Korica, Schistura corica (Hamilton, 1822)

Systematic position
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii (Ray-finned fishes)
Order: Cypriniformes (Carps)
Family: Balitoridae (River loaches)
Subfamily: Nemacheilinae
Genus: Schistura
Species: S. corica

Synonyms
Acoura cinerea (Swainson, 1839)
Cobites cinerea Swainson, 1839
Cobitis corica Hamilton, 1822
Nemacheilus corica (Hamilton, 1822)
Noemacheilus corica (Hamilton, 1822)
Schistura punctata McClelland, 1839

Common/local names
English: River loach
Bangladesh: Koirka (কইরকা), Korica (করিকা) and Khorica (খরিকা)

Distributions: Bangladesh, India, Nepal and Pakistan (Talwar and Jhingran, 1991).

Conservation status: Data deficient in Bangladesh (IUCN Bangladesh, 2000).

Morphology: The body is moderate and deeply compressed. A semi-circular mouth with fleshy lips and lower lip notched at middle. Head curved downward and snout not only conical but also pointed. 3 pairs of  barbels. Pectoral fin longer than head. Scales small, conspicuous, imbricate and more prominent posteriorly.  Lateral line complete.

Body yellowish in color. Two longitudinal and one transverse bands (brown) present on snout and silvery bands on flanks. 8-9 brown bands on back descending partly on both sides; 9-10 brown blotches or short bands along lateral line (Rahman, 1989 and 2005).

Fin formula:
D.10 (1/9); P­_1. 12; P_2. 6(1/5); A. 6 (2/4) (Rahman, 1989 and 2005)
D ii 8; A ii 5; P i 10; V i 7 (Talwar and Jhingran, 1991)

Maximum lengths: 3.5 cm TL (Rahman, 1989 and 2005) and 4.2 cm SL (Talwar and Jhingran, 1991).

Habitats: Inhabits in clear water, hill streams with sandy bottom (Rahman, 1989 and 2005). Recorded from Rangapani Khal (Sylhet) and Jagat river (Rangpur) of Bangladesh (Rahman, 1989 and 2005).

Fishery information: Of no interest to fisheries (Talwar and Jhingran, 1991).

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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.

IUCN Bangladesh (2000) Red book of threatened fishes of Bangladesh, IUCN- The world conservation union. xii+116 pp.

McClelland J (1839) Indian Cyprinidae. Asiatic Researches 19(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, p. 147.

Rahman AKA (2005) Freshwater Fishes of Bangladesh, 2^nd edition, Zoological Society of Bangladesh, Department of Zoology, University of Dhaka, Dhaka-1000, p. 166.

Swainson W (1839) The natural history and classification of fishes, amphibians, & reptiles, or monocardian animals. Spottiswoode & Co., London. Nat. Hist. & Class. i-vi + 1-448.

Talwar PK and Jhingran AG (1991) Inland Fishes of India and Adjacent Countries, Vol. 1, Oxford & IBH Publishing Co. Pvt. Ltd. New Delhi-Calcutta, p. 476.

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