Horabagrus brachysoma

Yellow catfish
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Division: Teleostei
Order: Siluriformes
Family: Horabagridae
Genus: Horabagrus
Species:
H. brachysoma
Binomial name
Horabagrus brachysoma
(Günther, 1864)
Synonyms
List
  • Horabagrus melanosoma Plamoottil & Abraham, 2013
  • Macrones chryseus Day, 1865
  • Mystus chryseus Day, 1865
  • Pseudobagrus brachysoma Günther, 1864
  • Pseudobagrus chryseus Day, 1865

Horabagrus brachysoma is a species of catfish endemic to rivers in the Western Ghats of India. It is known as mannjakoori in its native range,[2] and has a host of English common names, such as sun catfish, Günther's catfish, yellow catfish,[3] eclipse catfish, bullseye catfish, golden red tail catfish, and solar catfish.[4]

Description

Horabagrus brachysoma has a large head and a wide, subterminal mouth; the eyes are large and can be seen from below the fish. There are four pairs of barbels, one nasal, one maxillary, and two mandibular.[5] The body is yellowish, with a black shoulder spot surrounded by a lighter outline.[6] The dorsal fin has one spine and from 5 to 7 rays, and there is an adipose fin.[5] It may reach 45 cm (18 in) in TL.[7]

Adult Horabagrus brachysoma

Distribution and habitat

Horabagrus brachysoma is known from the Kerala backwaters, Vembanad Lake, Chalakudy River, Meenachil River and Nethravathi River of southern Karnataka;[8] it is also found in Kerala and the Uttara Kannada district of western Karnataka.[5] It occurs in smooth flowing areas of rivers and backwaters with abundant vegetation and mud or sand substrate, and also has been recorded in deep pools and hill streams.[3]

Ecology

Horabagrus brachysoma is an unspecialized feeder and eats a variety of meaty foods, including crustaceans, molluscs, and fish, and adults may additionally consume terrestrial insects and even frogs. This flexible diet is beneficial in its variable habitat in which food availality is affected by monsoons.[2] Feeding rate is known to increase during the breeding season in the months following the monsoon (September to December) and decrease during the monsoon (May to July). This decrease coincides with the spawning season of this species (at least in Vembanad Lake), but it is not thought to be associated with the spawning season; rather, it is probably due to the major ecological changes brought by the monsoon and the resultant decrease in the abundance of potential food items.[2]

Genetics

The population genetic structure of this species has been studied extensively by using genetic markers.[9][10]

Human interactions

Horabagrus brachysoma is an important food fish in India and is also sold in the aquarium trade. The IUCN considers this species to be vulnerable, while others have considered it to be an endangered species.[11] This is not unjustified, as overexploitation, habitat alteration, pollution and related anthropogenic pressures on their natural habitats considerably reduced populations of this species in the early 2000s, for example.[2]

Horabagrus brachysoma in Chemmad, Kerala, India

References

  1. ↑ Raghavan, R.; Ali, A. (2020) [errata version of 2011 assessment]. "Horabagrus brachysoma". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2011 e.T172387A174791841. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2011-1.RLTS.T172387A174791841.en. Retrieved 12 November 2024.>.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Sreeraj, N.; Raghavan, R.; Prasad, G. (2006). "The diet of Horabagrus brachysoma (Gunther), an endangered bagrid catfish from Lake Vembanad (South India)". Journal of Fish Biology. 69 (2): 637–642. doi:10.1111/j.1095-8649.2006.01134.x.
  3. 1 2 Ali, P.H.A.; Raghavan, R.; Prasad, G. (2007). "Threatened fishes of the world: Horabagrus brachysoma (Gunther, 1864) (Horabagridae)". Environmental Biology of Fishes. 78 (3): 221. doi:10.1007/s10641-006-0022-4. S2CID 19334068.
  4. ↑ "PlanetCatfish::Cat-eLog::Horabagrus brachysoma".
  5. 1 2 3 Anuradha, B. (2001). "New Report of the Species, Horabagrus brachysoma in Uttara Kannada district of Karnataka" (PDF). Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society. 98 (2): 294–296.
  6. ↑ "PlanetCatfish::Catfish of the Month::September 2001". 2005.
  7. ↑ Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.). "Horabagrus brachysoma". FishBase. April 2015 version.
  8. ↑ Abdul Muneer, P. M.; Gopalakrishnan, A.; Musammilu, K. K.; Mohindra, Vindhya; Lal, K. K.; Basheer, V. S.; Lakra, W. S. (2008). "Genetic variation and population structure of endemic yellow catfish, Horabagrus brachysoma (Bagridae) among three populations of Western Ghat region using RAPD and microsatellite markers". Molecular Biology Reports. 36 (7): 1779–1791. doi:10.1007/s11033-008-9381-6. PMID 18979230. S2CID 28796684.
  9. ↑ Abdul Muneer, P.M., Gopalakrishnan, A., Musammilu, K.K., Basheer, V.S., Mohindra, V., Lal, K.K., Padmakumar, K.G. & Ponniah, A.G. (2012): Comparative assessment of genetic variability in the populations of endemic and endangered yellow catfish, Horabagrus brachysoma (Hoarabagridae) based on allozymes, RAPD and microsatellite markers. Biochemical Genetics, 50 (3-4): 192–212.
  10. ↑ Abdul Muneer, P.M., Gopalakrishnan, A., Lal, K.K. & Mohindra, V. (2007): Population genetic structure of endemic and endangered yellow catfish, Horabagrus brachysoma using allozyme markers. Biochemical Genetics, 45 (9-10): 637–645.
  11. ↑ Kurup, B.M.; Radhakrishnan, K.V.; Manojkumar, T.G. "Biodiversity Status of Fishes Inhabiting Rivers of Kerala (S.India) with Special Reference to Endemism, Threats, and Conservation Measures" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 8 October 2007. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
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