Fish Fauna of Asan River and Its Tributaries, Western Doon Valley, Dehradun (Uttarakhand), with Conservation Status of Species and Threats - Aquatic Ecosystem: Biodiversity, Ecology and Conservation - page 227

India
Uttar Pradesh (Saharanpur and Moradabad
districts).

Local Name
Chatru.

Localities Surveyed
Asan River above Kunja Grant below its barrage,
Dhalipur, Herbertpur, Partitpur near Herbertpur,
Sabhawala, Sahaspur, Selakui, Jhajra and
Chandrabani; seepage nala below Asan reservoir;
small stream near Asan Barrage, Dhalipur; Asan
reservoir.
Small stream, culvert No. 28/2, Ridapur near
Sahaspur; Swarna nadi, Bhauwala; Naro nadi
near Langha and at Bhurgaon near Bansiwala;
small stream, culvert No. 19/2, Selakui; Tons
nadi, Premnagar; Nimi nadi, Paundha; Nun nadi,
Jaintanwala. Small stream (Manaksidh rao),
Karwapani, Asarori forest.

Elsewhere
No record.

Habitat and Ecology
Found in slow-fl owing streams with sandy bed
and vegetation.

Conservation Status
IUCN Red List, not evaluated.

Remarks
As per Kottelat ( 2012 ), the species is consid-
ered synonym of Lepidocephalichthys goalpa-
rensis (Pillai & Yazdani, 1976) but differs from
it in a number of characters as mentioned by
Tilak and Husain, 1981 (origin of dorsal fi n
equidistant between the snout tip and caudal
base in L. caudofurcatus vs. nearer snout tip
than to caudal base in L. goalparensis , focal
area of subdorsal scale very small in L. caudo-
furcatus vs. comparatively bigger in L. goalpa-
rensis , body scales on ventral side extend
anteriorly much beyond the isthmus in L. cau-
dofurcatus vs. do not extend anteriorly beyond
pectoral fi n bases in L. goalparensis , presence
of rectangular blotches along the lateral sides
of the body in L. caudofurcatus vs. absent in L.
goalparensis , 25 scales between the back and
the base of anal fi n in L. caudofurcatus vs. 16
scales in L. goalparensis ).

Diagnostic Characters
D. 2-3/ 6-7, P. 1/6-7, V. 1/6-7, A. 2-3/5, C. 16.
Barbels three pairs, rostral, maxillo-mandibular
and maxillary pairs, longer than the eye diameter;
mental lobe well developed, produced into 1-2 pro-
jections, with a bean-shaped pad at the base; dorsal
fi n inserted slightly behind the pelvics; scales on
the head in patches below and behind the eye and
upper part of operculum, subdorsal scales oval with
small eccentric focal area, 25-30 rows of scales
between the back and anal base. Body with a series
of about 10-12 irregular dark spots on its sides,
connected with one another through a dark band
which on age fuse with one another; upper part of
caudal base with a white-edged black dot; pectoral
and anal fi ns stippled with dark dots; dorsal and
caudal fi ns with 6-7 oblique rows of dark dots.
Sexual Dimorphism: In male, two inner rays
of pectoral are fused and ossifi ed with a promi-
nent broad dark brown or black lateral band. In
female, the fi n is normal and the band narrow.

3. Lepidocephalichthys guntea (Hamilton, 1822)
Cobitis guntea Hamilton, 1822. Fish. Ganges :
353, 394 (type locality: ponds and fresh rivers
of Bengal).
Lepidocephalus guntea Husain, 2003 . Faun.
Asan Wetland, Wetland Ecosystem Series 5 :
23-26 (Asan reservoir, seepage nala, Asan
River above Kunja Grant and below its
barrage).

Maximum Length
15.0 cm.

Distribution

English Names
Guntea Loach, Peppered Loach, Scavenger
Loach.

Uttarakhand
Garhwal Division: Dehradun, Haridwar, Pauri
and Tehri districts; Kumaon Division: Nainital