Mystus malabaricus

Mystus malabaricus, commonly known as the Jerdon's catfish or koori,^[1] is a small to medium-sized freshwater fish of the family Bagridae found in the Western Ghats region of India.^[3] They are found in the hilly streams of Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra.^[4]

Mystus malabaricus
Conservation status
Near Threatened  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Actinopterygii
Order:	Siluriformes
Family:	Bagridae
Genus:	Mystus
Species:	M. malabaricus
Binomial name
Mystus malabaricus (Jerdon, 1849)
Synonyms[2]
Bagrus malabaricus Jerdon, 1849 Hara malabarica (Jerdon, 1849) Macrones malabaricus (Jerdon, 1849)

Etymology

The generic epithet, Mystus, is probably derived from mystax (Greek; "whiskered", referring to the four pairs of barbels characteristic of the family). The specific epithet malabaricus refers to Malabar, region in southern India, where the type locality is situated.^[4][5]

Ecology

Members of this genus have been reported as facultative air-breathers.^[6] M. malabaricus is amphidromous, meaning they migrate to brackish waters for purposes other than breeding. They have demersal habit,^[4] found in shallow hill streams with rocky bottom.^{[citation needed]}

Description and diagnosis

Nasal barbels never reach occiput, it reaches a middle point between occiput and orbit; outer mandibulars reach to tip of pectorals; occipital process connected to dorsal front by an interneural shield; tip of rayed dorsal reaches to base of adipose dorsal front; any other fins touch each other; dorsal spine smooth both internally and externally; anal fin inserted considerably behind anal opening; upper caudal lobe longer than lower one. Sensory organs distinctly seen on lateral line. Color: body greenish; eyes blackish blue.^{[citation needed]}

Diagnosis

Body elongate; dorsal and ventral profiles nearly straight; maxillary barbels reach to middle or end of pelvic fins; cephalic fontanel single, shallow and never reach to occiput; occipital process short and it do not reach dorsal front; the former cannot be seen externally as predorsal region is covered by a thick layer of flesh; caudal lobes rounded.^{[citation needed]}

Other species from the region include (list incomplete)^[7] -

• Mystus montanus (Jerdon, 1849) ; TL - Mananthawady, Wayanad
• Mystus armatus (Day 1895) ; TL - 'Cochin Malabar'- Trichur
• Mystus oculatus (Valenciennes 1840) ; TL - Kuttiady, Malabar
• Mystus sengtee (Sykes 1839) TL- Dukhun, India

Distribution

M. malabaricus has been reported from the Western Ghats across Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu^{[citation needed]} and Maharashtra.^[4] The type locality is assigned as "mountain streams of Malabar" by Jerdon^[8]