All Fishes ⇒ Sisoridae ⇒ Sisorinae ⇒ The genus Glyptothorax

Hop to next section Summary of Glyptothorax
Pronounced Gleep toe thor axe
Etymology The generic name comes from the Greek glyptos, meaning carved, and thorax, meaning breastplate (or the part of the body covered by it), in reference to the folds of skin comprising the thoracic adhesive apparatus.
Identification Sisorid catfishes of the genus Glyptothorax Blyth are benthic inhabitants of torrential waters of rivers and streams in montane and submontane parts of tropical Asia. The members of the genus are adapted to attach themselves to rocks and boulders against strong currents by means of a thoracic adhesive apparatus comprising grooves and folded pleats of skin parallel or oblique to the longitudinal axis of the body. The genus has a wide distribution, ranging from Turkey and Syria in the west, to India and China in the east, and extending further southeastward to Indonesia. With 84 nominal species, Glyptothorax are the most speciose genus of catfishes in Asia (Eschmeyer et al., 1998, Ng, 2005); 67 species were treated as valid by Thomson & Page (2006).
Breeding Unreported in captivity.
Size Smallest 32mm, largest 250mm, average 108mm, most commonly 100mm. All SL.
Species There are 114 "species" in the database
Keepers 16 species (14%) are being kept by registered keepers
New spp. / time
1750 1770 1790 1810 1830 1850 1870 1890 1910 1930 1950 1970 1990 2010 
Hop to next section Most Kept Species
1. Glyptothorax siamensis (21.88%)
2. Glyptothorax telchitta (15.63%)
3. Glyptothorax anamalaiensis (12.5%)
4. Glyptothorax sinensis (9.38%)
5. Glyptothorax trilineatus (6.25%)
6. Glyptothorax granulus (3.13%)
7. Glyptothorax indicus (3.13%)
8. Glyptothorax annandalei (3.13%)
9. Glyptothorax burmanicus (3.13%)
10. Glyptothorax laosensis (3.13%)
11. Glyptothorax schmidti (3.13%)

Jump to distribution.

Hop to next section Distribution of selected Glyptothorax species


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