pallidus or maysai

[mickthefish]

i got this loach awhile back, its put a good bit of weight on now, it measures 68 mm SL.
my moneys on pallidus but would like your opinions.
here's a couple of pics.


cheers
mick

[Emma Turner]

That's a very tricky one, Mick. Do you have Kottelat's Indochinese Nemacheilines book to hand? If not, I will post what he states the differences are to see if that helps.

Emma

[mickthefish]

if you would post it that would be great Emma.

mick

[Emma Turner]

Ok, here goes.

Nemacheilus masyae is distinguised from all other species of nemacheilines in Indo-Chinese area by its colour pattern consisting of a light background with 14-18 dark blotches along sides and 12-17 dark saddles along the back, a black spot at posterior extremity of lateral line and a black spot on anterior dorsal rays at about one fourth of ray length. From the closely related N. pallidus, it is distinguished by a slender body (body depth 12.6 - 17.6% SL [mean 14.7, S. D. 1.08], vs 14.8 - 19.1% [mean 16.9, S. D. 0.95]; eyes situated more on the top of the head (interorbital width 4.9 - 6.8% SL, vs 5.7 - 8.0) and darker and wider markings (spots and saddles usually wider than interspaces, vs thinner).

Nemacheilus pallidus is distinguised from all other species of nemacheilines in Indo-Chinese area by its colour pattern consisting of a light background with 14-19 dark blotches along sides and 13-16 dark saddles along the back, a black spot at posterior extremity of lateral line and a black spot on anterior dorsal rays at about one fourth of ray length. From the closely related N. masyae, it is distinguished by a deeper body (body depth 14.8 - 19.1% SL [mean 16.9, S. D. 0.95], vs 12.6 - 17.6% [mean 14.7, S. D. 1.08]; eyes situated more on the sides of the head (interorbital width 5.7 - 8.0% SL, vs 4.9 - 6.8 ) and lighter and thinner markings (spots and saddles thinner than interspaces, vs wider).

Emma

[Graeme Robson]

Mick, I would say you have the Nemacheilus masyai. Yours seems to have the upward position of the eyes with a rosy spot on the first Dorsal fin spine.

[mickthefish]

that sort of confirms it Graeme, when Andy first saw it he said maysai as well.

mick