Puntius nelsoni Plamoottil, 2014
Travancore yellow barb
photo by Plamoottil, M.

Family:  Cyprinidae (Minnows or carps), subfamily: Smiliogastrinae
Max. size:  9.1 cm SL (male/unsexed)
Environment:  benthopelagic; freshwater; depth range 1 - 10 m
Distribution:  Asia: India.
Diagnosis:  This species is distinguished from its close congeners by the following set of characters: maxillaries are feeble, short and never reach orbit, the nostrils inserted in the middle of orbit and snout tip, head deeper (89.3- 96.2 % HL), mouth gape wider (29.2- 31.0 % HL) and snout shorter (22.7- 28.8 % HL); body and fins are yellowish; a narrow light bluish green mark on summit of occiput; outer to operculum with numerous fine black dots present in the form of a thin band which of both sides join together at occiput; differs from P. dorsalis, P. sophore and P. stigma in lacking (vs. presence) any color spot on the base of dorsal fin; differs further from P. dorsalis, P. sophore, P. parrah, P. viridis and P. chola in having a wider head; differs from P. madhusoodani in having 5½ (vs. 4½) scales between lateral line and dorsal fin; differs from P. mahecola in having 25- 26 lateral line scales (vs. 22) and 3½ scales (vs. 2½) between lateral line and ventral fin (Ref. 104747).
Biology:  This species occurs in Kallumkal, a site of merging of Pamba River with Manimala River. This part of the river is blanketed by mud dominant sediments, the sand occurs as discrete patches within the mud dominant deposits. The depth and width of the channel at Kallumkal ranges from 1 to 10 and 30 to 85 m, respectively; the reach has a bank height of 1 to 2 m from the general water level. Riparian vegetation is moderate; major flora includes Bambusa bambos, B. vulgaris, Hibiscus tiliaceus and Ochreinauclea missionis; and Cynodon dactylon and Cymbopogon flexuosus are major grass species in this area. Some fishes co-occurring with this species in the region are: Rasbora dandia, Osteobrama bakeri, Amblypharyngodon microlepis, Dawkinsia filamentosus, Haludaria fasciatus, Puntius parrah, P. viridis, Pethia ticto, Gonoproktopterus kurali, Catla catla, Labeo rohita, Labeo dussumieri, Cirrhina mrigala, Horabagrus brachysoma, and Wallago attu (Ref. 104747).
IUCN Red List Status: Not Evaluated (N.E.) Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless


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