who even passed out in the forest once , and some days found not even one specimen .

' but there is motivation in knowing this is an uncharted frontier , ' said kamei , lead researcher and main author of the study paper .

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family named for chikila , a northeastern ( meghalaya state ) indian tribal name for the included caecilians .

kamei , r . g . , d . san mauro , d . j . gower , i . van bocxlaer , e . sherratt , a . thomas , s . babu , f . bossuyt , m . wilkinson , and s . d . biju . 2012 . discovery of a new family of amphibians from northeast india with ancient links to africa . proceedings of the royal society of london . series b , biological sciences 279 : 2396–2401 .

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a new family of limbless , tail - less amphibians has been discovered in northeastern india .

over the course of five years , researchers identified five species belonging to the family in 250 locations throughout the vast region .

“the complete life cycle , everything , is happening under the soil , ” said s . d . biju , an environmental scientist at the university of delhi who led the research . “so far we don’t have much information about feeding ; we think they eat earthworms . ”

the amphibians look like earthworms themselves , or small snakes , though they are not poisonous . unlike worms , they also have strong backbones .

the researchers suspect that the amphibians’ reach extends into myanmar , bhutan and nepal , dr . biju said ; they also appear to be related to another family of limbless amphibians in africa that diverged from the indian family 140 million years ago .

dr . biju said the discovery underscored the need for amphibian conservation in india , where larger , charismatic species like the tiger and the elephant get far more attention .

“the northeast india region is having a great habitat destruction simply because of human indifference , ” he said . “this area is a major biodiversity hot spot . ”

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a new family of legless amphibians has been found burrowing in the earth of a remote northeastern village in india .

the worm - like creatures evolved separately from other caecilian species more than 140 million years ago and are endemic to the region , although with ancient links to africa .

the find is significant in the study of prehistoric species migration , as well as evolutionary paths influenced by continental shift , cbs news said .

the discovery , published this week in a journal of the royal society of london , was made by a team of biologists , led by professor sathyabhama das biju , of the university of delhi .

professor biju told ap : “this is a major hotspot of biological diversity , but one of the least explored . ”

he added : “we hope when the locals see the name , and their language , being used across the world , they will understand this animal’s importance and join in trying to save it .

“india’s biodiversity is fast depleting . we are destroying these habitats without mercy . ”

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systematics lab , department of environmental studies , university of delhi , delhi , 110 007 , india .

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described the family as representing as many as seven species apparently endemic to the region .

, with no larval stage in between . the mothers stay wrapped around their developing eggs for two to three months , apparently not eating at all during this period .

kamei , r . g . ; san mauro , d . ; gower , d . j . ; van bocxlaer , i . ; sherratt , e . ; thomas , a . ; babu , s . ; bossuyt , f . ; wilkinson , m . ; biju , s . d . ( 2012 - 02 - 22 ) . " discovery of a new family of amphibians from northeast india with ancient links to africa " . proceedings of the royal society b : biological sciences 279 ( 1737 ) : 2396–2401 . doi : 10 . 1098 / rspb . 2012 . 0150 . issn 0962 - 8452 . pmc 3350690 . pmid 22357266 .

" new amphibian family find for india " . bbc news . february 22 , 2012 .

" new family of legless amphibians found in india " . boston globe . february 21 , 2012 .

frost , darrel r . 2011 . amphibian species of the world : an online reference . version 5 . 5 ( 31 january 2011 ) url = urltoken

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led by dr . s . d . biju of the university of delhi – also fondly known as india’s frogman – the team explored more than 250 locations in northeast india , leading to the discovery of the new amphibians described in the journal , proceedings of the royal society b , london .

this surprising ancient geographical link to africa adds to growing evidence of how continental movements have affected the geographical distribution of floral and fauna , the authors say in the youtube video .

an interesting factoid about chikilids : in a wonderful show of parental care , the chikilid mother lays transparent eggs and guards her egg clutch constantly without feeding for up to 70 days .

the article can be found at : kamei rg et al . ( 2012 ) discovery of a new family of amphibians from northeast india with ancient links to africa .

source : systematics lab , university of delhi . disclaimer : this article does not necessarily reflect the views of asianscientist or its staff .

juliana is the founder and editor - in - chief of asian scientist magazine , and a young global leader of the world economic forum . she received a phd in biology from mit and a ma , ba ( first class hons . ) in natural sciences from cambridge university , uk . juliana regularly moderates scientific panel discussions and gives talks on science communications .

