The Courtallam

[Shovelnose]

Was on an official trip to a town called Kovilaptti in the southern part of Tamil Nadu in the last week of January. Carried a coupla seines as it has become a habit. Got off early one day and travelled around and hour and a half to the town of Courtallam (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Courtallam).

It is a very famous waterfall known for its therapeutic abilities. I had my own therapy planned. A 1 litre bottle of Famous Grouse tucked away in my bag. Need I say more???


While my colleagues went for therapy (read oil bath), I went ahead collecting a bit away from here. I cant stand the sight of oil for some strange reasong. Too icky and slimy. Handling eels is a joy compared to handling oil to me.

The spot was definitely among the most polluted places I have collected in ever.








The spot.




This is what the seine looked like after most of the swipes. A Rasbora Sp (caverii I think) was found in abundance here. Each dip bought out atleast a dozen of 'em.

The more interesting fish collected here were :







The largest Mesonemacheilus triangularis I have ever collected.







A few Puntius sophore.







Puntius dorsalis. The dorsal spot is supposed to be placed around the first 2 rays as is the case here.





This one had the spot posteriorly placed. Dono if it means anything significant. Been told its normal.





Garra Sp.


Thats was it. Zero cats.

Resigned to my fate, I packed the fish and left to my hotel room. Just me, my television and Famous Grouse.

[Jools]

Greetings from the land of the infamous grouse. Those loaches look very nice though. Thanks for posting!

Jools

[Shovelnose]

Greetings from the land of the infamous grouse. Those loaches look very nice though. Thanks for posting!

Jools

Ha ha. Dont tell me its not famous there. And yeah, beautiful loaches. Not a dull moment in a tank with 'em.

[MatsP]

The word "infamous" isn't the same as "not famous" - more like "famous for the wrong reason", like a robber or murderer is "infamous", but a TV/film star is "famous" (this is not mutually exclusive, some "famous" people are also "infamous" for various reasons - Britney Spears appear to be a good example of being "both").

--
Mats

[Shovelnose]

All I can say is D'oh !!!!!

[PlecoCrazy]

Great Pictures! I really like those loaches as well.

[Viktor Jarikov]

Nice. Good to see the stately gentleman in a 3-piece suit traveling first class with hand-nets sticking out of his luggage and still doing what he does best... from our humble perspective.

[Shovelnose]

Nice. Good to see the stately gentleman in a 3-piece suit traveling first class with hand-nets sticking out of his luggage and still doing what he does best... from our humble perspective.

Ha ha. Train journey this time. So the number of disgusted stares I got from the co passengers was not too bad.

[Mike_Noren]

Are you sure about the ID of the P. sophore? I'm not good at indian cyprinids, but the P. sophore I've seen had two spots like the fish after P. dorsalis.

[racoll]

Are you sure about the ID of the P. sophore? I'm not good at indian cyprinids, but the P. sophore I've seen had two spots like the fish after P. dorsalis.

I think the fish does actually have this spot, and I think I can just see it in a couple of the photos. Should be much more obvious in preserved material though.

But is this really P. sophore? I doubt it. Puntius sophore is a Gangetic species described by Hamilton as having two pairs of barbels. The "P. sophore" I have seen in the trade have not had any barbels.

There are five available names in the synonymy of P. sophore, and I would guess individuals from Tamil Nadu way are not P. sophore (s.s.).

[Shovelnose]

Are you sure about the ID of the P. sophore? I'm not good at indian cyprinids, but the P. sophore I've seen had two spots like the fish after P. dorsalis.

I think the fish does actually have this spot, and I think I can just see it in a couple of the photos. Should be much more obvious in preserved material though.

But is this really P. sophore? I doubt it. Puntius sophore is a Gangetic species described by Hamilton as having two pairs of barbels. The "P. sophore" I have seen in the trade have not had any barbels.

There are five available names in the synonymy of P. sophore, and I would guess individuals from Tamil Nadu way are not P. sophore (s.s.).

Interesting piece of info. Got any pics of the 'true' P.sophore to share???


A few more pics of the barb.







Help spot any barbels???

[racoll]

Got any pics of the 'true' P.sophore to share???

Sadly not I'm afraid.

Help spot any barbels???

Unlikely you'll see them in a live fish, as they will be very small if present if present.

[grokefish]

Got any pics of the 'true' P.sophore to share???

Sadly not I'm afraid.

Help spot any barbels???

Unlikely you'll see them in a live fish, as they will be very small if present if present.

To be sure, at all, at all......

[Shovelnose]

Alright. Got some more info on P.sophore from a friend.

From what I understood :

Barbus sophore : North Indian fish : 2 pairs of barbels.

Cyprinus sophore (currently in synonymy with Puntius stigma) : South Indian fish : No barbels.

[racoll]

From what I understood :

Barbus sophore : North Indian fish : 2 pairs of barbels.

Cyprinus sophore (currently in synonymy with Puntius stigma) : South Indian fish : No barbels.

Yes, I think you are right, but your friend's nomenclature is all wrong.

Cyprinus sophore Hamilton = Puntius sophore (Hamilton). This is the North Indian fish.

Leuciscus stigma Valenciennes = Puntius stigma (Valenciennes). This could indeed be your South Indian fish. It is currently regarded as a junior subjective synonym of P. sophore (Hamilton), but may well turn out to be distinct if someone were to work on the group...

[Mike_Noren]

I'm really really reluctant to wade in to this, especially as I haven't got my books, but for what very little it's worth...

This to me looks like what I know as P. sophore. Note spots and barbels.
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/_pWXz ... C04345.jpg

This to me is something else entirely.
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/_pWXz ... C04319.jpg

[racoll]

To be sure, at all, at all......

This to me looks like what I know as P. sophore. Note spots and barbels.
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/_pWXz ... C04345.jpg

For me this fish is P. dorsalis. The inferior mouth and rounded snout is the giveaway.

This to me is something else entirely.
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/_pWXz ... C04319.jpg

Pretty sure that Shovelnose is right. If one were being conservative it would be called P. cf. sophore, but for the more cavalier P. stigma could be used. However, without actually reading the description, it is hard to be certain.

[racoll]

Thinking about it, this paler fish below could well be Puntius mahecola (Valenciennes).



The darker one here looks to be P. cf. sophore or P. stigma.

[Shovelnose]

Here s me at my confused best. Could the deeper bodied Puntius be P.melanostigma ???

[racoll]

Could the deeper bodied Puntius be P.melanostigma ???

Puntius melanostigma is a junior subjective synonym of P. mahecola (as I suggested above), so yes, it looks like we are both barking up the same tree, so to speak.

[Shovelnose]

Alright. Thats P.mahecola,P.dorsalis and P.sophore then.

[racoll]

Without examining them in more detail, I think that is pretty accurate.

However, I would still prefer to call the P. sophore fish P. cf. sophore, as it probably isn't this species.

[Hudson Ensz]

Very nice photographs, loved the write up.
I wouldnt mind catching a few loaches down here in brazil!

[Shovelnose]

Thanks Hudson. Any Scoloplacids found in your region???