Labeo

This species can be identified by colour pattern comprising a brownish dorsal surface, yellowish flanks and abdomen, and a black to bluish lateral stripe extending from the eye to the caudal-fin base.

Despite its unsuitability for the majority of home aquaria, this species is available in the aquarium trade on an irregular basis, and has also been marketed as 'violet-gilled shark', 'red-gilled violet shark' and 'blushing violet shark'. It appears likely that L. boga as currently recognised represents a complex of closely-related species.

This species is extremely widespread and has been recorded from Pakistan, Nepal, most of India, Bangladesh, Myanmar and southern China. Type locality is 'Bengal and western provinces, India'.

L. chrysophekadion is also known as 'black sharkminnow'. It continues to be available in the ornamental trade despite its patent unsuitability for the home aquarium, and an albino form has been selectively bred for the purpose. It can be distinguished from other members of the genus by the following combination...

L. cyclorhynchus was described twice in the space of two years, with Pellegrin erecting Labeo variegatus for it in 1901. Although the invalidity of the variegatus name is quite well-documented you may still see the species named as such in older literature, trade lists and by some websites. It's also worth noting that the attractive patterning seen in young fish does fade with age, the adults being much darker in colour. The genus Labeo currently contains over 100 species but is in dire ...

This species can be distinguished by the following characters: juveniles with brown body and dark marking at base of caudal-fin; 37-42 + 3-4 lateral line scales; 11½ branched dorsal-fin rays; 7½ scale rows between lateral line and dorsal-fin origin; 20-25 predorsal scales; dorsal-fin relatively small with anterior branched rays shorter than head in juveniles, slightly longer than head in adults.