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kryptopterus is a genus of catfishes belonging to the family siluridae .

they are found in freshwater throughout southeast asia .

the scientific name comes from ancient greek kryptós ( κρυπτός , " hidden " ) + ptéryx ( πτέρυξ , " fin " ) .

it refers to the reduced or even entirely absent dorsal fin of these catfishes .

these small - to medium-sized catfishes have opaque , transparent or translucent bodies , hence their common name asian glass catfishes .

despite this name , only three described species have clearly transparent bodies : k. minor , k. piperatus and k. vitreolus .

most significant among these is the ghost catfish ( k. vitreolus ) , which is the " glass catfish " most often seen in the aquarium fish trade .

this species was initially confused with the larger glass catfish ( k. bicirrhis ; infrequent in aquarium trade ) and subsequently with k. minor ( essentially absent from aquarium trade ) .

this matter was only fully resolved in 2013 .

kryptopterus

kryptopterus <EOT> kryptopterus minor is not the glass catfish commonly found in the trade . the species we see in the trade is kryptopterus vitreolus . unless you collected the fish yourself in borneo , you almost certainly have that species .

kryptopterus : from the greek kryptos , meaning hidden and pteryx , meaning fin ; in reference to the reduced or absent dorsal fin of this group of fishes .

kryptopterus : from the greek kryptos , meaning ‘hidden’ , and pterýgio , meaning ‘fin’ , in reference to the reduced or absent dorsal - fin in members of this genus .

kryptopterus species are found only in southeast asia and the genus has been considered polyphyletic since bornbusch ( 1995 ) with some former species already moved to the genera phalacronotus and micronema .

asia : malay peninsula , java , sumatra and borneo . reports of this species from mekong , mae khlong , bang pakong and chao phraya river drainages in mainland southeast asia are misidentifications of kryptopterus geminus .

ng , h . h . , s . wirjoatmodjo and r . k . hadiaty , 2004 - ichthyological exploration of freshwaters 15 ( 1 ) : 91 - 95 kryptopterus piperatus , a new species of silurid catfish ( teleostei : siluridae ) from northern sumatra .

kryptopterus : from the greek kryptos , meaning hidden and pteryx , meaning fin ; in reference to the reduced or absent dorsal fin of this group of fishes . from the greek cryptos , meaning hidden and pterygion , meaning fin . in reference to the rudimentary dorsal fin .

for years this fish was known in the hobby as kryptopterus bicirrhis , a very similar but larger species , but it has now been correctly identified as k . minor . this is a large genus , and other species , along with species in the similar genera , may be impor

kryptopterus geminus , a new species of silurid catfish is described from the bang pakong , mekong , mae khlong and chao phraya river drainages in mainland southeast asia . kryptopterus geminus , together with k . cryptopterus , can be distinguished from congeners by the dorsal profile lacking a nuchal concavity and short maxillary barbels extending to the base of the pectoral fin . kryptopterus geminus can be further distinguished from k . cryptopterus in having a narrower head ( 9 . 5– 12 . 0 % sl vs . 12 . 2–14 . 2 ) , longer anal fin ( 62 . 2–72 . 7 % sl vs . 57 . 2–62 . 9 ) and snout ( 39 . 5–45 . 3 % hl vs . 35 . 1–39 . 8 ) , and more laterally - placed eyes ( only ventral half , vs . ventral two - thirds , of the orbital margin visible when the head is viewed ventrally ) .

among other kryptopterus spp . only k . minor and k . piperatus also possess a transparent body in life with the remaining species translucent or opaque , and these three are hypothesised to form a sub - clade within the k . bicirrhis species group ( ng & kottelat , 2013 ; see below for definition of this species group ) .

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k . vitreolus is one of three species in the genus to possess a transparent body in life . . .

