Balitora annamitica Kottelat, 1988
photo by FAO

Family:  Balitoridae (River loaches)
Max. size:  12 cm TL (male/unsexed)
Environment:  demersal; freshwater
Distribution:  Asia: Mekong basin.
Diagnosis:  Dorsal soft rays (total): 12-12; Anal soft rays: 8-8. Unculi in interorbital area, on cheeks and on nape elongated, similar in size to keels on scales; no larger ones at tip of snout and between nares. Eye diameter 14-15% HL (vs. 14-19 in B. burmanica) and 2.7-3.0 times in interorbital width (vs. 2.2-2.5 in B. burmanica); caudal peduncle 1.9-2.2 times longer than deep (3.0-4.2 times in B. burmanica and B. brucei), lateral head length 19-22% SL (vs. 23-25 in B. mysorensis) (Ref. 37826); 8 unbranched pectoral-fin rays (Ref. 12693).
Biology:  Inhabits high gradient streams with boulder or bedrock substrates. Feed on benthic insects, and may ingest small amounts of phytoplankton and periphyton. Not fished commercially, but can probably be taken with dip-net and traps (Ref. 12693).
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 18 February 2011 Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless


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