Homaloptera

Abstract: The genus Homalopteroides Fowler 1905 is resurrected and distinguished from the genus Homaloptera van Hasselt 1823 based on a combination of characters including a unique mouth morphology, dorsal-fin origin over pelvic fin, 60 lateralline scales, and 30 predorsal scales. Species included in Homalopteroides are H. wassinkii (Bleeker 1853), H. modestus (Vinciguerra 1890), H. rupicola (Prashad & Mukerji 1929), H. smithi (Hora 1932), H. stephensoni (Hora 1932), H. weberi (Hora 1932), H. tweediei (Herre 1940), H. indochinensis (Silas 1953), H. nebulosus (Alfred 1969), H. yuwonoi (Kottelat 1998), and possibly H. manipurensis (Arunkumar 1999). Homalopteroides modestus (Vinciguerra 1890) is a poorly known species that was originally described from the Meekalan and Meetan rivers of southern Myanmar. It occurs in the Salween, Mae Khlong, and Tenasserim basins, and can be distinguished from all other species of Homalopteroides by the combination of caudal-fin pattern (black proximal and distal bars, median blotch), 15 pectoral-fin rays, pectoral-fin length greater than head length, 5½–6½ scales above and 5–6 scales below the lateral line (to the pelvic fin), 39–44 total lateralline pores, no axillary pelvic-fin lobe, pelvic fin not reaching anus, orbital length less than interorbital width in adult, and maxillary barbel reaching to or slightly past the anterior orbital rim.

Abstract: The genus Balitoropsis Smith 1945 consists of two species, B. zollingeri (Bleeker 1853) and B. ophiolepis (Bleeker 1853). Homaloptera maxinae Fowler 1937, Balitoropsis bartschi Smith 1945, and Homaloptera nigra Alfred 1969 are junior synonyms of B. zollingeri. Balitoropsis zollingeri has been reported from Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Malay Peninsula, Sumatra, Java, and Borneo, and B. ophiolepis is known from Sumatra, Java, and Borneo.

Abstract: Homaloptera batek, new species, is a riffle specialist differentiated by its unique colour pattern for a species of Homaloptera, consisting of a series of round blotches interspaced by smaller blotches in large individuals. The poorly known species Homaloptera tateregani and H. stephensoni are redescribed; the former is restricted to the upper Mahakam basin in East Kalimantan, whereas the latter is distributed throughout Borneo. The status of the genus Pseudohomaloptera Silas is also considered.

Abstract: comprises small, loach-like fishes that occur in fast-flowing parts of streams and rivers throughout most of South-Eastern Asia. In his taxonomic study of the group, Silas (1953) reported six species from Malaya, viz., Homaloptera zollingeri Bleeker, H. wassinki Bleeker, H. orthogoniata Vaillant, H. tweediei Herre, H. leonardi Hora, and Neohomaloptera johorensis Herre. A new species of Homaloptera is here described from material which has been acquired during 19571966.