. . . although it does sometimes appear less so depending on the angle of light .

vitreolus : from the diminutive form of the latin adjective vitreus , meaning ‘of glass’ , in reference to this species’ transparent appearance in life .

known only from a series of coastal river basins of peninsular thailand draining into the gulf of thailand south of the isthmus of kra , plus a handful of rivers draining the cardamom ( khao banthat ) mountains in southeastern thailand .

ng and kottelat ( 2013 ) state that its status in the wild requires investigation since it’s collected intensively for the aquarium trade , has a relatively restricted range and appears never to have been bred on a commercial basis .

displays a preference for slow - moving or standing habitats and has been collected from turbid brownish water as well as acidic blackwater .

best kept in a well - decorated set - up with some surface or floating vegetation since it appears to prefer relatively dim conditions .

the addition of dried leaf litter and / or alder cones would further emphasise the natural feel while the tannins and other chemicals released by these as they decompose are considered beneficial for fishes from blackwater environments .

do not add this fish to a biologically immature aquarium as it can be susceptible to swings in water chemistry .

in the aquarium it will accept dried foods of a suitable size but should also be offered daily meals of small live and frozen fare such as artemia nauplii , moina , grindal worm , etc .

generally peaceful though it may predate on eggs or fry and is somewhat timid so does not compete well with much larger , robust or otherwise boisterous fishes .

small , peaceful species make the best tankmates with examples from thailand including trigonostigma heteromorpha , t . espei , brevibora dorsiocellata , acanthocobitis zonalternans , lepidocephalichthys , acanthopsoides and pangio spp .

many species from other countries are of course also suitable but be sure to research your choices thoroughly prior to purchase .

k . vitreolus is highly gregarious and tends to form quite tight schools meaning a group of 6 or more specimens is the minimum recommended .

this species has been available in the trade for decades during which time it’s been widely misidentified as the congeners k . bicirrhis or , more recently , k . minor .

its identity was not resolved until early 2013 at which point it was described as a new species by ng and kottelat , meaning you will see it under one of these two names in the majority of literature published prior to that date .

unusually , the authors were required to publish a short communication just after the description since the words ‘new species’ did not feature in the first paper meaning that technically the name k . vitreolus remained unavailable as per art . 16 . 1 of the iczn code .

alternative trade names include ‘asian glass catfish’ , ‘ghost catfish’ and ‘phantom catfish’ , while it’s sometimes confused with the ‘african glass catfish’ , parailia pellucida .

k . vitreolus can be told apart from k . minor , k . piperatus and all other k . bicirrhis group members by the following combination of characters : snout length 29–35 % hl ; eye diameter 28–34 % hl ; body depth at anus 16–20 % sl ; depth of caudal peduncle 4–7 % sl ; maxillary barbels extending beyond base of first anal - fin ray ; dorsal profile with pronounced nuchal concavity ; 14–18 rakers on the first gill arch ; 48–55 anal - fin rays .

k . bicirrhis group : k . bicirrhis , k . lais , k . palembangensis , k . macrocephalus , k . minor , k . piperatus , k . vitreolus k . cryptopterus group : k . cryptopterus , k . geminus k . limpok group : k . limpok , k . mononema , k . dissitus , k . baramensis , k . hesperius k . schilbeides group : k . schilbeides , k . paraschilbeides

bombusch ( 1995 ) identified the k . bicirrhis group as a distinct clade although he didn’t propose any synapomorphy to diagnose it .

ng and kottelat ( 2013 ) later noted that members normally have fewer anal - fin rays ( 46–67 vs . 64–85 ) than other congeners and placed k . piperatus and k . vitreolus within the group based on this character .

ng , h - h . and m . kottelat , 2013 - zootaxa 3630 : 308 - 316 after eighty years of misidentification , a name for the glass catfish ( teleostei : siluridae ) .

bornbusch , a . h . , 1995 - zoological journal of the linnean society 115 : 1 - 46 phylogenetic relationships within the eurasian catfish family siluridae ( pisces : siluriformes ) , with comments on generic validities and biogeography .

ng , h - h . and m . kottelat , 2013 - zootaxa 3640 ( 2 ) : 299 - 300 a name for the glass catfish ( teleostei : siluridae ) revisited .

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mainstream of sungai pinoh at nanga saian , 45 kilometers south of nangapinoh , borneo , indonesia .

68mm or 2 . 7 " sl . find near , nearer or same sized spp .

memoirs of the california academy of sciences no . 14 , pp149 , fig . 115 .

( 1 ) glasscats ( k : 3 ) . click on a username above to see all that persons registered catfish species . you can also view all " my cats " data for this species .

