Edit Balitoropsis zollingeri

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Name

Scientific name

Balitoropsis zollingeri

Described by

Authority Bleeker, Year 1853, Bracketed

Family

Balitoridae

Common names

Not recorded

Photograph credits

All 10 credited

Summary

Balitoropsis zollingeri is a balitorid loach described from Java and recorded from Sumatra, Borneo, Peninsular Malaysia, Thailand, Laos and…

Size and aquarium

Maximum size

70mm, standard length

Aquarium size

Minimum length 60 cm, Minimum depth 30 cm, Water movement High: fast-flowing river or riffle

Water

Water conditions

Temperature 20–25.5°C, pH 6–7.5

Hardness

1–12dGH

Conductivity

Not recorded

Behaviour

Temperament

Peaceful

Community suitability

Not for a community

Where it lives

Countries, regions, rivers and lakes

Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Thailand, Borneo, Borneo, Java, Peninsular Malaysia, Sumatra, Chao Phraya, Mekong

Writing

Etymology

Balitoropsis: from the generic name Balitora and the Ancient Greek ὄψις (ópsis), meaning 'aspect, appearance'. zollingeri: named in honour of Swiss “naturalist…

Distribution

Type locality is 'Jakarta, Bandong, Java, Indonesia', presumably referring to the city of Bandung, West Java Province, Java, Indonesia. It's since been recorde…

Habitat

An obligate dweller of swiftly-flowing streams and headwaters containing clear, oxygen-saturated water. Adults inhabit riffles and runs and are likely to displ…

Aquarium size

An aquarium with base dimensions of 60 ∗ 30 cm or equivalent is required for long-term maintenance.

Maintenance

Most importantly the water must be clean and well-oxygenated so we suggest the use of an over-sized filter as a minimum requirement. Turnover should ideally be…

Water conditions

Not written yet

Diet

Balitoropsis and Homaloptera spp. are specialised grazers feeding on biofilm, small crustaceans, insect larvae and other invertebrates. In captivity some sinki…

Behaviour and compatibility

Not an aggressive fish although its particular requirements limit the choice of suitable tankmates. Species inhabiting similar environments include Barilius, D…

Sexual dimorphism

Sexually mature females are usually a little larger and fuller-bodied than males.

Reproduction

Presumably a seasonal spawner in nature but nothing has been recorded in aquaria.

Notes

The genus Balitoropsis was created for the species B. bartschi Smith, 1945 and distinguished from Homaloptera (sensu lato) by having a deep preoral groove exte…

The genus Balitoropsis was created for the species B. bartschi Smith, 1945 and distinguished from Homaloptera (sensu lato) by having a deep preoral groove extending around the corners of the mouth and papillated lips. B. bartschi was subsequently synonymized with Homaloptera zollingeri. Kottelat (2012, 2013) recognized Balitoropsis as a genus with ten species, but Randall & Page (2012) initially considered it a putative subgenus within Homaloptera, an assemblage also containing H. leonardi, H. ophiolepis, H. sexmaculata, H. yunnanensis, H. maxinae, and H. tateregani.

Randall & Page (2015) later recognized Balitoropsis as a genus containing two species, B. zollingeri and B. ophiolepis. Randall & Riggs (2015) used morphological and molecular data to assess the status of species synonymized with B. zollingeri: Homaloptera maxinae Fowler 1937, Balitoropsis bartschi Smith 1945, and Homaloptera nigra Alfred 1969.

Following Randall & Page (2015), Balitoropsis is distinguished by the following combination of characters: without reddish tints on fins in life; dorsal-fin origin anterior to or above pelvic-fin origin; 8½ branched dorsal-fin rays; 7–9, 8 (M) branched pelvic-fin rays; forked caudal fin; keeled scales; 42–55 total lateral-line scales; 13–15 predorsal scales; large rostral cap; 2 thick rostral barbels in close proximity to one another; thick crescentic upper lip; fleshy pad between lateral portions of lower lip; anus closer to pelvic-fin insertion than to anal-fin origin.

Homaloptera and Pseudohomaloptera are the closest relatives of Balitoropsis which is distinguished from both genera by having the anus closer to the pelvic-fin base than to the anal-fin origin. Balitoropsis is further distinguished from Homaloptera by absence vs. presence of reddish tints on fins in life; 7–9 vs. 7 branched pelvic fin-rays; 13–15 vs. 20–27 predorsal scales; 42–55 vs. 59–73 total lateralline scales; crescentic vs. triangular upper lip.

Balitoropsis zollingeri is distinguished from B. ophiolepis by mostly black caudal-fin with 1–3 black bands on distal extremity of white upper lobe vs. hyaline with multiple black bands; caudal-peduncle depth 8.0–9.3% vs. 4.0–5.1% SL; body depth 13.6–17.6% vs. 9.2–11.9% SL; 42–46 vs. 48–55 total lateral-line scales; and 17–20 vs. 13–14 circumpeduncular scales.

All balitorids make fascinating aquarium inhabitants and are often referred to as 'lizard' loaches due to their behaviour and appearance. Most have probably never been exported for the trade though B. zollingeri sometimes turns up among shipments of other species, and when available in numbers it is sometimes sold as 'black gecko' or 'lizard' loach. Like all balitorids it has morphology specialised for life in fast-flowing water, i.e., the paired fins are orientated and extended horizontally, head and body flattened, belly depressed. These features form a powerful sucking cup which allows the fish to cling tightly to solid surfaces. The ability to swim in open water is greatly reduced and they instead appear to crawl and hop their way over rocks and other surfaces.

The family Balitoridae as recognised by Kottelat (2012) is widely-distributed across much of the Indian subcontinent, Southeast Asia and China.

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References

15 on this profile

Name

Scientific name

Described by

Family

Common names

Photograph credits

Summary

Size and aquarium

Maximum size

Aquarium size

Water

Water conditions

Hardness

Conductivity

Behaviour

Temperament

Social needs

Community suitability

Where it lives

Countries, regions, rivers and lakes

Writing

Etymology

Distribution

Habitat

Aquarium size

Maintenance

Water conditions

Diet

Behaviour and compatibility

Sexual dimorphism

Reproduction

Notes

References

References