AquaticRepublic.com - Ompok karunkodu (Siluridae) All Fishes

Dorsal view of holotype
Lateral view of holotype
Ventral view of holotype

All Fishes Data Sheet
Scientific Name	**Ompok karunkodu** Ng, 2013
Common Name
Type Locality	Tamil Nadu, Amaravathi River in the vicinity of Amaravathi Dam, 10°24'N, 77°16'E, India.
Pronunciation	Awm pok - ka ron ko du
Etymology	The etymology of Ompok is unclear. It is believed to be a corruption of the Indonesian name for mid-sized silurid catfishes, limpok. The specific epithet comes from the Tamil karun, a contraction of karuppu, meaning black and kodu, meaning line. This refers to the dark midlateral stripe running along the side of the body in this species. Used as a noun in apposition.
Species Information
Identification	The catfish genus Ompok La Cepède, 1803, consists of medium-sized silurid fishes found in inland waters throughout South and Southeast Asia. The genus is traditionally diagnosed by the presence of a short dorsal fin with 4 rays, strongly forked caudal fin, subcutaneous eye that is set immediately posterior to the mouth rictus and two patches of palatal teeth (Weber & de Beaufort, 1913). Bornbusch (1995) showed that Ompok, as currently understood, is probably paraphyletic. Ompok karunkodu can be distinguished from all congeners in the Indian subcontinent in having a markedly convex predorsal profile (vs. with a slight or distinct concavity in the supraethmoidal or supraoccipital region), and a unique combination of the following characters: prognathous lower jaw causing anterior profile of head to appear rounded when viewed laterally, maxillary barbel reaching to base of pectoral-fin spine,eye diameter 13.7% HL, head width 13.0% SL, body depth at anus 14.2% SL, 65 anal-fin rays, caudal peduncle depth 5.0% SL, caudal-fin length 12.6% SL, caudal fin with rounded lobes, 54 vertebrae, and dark midlateral stripe running along sides of body.
Sexing	Males have strong serrations on the posterior edge of the pectoral spine (females lack these serrations.
Habitat Information
Distribution	Known from the Amaravathi River (a right-hand tributary of the Kaveri River) in southern India. Indian waters, Kaveri (click on these areas to find other species found there) Login to view the map.
IUCN Red List Category	Endangered , range map and more is available on the IUCN species page. Last assessed 2021.
Husbandry Information
Breeding	Unreported in the aquarium.
Breeding Reports	There is no breeding report.
Further Information
Reference	Zootaxa 3694 (no. 2), pp 162, Fig. 1.
Registered Keepers	There is no registered keeper.
Wishlists	Love this species? Click the heart to add it to your wish list. There is no wish to keep this species.
Spotters	Spotted this species somewhere? Click the binoculars! There is but a single record of this fish being seen, view it.
Forum BBCode

	Look up O. karunkodu on PlanetCatfish.com
	Look up O. karunkodu on Fishbase
	Look up O. karunkodu on Encyclopedia of Life
	Look up O. karunkodu on Global Biodiversity Information Facility
	LFS label creator ARN ref:1.7.113.5233
Last Update	2025 Jan 02 00:44 (species record created: 2013 Aug 02 00:43)