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distribution : europe and asia . dorsal fin rays usually less than 7 , when present . no spine before dorsal fin . no adipose fin . pelvic fins small or absent . anal fin base very long with 41 - 110 rays . nasal barbel absent , one or two pairs of barbels on lower jaw , and maxillary barbels usually elongate . maximum length of 5 m reached in silurus glanis , with 330 kg . this european species may enter brackish waters .

latin , silurus = a kind of fish . 1555 ( ref . 45335 ) .

the list below must not be used as an authority reference synonymy list like those found in scientific published revisions , which must be the source to be used and cited eventually when they exist .

rather , it reflects the current content of fishbase , and the progress with respect to synchronization with the catalog of fishes . however , we think it can be useful for users to assess the quality of information in fishbase , to start new work on the family , or to cross - check with other lists .

but we appreciate to be cited in publications when this list has been of any working value . in particular , for published scientific , we suggest then to cite it in the material and method section as a useful tool to conduct the research , but again , not as a taxonomic or nomenclatural authority reference .

unless it is explicitly precised , the list is not complete , please search all original names published for the family in the catalog of fishes ( genera , species ) , including those with uncertain or unknown status , that are not included in fishbase when they are not attached to a valid species .

this list uses some data from catalog of fishes ( not shown but used to sort names ) .

in the column coff , the digit indicates the status of synchronization with coff : 0 : not checked ; 1 : same status ; 2 : different status ; 3 : other combination ; 4 : synonym in coff ; 5 : species / subspecies issue ; 6 : synonym of another species in coff ; 7 : not in coff ; 8 : should not be in coff . the coff version currently used is the one published on 23 - 07 - 2014 ( ref . 97102 ) .

when subfamilies are recognized , nominotypical subfamily first then other subfamilies by alphabetical order .

type genus of the family first ( or of subfamily when subfamilies are recognized ) then other genera by chronological order of description ( and alphabetical order ) .

type species of the genus first by chronological order ( and alphabetical order ) , with last listed misapplied names in a light gray font .

greek , kryptos = hidden + greek , pteron = wing . fin ( ref . 45335 )

freshwater ; benthopelagic ; ph range : 6 . 5 - 7 . 4 ; dh range : 10 - 20 . tropical ; 22°c - 26°c ( ref . 2060 )

maturity : l m ? range ? - ? cm max length : 9 . 7 cm sl male / unsexed ; ( ref . 7050 )

restricted to peat habitats ( ref . 57235 ) . occurs in shady spots in running waters . omnivorous , although larger individuals may prey on smaller fishes ( ref . 6868 ) . uncommon in aquarium trade ( ref . 57235 ) .

kottelat , m . , a . j . whitten , s . n . kartikasari and s . wirjoatmodjo , 1993 . freshwater fishes of western indonesia and sulawesi . periplus editions , hong kong . 221 p . ( ref . 7050 )

phylogenetic diversity index ( ref . 82805 ) : pd 50 = 0 . 5000 [ uniqueness , from 0 . 5 = low to 2 . 0 = high ] .

bayesian length - weight : a = 0 . 00575 ( 0 . 00278 - 0 . 01190 ) , b = 2 . 99 ( 2 . 81 - 3 . 17 ) , in cm total length , based on lwr estimates for this ( sub ) family - body shape ( ref . 93245 ) .

trophic level ( ref . 69278 ) : 4 . 2 ±0 . 73 se ; based on food items .

resilience ( ref . 69278 ) : high , minimum population doubling time less than 15 months ( preliminary k or fecundity . ) .

vulnerability ( ref . 59153 ) : low vulnerability ( 20 of 100 ) .

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thank you for taking the time to provide feedback on the iucn red list of threatened species website , we are grateful for your input .

kottelat , m . 2013 . the fishes of the inland waters of southeast asia : a catalogue and core bibiography of the fishes known to occur in freshwaters , mangroves and estuaries . raffles bulletin of zoology supplement no . 27 : 1 - 663 .

, particularly in the aquarium literature . there is a possibility that the populations from sundaic southeast asia are not conspecific with those from mainland southeast asia .

justification : this species is recorded from the malay peninsula from southern thailand and southeastern thailand to kalimantan , and southeast thailand to western cambodia . it is heavily utilised in the aquarium trade , although a high proportion of the species in trade come from farmed sources . data are not available on population trends , however the species is assessed as near threatened due to inferred population declines arising from the impact of harvesting for the ornamental fish trade and the loss and degradation of suitable habitat , especially peatland and lowland forest covered streams .

recorded from the malay peninsula from southern thailand and southeastern thailand to kalimantan , and southeast thailand to western cambodia . the species is possibly present in viet nam in the lower dong nai river basin .

it is thought that the population might have suffered some decline from collection for the aquarium trade .

inhabits small streams and swamps , especially peatland and lowland forest covered streams , as well as from larger turbid rivers .

popular in the aquarium trade , traded in very large volumes . most of the individuals in trade are thought to be from farmed sources , with a small percentage from the wild .

