Kryptopterus
Encyclopedia
Kryptopterus is a genus
of catfish
es belonging to the family
Siluridae. They are found in freshwater
throughout Southeast Asia
. The scientific name comes from Ancient Greek
kryptós (κρυπτός, "hidden") + ptéryx (πτέρυξ, "fin"). It refers to the reduced or even entirely absent dorsal fin
of these catfishes.
These small- to medium-sized catfishes often have transparent or translucent bodies, hence their common name Asian glass catfishes. Most significant among these is the Ghost Catfish
(K. minor), which is the "glass catfish" most often seen in the aquarium
fish trade. It is frequently misidentified as its larger relative the Glass Catfish
(K. bicirrhis), which is, however, rarely if ever traded. This was only realized in 1989, however; earlier authors assumed K. minor to be K. bicirrhis by default.
have been described as of 2009, the genus Kryprtopterus is notoriously rich in cryptic species. A numvber of these have been recognized in recent years, and more are likely to follow:
Some species formerly placed in Kryptopterus are nowadays in other genera, in particular Phalacronotus but also Micronema and Pterocryptis
.
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
of catfish
Catfish
Catfishes are a diverse group of ray-finned fish. Named for their prominent barbels, which resemble a cat's whiskers, catfish range in size and behavior from the heaviest and longest, the Mekong giant catfish from Southeast Asia and the second longest, the wels catfish of Eurasia, to detritivores...
es belonging to the family
Family (biology)
In biological classification, family is* a taxonomic rank. Other well-known ranks are life, domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, genus, and species, with family fitting between order and genus. As for the other well-known ranks, there is the option of an immediately lower rank, indicated by the...
Siluridae. They are found in freshwater
Freshwater
Fresh water is naturally occurring water on the Earth's surface in ice sheets, ice caps, glaciers, bogs, ponds, lakes, rivers and streams, and underground as groundwater in aquifers and underground streams. Fresh water is generally characterized by having low concentrations of dissolved salts and...
throughout Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia, South-East Asia, South East Asia or Southeastern Asia is a subregion of Asia, consisting of the countries that are geographically south of China, east of India, west of New Guinea and north of Australia. The region lies on the intersection of geological plates, with heavy seismic...
. The scientific name comes from Ancient Greek
Ancient Greek
Ancient Greek is the stage of the Greek language in the periods spanning the times c. 9th–6th centuries BC, , c. 5th–4th centuries BC , and the c. 3rd century BC – 6th century AD of ancient Greece and the ancient world; being predated in the 2nd millennium BC by Mycenaean Greek...
kryptós (κρυπτός, "hidden") + ptéryx (πτέρυξ, "fin"). It refers to the reduced or even entirely absent dorsal fin
Dorsal fin
A dorsal fin is a fin located on the backs of various unrelated marine and freshwater vertebrates, including most fishes, marine mammals , and the ichthyosaurs...
of these catfishes.
These small- to medium-sized catfishes often have transparent or translucent bodies, hence their common name Asian glass catfishes. Most significant among these is the Ghost Catfish
Ghost Catfish
The Ghost Catfish , also known as the Phantom Catfish or Ghost Fish, is an Asian glass catfish. Until 1989, it was considered to be the same as the Glass Catfish , and even today the latter name is commonly seen in the aquarium fish trade. However, the larger K...
(K. minor), which is the "glass catfish" most often seen in the aquarium
Aquarium
An aquarium is a vivarium consisting of at least one transparent side in which water-dwelling plants or animals are kept. Fishkeepers use aquaria to keep fish, invertebrates, amphibians, marine mammals, turtles, and aquatic plants...
fish trade. It is frequently misidentified as its larger relative the Glass Catfish
Glass catfish
The Glass Catfish is an Asian glass catfish of the genus Kryptopterus. Until 1989, it included its smaller relative the Ghost Catfish, now known as K. minor. Its scientific name and common name are often still used in the aquarium fish trade to refer to the Ghost Catfish; as it seems, the larger...
(K. bicirrhis), which is, however, rarely if ever traded. This was only realized in 1989, however; earlier authors assumed K. minor to be K. bicirrhis by default.
Species
While 19 speciesSpecies
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
have been described as of 2009, the genus Kryprtopterus is notoriously rich in cryptic species. A numvber of these have been recognized in recent years, and more are likely to follow:
- Kryptopterus baramensis Ng, 2002
- Kryptopterus bicirrhis – Glass CatfishGlass catfishThe Glass Catfish is an Asian glass catfish of the genus Kryptopterus. Until 1989, it included its smaller relative the Ghost Catfish, now known as K. minor. Its scientific name and common name are often still used in the aquarium fish trade to refer to the Ghost Catfish; as it seems, the larger...
- Kryptopterus cheveyi Durand, 1940
- Kryptopterus cryptopterusKryptopterus cryptopterusKryptopterus cryptopterus is a species of catfish, the type species of the genus Kryptopterus. It can be distinguished from all its congeners, with the exception of the newly split Kryptopterus geminus, by the almost flat dorsal profile with no concavity behind the head.This distinctively shaped,...
- Kryptopterus dissitus Ng, 2001 – Indochinese Sheatfish
- Kryptopterus geminusKryptopterus geminusKryptopterus geminus is a species of catfish belonging to the family Siluridae. It can be distinguished from all its congeners, with the exception of Kryptopterus cryptopterus, by the almost flat dorsal profile with no concavity behind the head....
- Kryptopterus hesperius Ng, 2002 – Maeklong Sheatfish
- Kryptopterus lais (Bleeker, 1851)
- Kryptopterus limpok (Bleeker, 1852) – Long-barbel Sheatfish
- Kryptopterus lumholtzi Rendahl, 1922
- Kryptopterus macrocephalus (Bleeker, 1858) – Striped Glass Catfish
- Kryptopterus minor – Ghost CatfishGhost CatfishThe Ghost Catfish , also known as the Phantom Catfish or Ghost Fish, is an Asian glass catfish. Until 1989, it was considered to be the same as the Glass Catfish , and even today the latter name is commonly seen in the aquarium fish trade. However, the larger K...
, Phantom Catfish, Ghost Fish - Kryptopterus mononema (Bleeker, 1847)
- Kryptopterus moorei Smith, 1945
- Kryptopterus palembangensis (Bleeker, 1852)
- Kryptopterus paraschilbeides Ng, 2003
- Kryptopterus piperatus Ng, Wirjoatmodjo & Hadiaty, 2004
- Kryptopterus sabanus (Inger & Chin, 1959)
- Kryptopterus schilbeides (Bleeker, 1858)
Some species formerly placed in Kryptopterus are nowadays in other genera, in particular Phalacronotus but also Micronema and Pterocryptis
Pterocryptis
Pterocryptis is a genus of catfishes of the family Siluridae. These fish are medium sized catfishes usually found in fast flowing mountain streams throughout India, southern China and Southeast Asia....
.