Systematic position
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii (Ray-finned fishes)
Order: Cypriniformes (Carps)
Family: Cyprinidae (Minnows and carps)
Genus: Tor
Species: T. putitora
Synonyms
Barbus macrocephalus McClelland, 1839
Barbus mosal (Hamilton, 1822)
Barbus putitora (Hamilton, 1822)
Cyprinus mosal Hamilton, 1822
Cyprinus putitora Hamilton, 1822
Local names
English: Putitor mahseer
Bangladesh: Mohashol (মহাশোল), Mohaseer (মহাশীর) and Putitor mohaseer (পুটিটর মহাশীর)
India: Pithia, Junga, Peetia, Jungapithia, Putitora, Khamahasur, Sahara, Turgia, Mohasol and Mohasir (Talwar and
Jhingran, 308).
Distributions: Bangladesh, Pakistan, Afghanistan, India and Nepal (Talwar and Jhingran, 1991).
Morphology: The body is elongated and both profiles (dorsal and ventral) nearly straight and somewhat compressed. Mouth small and upper jaw slightly longer than that of lower jaw. Lips thick and fleshy. Barbels two pairs. Last unbranched ray of dorsal fin is comparatively strong, smooth and osseous. Pelvic fins contain a scaly appendage. Caudal deeply forked. 25-28 (Talwar and Jhingran, 308); 25-26 (Rahman, 1989) scales on lateral line.
Color of the side is greenish silvery. Belly silvery to white. Scale golden with dark base and formed of minute black spot. Anal, pelvic and pectoral fins reddish yellow in color.
Fin formula:
D. 2/9; P1. 15; P2. 9; A. 2/5 (Rahman, 1989 and 2005)
D iv 8; A ii 5; P i 16-17; V i 8 (Talwar and Jhingran, 1991)
Maximum lengths and weights: 23-26 cm (Rahman, 1989), 270 cm (Talwar and Jhingran, 209). 54 kg fish was
recorded from Cauveri river; 24.4 kg from Teesta and Riyang rivers in northern Bengal (Rahman, 1989).
Habitats: Inhibits running streams and rivers (Talwar and Jhingran, 1991). Found Someswary and Kongsha rivers in
Netrokona, Bangladesh (Rahman, 1989). Most common in Himalaya (Talwar and Jhingran, 1991). Inhibits fast flowing streams with bottom rocks and boulders (Rahman, 2005).
This species has been introduced from Nepal and artificially bred by Bangladesh Fisheries Research Institute at Mymensingh (Rahman, 2005).
Economic importance: Sport fish with excellent food value (Rahman, 2005).
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REFERENCES
Hamilton F. 1822 An account of the fishes found in the river Ganges and its branches. Edinburgh & London. An account of the fishes found in the river Ganges and its branches.: i-vii + 1-405, Pls. 1-39.
McClelland J. 1839. Indian Cyprinidae. Asiatic Researches v. 19 (pt 2): 217-471, Pls. 37-61.
Rahman AKA. 1989. Freshwater Fishes of Bangladesh, 1st edition, Zoological Society of Bangladesh, Department of Zoology, University of Dhaka, Dhaka-1000, pp. 137-138.
Rahman AKA. 2005. Freshwater Fishes of Bangladesh, 2nd edition, Zoological Society of Bangladesh, Department of Zoology, University of Dhaka, Dhaka-1000, pp. 156-157.
Talwar PK and Jhingran AG. 1991. Inland Fishes of India and Adjacent Countries, Vol. 1, Oxford & IBH Publishing Co. Pvt. Ltd. New Delhi-Calcutta, pp. 308-309.
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