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and from malaysia ( peninsula , sabah and sarawak ) , and indonesia ( sumatra and kalimantan ) . although a commercially fished species , it is assessed as least concern at present .

) , thailand and cambodia , and from malaysia ( peninsula , sabah and sarawak ) , and indonesia ( sumatra and kalimantan ) .

inhabits large rivers with turbid waters but reportedly prefers fast flowing water , but also enters flooded fields ( kottelat 1998 ) . a diurnal , active pelagic species .

occurs in commercial and subsistence fisheries . highly commercial . used to make fermented foods or fish sauce . regularly seen in the aquarium trade .

likely to be impacted locally in parts of its range by pollution and overfishing .

freshwater ; benthopelagic ; ph range : 6 . 8 - 7 . 8 ; dh range : ? - 18 ; potamodromous ( ref . 51243 ) . tropical ; 22°c - 25°c ( ref . 2060 )

maturity : l m ? range ? - ? cm max length : 14 . 6 cm sl male / unsexed ; ( ref . 2091 )

roberts , t . r . , 1989 . the freshwater fishes of western borneo ( kalimantan barat , indonesia ) . mem . calif . acad . sci . 14 : 210 p . ( ref . 2091 )

trophic level ( ref . 69278 ) : 3 . 9 ±0 . 6 se ; based on size and trophs of closest relatives

vulnerability ( ref . 59153 ) : low to moderate vulnerability ( 27 of 100 ) .

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200mm or 7 . 9 " sl . find near , nearer or same sized spp .

rudimentary dorsal fin ; the maxillary barbels reaching to the base of the pectoral fin ; 64 - 78 anal rays . nearly straight dorsal profile with no nuchal concavity ; pectoral - fin length greater than head length .

males are more slender and have strong serrations on the posterior edge of the pectoral spine ( females lack these serrations ) .

readily feeds on live / frozen foods and other prepared foods such as pellets .

this fish is fairly active and needs open spaces to swim in . provide plenty of vegetation for it to hide in during the day .

a schooling species that should be kept in groups of three or more . a relatively peaceful fish compatible with most other species . ideal tankmates include larger barbs and rasboras , and other mid - sized bottom - dwelling asian catfishes ( e . g . mystus ) .

in the mekong , this species spawns during the early part of the rainy season ( june - july ) . the young move toward the seasonally flooded habitats and are first seen in august . not reported in aquaria .

( 1 ) silentskream , who also notes : " one of many called " glass catfish " but this is one of the less common varieties . we got ours as a donation , and have been very happy with him ! " , ( 2 ) miles44 ( k : 2 ) , ( 3 ) straitjacketstar ( k : 2 ) , ( 4 ) in _ the _ seance ( k : 2 ) . click on a username above to see all that persons registered catfish species . you can also view all " my cats " data for this species .

special publication of the center for biodiversity research and information , no . 1 , vol 1 - 3

disclaimer : itis taxonomy is based on the latest scientific consensus available , and is provided as a general reference source for interested parties . however , it is not a legal authority for statutory or regulatory purposes . while every effort has been made to provide the most reliable and up - to - date information available , ultimate legal requirements with respect to species are contained in provisions of treaties to which the united states is a party , wildlife statutes , regulations , and any applicable notices that have been published in the federal register . for further information on u . s . legal requirements with respect to protected taxa , please contact the u . s . fish and wildlife service .

freshwater ; benthopelagic ; ph range : 6 . 0 - 8 . 0 ; dh range : 5 - 19 . tropical ; 24°c - 28°c ( ref . 30491 )

maturity : l m ? range ? - ? cm max length : 6 . 8 cm sl male / unsexed ; ( ref . 7050 )

trophic level ( ref . 69278 ) : 3 . 6 ±0 . 6 se ; based on size and trophs of closest relatives

vulnerability ( ref . 59153 ) : low vulnerability ( 13 of 100 ) .

inhabits lakes and main rivers ( ref . 56749 ) . feeds on small fishes and prawns ( ref . 56749 ) . usually processes as smoked or salted fish ( ref . 56749 ) .

