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Adrian Taylor (2)

Description: Dorsal spines (total): 1; Dorsal soft rays (total): 6; Vertebrae: 34 - 35. Apparently a small species with a deep body, approximately equal to head length. Eye very large, greater than snout length. Snout blunt; mesethmoid greatly enlarged, more strongly projecting ventrally when compared with congeners. Tympanum large, its width equal to eye diameter. Swim bladder chamber with a greatly expanded dorsal bony roof but no ventral bony enclosure. Jaws with well-developed conical teeth in several irregular rows. Cranial roofing bones more superficial than in any other Nangrina, and covered with thin skin; cranial surface rugose. Posterior cranial fontanel very small, less than 1/3 length of anterior fontanel; lateral fontanels absent; subtemporal fossa absent. Anal fin with 4-5 simple rays, 8-10 branched rays. Aquarium Care: This is a peaceful species which would be better kept in a group of about 6 specimens with plenty of swimming space. Provide good filtration and aeration. Provide a sand substrate with plants as an option. Diet: Live, frozen and tablet foods. Remarks: Gagata itchkeea has been assessed as Vulnerable as it is a habitat specialist with and estimated area of occupancy (AOO) between 1,000 and 1,200 km². The species is found in only 7-10 fragmented locations and its habitat is declining because of the anthrapogenic activities such as deforestation and recreational activities leading to siltation and pollution of the rivers. Also, fishing can also be a threat to the species as the species is often present as large shoals and hence more vulnerable to large catches (IUCN 2011).

None

Phractocephalus itchkeea, Arius pumilus

Sisoridae

Asia: Narmada, Krishna and Cauvery River basins, India. Type locality: Deccan, India.

7.0cm. (2¾ins)

23-26°c (73-79°f.)

6.5-7.2.

Baensch, H.A. and R. Riehl, 1991. Aquarien atlas. Bd. 3. Melle: Mergus, Verlag für Natur-und Heimtierkunde, Germany. 1104 p.
Dahanukar, N. 2011. Gagata itchkeea. In: IUCN 2012. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2012.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>.
Ferraris, C.J. Jr., 2007. Checklist of catfishes, recent and fossil (Osteichthyes: Siluriformes), and catalogue of siluriform primary types. Zootaxa 1418:1-628.
Froese, R. and D. Pauly. Editors. 2011. FishBase. World Wide Web electronic publication. www.fishbase.org, version.
Roberts, T.R. and C.J. Ferraris Jr., 1998. Review of South Asian sisorid catfish genera Gagata and Nangra, with descriptions of a new genus and five new species. Proc. Calif. Acad. Sci. 50(14):315-345.