Pangio fusca (Blyth, 1860)
Pangio fusca
photo by Baird, I.G.

Family:  Cobitidae (Spined loaches)
Max. size:  8 cm SL (male/unsexed)
Environment:  demersal; freshwater
Distribution:  Asia: Salween and Mekong basins; also from the western slope of northern Malay Peninsula in Thailand and Myanmar.
Diagnosis:  Dorsal soft rays (total): 8-8; Anal soft rays: 7-7; Vertebrae: 52-58. Differs from all its congeners, except P. pulla and P. apoda by the absence of its pelvic fins and pelvic girdle. Distinguished from P. pulla and P. apoda by the presence of nasal barbels (vs. absence), and further from P. apoda by more abdominal vertebrae (41-44 vs. 38-39), and a further posteriorly placed dorsal fin (predorsal length 74.8-78.7 % SL vs. 69;0-73.3), and from P. pulla by the plain brown color pattern (vs. blackish brown with 20-25 narrow vertical bars) and fewer vertebrae (42-44+ 12-15=55-58 vs. 46-48 + 15-16=61-62). From all other species in Myanmar it differs further by the presence of a nasal barbel (vs. absence), from P. elongata, P. lumbriciformis and P. signicauda by a higher (7.5-9.7 % SL vs. 4.15.0) and shorter caudal peduncle (9.4-12.2 % SL vs. 14.9-16.6), and a different color pattern (plain brown vs. with dark marks on body and fins), from P. pangia and P. elongata by the number of abdominal vertebrae (41-44 vs. 34-39 in P. pangia and 44-46 in P. elongata), and further from P. pangia by shorter pectoral fins (5.7-7.0 % SL vs. 8.2-9.6) (Ref. 57993).
Biology: 
IUCN Red List Status: Data deficient (DD); Date assessed: 01 April 2010 Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless


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