Science News: Bagridae - Hemibagrus chrysops

[Silurus]

Synopsis by Shane Linder

Hemibagrus chrysops (Ng & Dodson, 1999) is described from the Sadong and Rajang drainages in Sarawak, northern Borneo. This species is relatively small and is sexually mature at 150 mm (6 inches). This species shares its habitat with H. nemurus, but it appears that the new species is found mainly in downstream sections while H. nemurus is more abundant upstream. The specific name "chrysops" is from the Greek meaning gold-colored and is a reference to the fish's live coloration. Also presented in the paper is a genetic analysis of the above two species and their relationships with each other and within the genus Hemibagrus.


Reference: Ng H. H. & J. J. Dodson. 1999. Morphological and genetic descriptions of a new species of catfish, Hemibagrus chrysops, from Sarawak, East Malaysia, with an assessment of phylogenetic relationships (Teleostei: Bagridae). The Raffles Bulletin of Zoology 47(1): 45-57.