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this species was described from the mekong river in stung treng province , cambodia ( ng 2003 ) . prior to its recognition as a distinct species , it has been misidentified as k . cryptopterus .

justification : even though there is no information regarding the population size and trends for this species , survey data indicates that it is still abundant throughout much of its range . it is therefore assessed as least concern .

the species is known from the mekong ( from the mouth upriver to vientiane , lao pdr ) , mae khlong ( the mouth to at least kanchanaburi ) , bang pakong ( from the mouth to at least prachinburi ) and chao phraya ( the mouth upriver to at least ayutthaya ) river drainages in mainland southeast asia ( ng 2003 ) .

there is no information available on the population size and trends for this species , but survey data indicates that it is still abundant throughout much of its range .

dominany presence at khone falls during dry season , exhibits peak in beginning of rainy season . ( baran

this species is utilized as a food fish in artisanal fisheries . it is also sporadically collected and exported as an ornamental fish .

the threats to this species are unknown , since there is no information on the biology of this species and therefore the impact of potential threats ( especially those of an anthropogenic nature ) remains unknown .

there is insufficient information on the distribution , biology and potential threats for this species .

smallest 68mm , largest 350mm , average 181mm , most commonly 80mm . all sl .

confused by a class within a class or an order within an order ? please see our brief essay .

to cite this page : myers , p . , r . espinosa , c . s . parr , t . jones , g . s . hammond , and t . a . dewey . 2018 . the animal diversity web ( online ) . accessed at https : / / animaldiversity . org .

disclaimer : the animal diversity web is an educational resource written largely by and for college students . adw doesn ' t cover all species in the world , nor does it include all the latest scientific information about organisms we describe . though we edit our accounts for accuracy , we cannot guarantee all information in those accounts . while adw staff and contributors provide references to books and websites that we believe are reputable , we cannot necessarily endorse the contents of references beyond our control .

this material is based upon work supported by the national science foundation grants drl 0089283 , drl 0628151 , due 0633095 , drl 0918590 , and due 1122742 . additional support has come from the marisla foundation , um college of literature , science , and the arts , museum of zoology , and information and technology services .

individual collected in the rajang river system , sarawak state , malaysia ( borneo ) .

macrocephalus : from the greek makros , meaning ‘long’ , and kephalos , meaning ‘head’ .

known from southern ( peninsular ) thailand , peninsular malaysia , singapore and the greater sunda islands of sumatra , borneo and java .

type locality is usually given as ‘padang , sumatra’ although habitats in that area are said to be unsuitable for this species and it’s never been recorded there post - description .

this species is a stenotypic inhabitant of peat swamp forests and associated blackwater streams .

many such habitats have suffered large - scale degradation of some kind but in unaltered cases the dense canopy of branches above means very little light penetrates the surface of such environments , and riparian vegetation also tends to grow thickly .

substrates are usually littered with fallen leaves , branches and submerged tree roots though in some places aquatic plants from genera such as cryptocoryne or barcalaya can be found .

the water is typically stained darkly with humic acids and other chemicals released by decaying organic materials , the dissolved mineral content generally negligible and ph as low as 3 . 0 or 4 . 0 .

for example in sarawak state , malaysia ( borneo ) it’s been collected from a blackwater river known as the sungai kepayan which flows through remnant and intact peat swamp forest .

in 1998 ph was measured at 4 . 1 and depth ranged from 20 cm to 2 metres or more .

syntopic fish species included osteochilus spilurus , ‘ puntius ‘ rhomboocellatus , brevibora dorsiocellata , trigonopoma gracile , t . pauciperforatum , sundadanio cf . axelrodi , kottelatlimia pristes , neohomaloptera johorensis , nanobagrus fuscus , ompok weberi , silurichthys phaiosoma , hemirhamphodon phaiosoma , betta edithae , b . midas , nandus nebulosus , belontia hasseltii , luciocephalus pulcher , parosphromenus anjunganensis , p . ornaticauda , and sphaerichthys osphromenoides .

probably a predator feeding on crustaceans , invertebrates and smaller fishes in nature , although there should be no need to use such live foods in captivity .

offer a varied diet comprising sinking dried foods , live and frozen bloodworm , tubifex , etc . , and perhaps the occasional small earthworm .

generally peaceful though it may predate on smaller fishes and is somewhat timid so does not compete well with much larger , robust or otherwise boisterous species .

