AquaticRepublic.com - Rita macracanthus (Ritidae) All Fishes

All Fishes Data Sheet
Scientific Name	**Rita macracanthus** Ng, 2004
Common Name
Type Locality	Indus River at Attock, Pakistan.
Pronunciation	REET ah - makra canth uss
Etymology	The name Rita is derived from the local name of the fish. From the Greek makros, meaning long, and akantha, meaning thorn, in reference to the relatively long dorsal and pectoral spines of this species. Used as a noun.
Species Information
Size	263mm or 10.4" SL. Find near, nearer or same sized spp.
Identification	Bagrid catfishes of the genus Rita Bleeker, 1854 are found in large rivers throughout the Indian subcontinent and Myanmar, and are capable of reaching sizes to 1500 mm TL (Talwar and Jhingran, 1991), although mature specimens of ca. 200-300 mm SL are more commonly encountered. The genus is diagnosed by the following synapomorphies (Mo, 1991): single pair of mandibular barbels, elongated Weberian apparatus firmly sutured to the basioccipital, and the sensory canal on the posttemporal enclosed within the bone. Rita macracanthus differs from all congeners in having a unique combination of the following characters: dorsal spine reaching to middle of adipose-fin base; pectoral-spine length 28.7–30.0% SL; depth of caudal peduncle 7.6–8.4% SL; maximum length of premaxillary tooth band 4.8–6.4 times its maximum width; eye diameter 6.9–8.7% HL; interorbital distance 39.4– 44.1% HL; dorsal surface of head between eyes and supraoccipital covered with thin skin wherein the underlying bone is visible; two distinct vomerine tooth patches with rounded peg-like teeth. Rita macracanthus is distinguished from R.rita in having longer dorsal and pectoral spines, a more slender caudal peduncle, and a longer premaxillary tooth band.
Sexing	Males have branched and comb-like testes.
General Remarks	According to Khan (1934), R. macracanthus (as R. rita) feeds on invertebrates and small fishes. Males have branched and comb-like testes and in the Jhelum River (a tributary of the Indus River), breeding season lasts from June to the end of July, during which the fish migrates to colder waters in shoals.
Habitat Information
Distribution	Asia: known from the Indus River drainage in Afghanisan, Pakistan, and northwestern India. Pakistan Waters, Indus (click on these areas to find other species found there) Log in to view data on a map.
IUCN Red List Category	Least Concern, range map and more is available on the IUCN species page. Last assessed 2020.
Husbandry Information
Breeding	Not reported in the aquarium.
Breeding Reports	There is no breeding report.
Further Information
Reference	Zootaxa No. 568, pp 2, Figs. 1-2a.
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.
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Last Update	2020 Sep 29 02:59 (species record created: 2006 May 22 00:00)