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Draft:Bhavania australis

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Bhavania australis
A wild specimen from Kottiyoor, Kerala, India
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Cypriniformes
Family: Balitoridae
Genus: Bhavania
Species:
B. australis
Binomial name
Bhavania australis
Jerdon, 1849
Synonyms
  • Platycara australis Jerdon, 1849
  • Homaloptera maculata Day, 1877
  • Homaloptera brucei Day, 1877
  • Bhavania annandalei Hora, 1920

Bhavania australis also known as the Western Ghats Loach is a species of hillstream loach endemic to the Western Ghats in southern Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu, India. While it is considered least concern by the IUCN Red List, research shows it to be endangered due to habitat destruction, pollution and dynamite fishing.[1][2][page needed][3][page needed]

It is usually dark on the dorsal surface, with black spots irregularly distributed on the body. It grows to an maximum size of 9 cm.[3][page needed]

In captivity[edit]

It is difficult to maintain in aquarium conditions, it has been seen that it cant thrive well in aquariums more then an month. It is generally peaceful, always sticking to the glass surface of tanks. [3][page needed]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b "Bhavania australis". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2011. 2011.
  2. ^ Arunachalam, M., J.A. Johnson and A. Manimekalan, 2000. "Cultivable and ornamental fishes in rivers of Wynard district, Kerala". In A.G. Ponniah and A. Gopalakrishnan (eds.) Endemic fish diversity of Western Ghats. NBFGR-NATP Publication. National Bureau of Fish Genetic Resources, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India.
  3. ^ a b c Ponniah, A.G. & Gopalakrishnan, Dr. (2018). Endemic Fish Diversity of Western Ghats.