peaceful , comparably - sized cyprinids , loaches and other catfishes perhaps constitute the best options but be sure to research your choices thoroughly prior to purchase .

k . macrocephalus is gregarious and tends to form schools so ideally four or more specimens should be purchased .

adult males are noticeably slimmer than females and the posterior edge of the pectoral - fin spine is serrated ( vs . smooth in females ) .

this species is also referred to as ‘false glass catfish’ , ‘mottled glass catfish’ or ‘tawny glass catfish’ .

roberts ( 1989 ) discusses the existence of striped and mottled colour forms but investigation is apparently required to establish whether these are conspecific or not .

the congener k . piperatus is very similar but has a colour pattern comprising a pale brown body with scattered dark spots vs . prominent dark brown spots or stripes in k . macrocephalus .

ferraris , c . j . , jr . , 2007 - zootaxa 1418 : 1 - 628 checklist of catfishes , recent and fossil ( osteichthyes : siluriformes ) , and catalogue of siluriform primary types .

parenti , l . r . and k . k . p . lim , 2005 - raffles bulletin of zoology supplement 13 : 175 - 208 fishes of the rajang basin , sarawak , malaysia .

roberts , t . r . , 1989 - memoirs of the california academy of sciences no . 14 : i - xii + 1 - 210 the freshwater fishes of western borneo ( kalimantan barat , indonesia ) .

tan , h . h . and h . h . ng , 2000 - journal of natural history 34 ( 2 ) : 267 - 303 the catfishes ( teleostei : siluriformes ) of central sumatra .

asia : mekong and chao phraya basins ; malay peninsula , sumatra and borneo .

maturity : l m ? range ? - ? cm max length : 15 . 0 cm sl male / unsexed ; ( ref . 27732 )

anal soft rays : 55 - 68 . rudimentary dorsal fin ; the maxillary barbels reaching to the anal fin ; 55 - 68 anal rays ( ref . 27732 ) . dorsal profile arched with a nuchal concavity ; pectoral - fin length greater than head length ( ref . 12693 ) .

inhabits large rivers with turbid waters ( ref . 27732 ) . reported to prefer fast flowing water and usually occurs along the shores ( ref . 56749 ) . enters flooded fields ( ref . 12975 ) . found in lowland streams to peat adjacent in large school up to 100 fish ( ref . 57235 ) . diurnal . feeds mostly on pelagic hemipterans and some small fishes ( ref . 12693 ) , also on worms , crustaceans and insects ( ref . 7020 ) . the clearest body of world ' s fish ( ref . 57235 ) . used to make prahoc or fish sauce and regularly seen in the aquarium trade ( ref . 12693 ) . aquarium keeping : at least 10 individuals ; minimum aquarium size 100 cm ( ref . 51539 , 57235 ) .

kottelat , m . , 1998 . fishes of the nam theun and xe bangfai basins , laos , with diagnoses of twenty - two new species ( teleostei : cyprinidae , balitoridae , cobitidae , coiidae and odontobutidae ) . ichthyol . explor . freshwat . 9 ( 1 ) : 1 - 128 . ( ref . 27732 )

trophic level ( ref . 69278 ) : 3 . 9 ±0 . 63 se ; based on food items .

though not suitable for beginners , this unusual and delicate catfish can be cared for by hobbyists with basic fishkeeping skills . especially important are high water quality and adequate diet . lots of water changes and live or frozen foods will help ensur

a heavily planted tank with peaceful tankmates that are much smaller than the catfish is ideal . glass catfish are unable to deal with aggression , and they cannot compete well for food . small tetras and rasboras are perfect tankmates . the more cover ( plant

frequent feedings of small live invertebrates are the best diet for these fish . they will also take frozen foods and will learn to accept high - quality flakes and tiny pellets . although they have tiny mouths and require food in very small pieces , they are

truly a transparent fish , this animal’s bones and internal organs are all visible—even its beating heart ! when light hits at the right angle , the fish displays an iridescence .

this is a most unusual catfish . it is a diurnal , shy , transparent fish that dwells in midwater and is an obligate schooler . a heavily planted tank with some open space will bring out the best of these animals . they may hide for several days when first introduced , and they are quick to dive into the thickets when disturbed . they can become quite bold , however , at feeding time . it is very common to find the entire school identically aligned , heading into currents , shimmying to stay in place . often purchased as a novelty , this fascinating fish holds your interest with its interesting behaviors .