Conta Hora, 1950

Alfred W. Thomson & Lawrence M. Page, 2006, Genera of the Asian Catfish Families Sisoridae and Erethistidae (Teleostei: Siluriformes)., Zootaxa 1345, pp. 1-96 : 12-13

Conta Hora, 1950

Fig. 4

Conta Hora, 1950 : 194. (Type species: Pimelodus conta Hamilton, 1822 , by original designation). Gender feminine.

Diagnosis (based, in part, on Ng 2005b): Long and narrow (about 6 times as long as broad) thoracic adhesive apparatus; extremely narrow gill openings; slender body; serrated anterior margin on dorsal spine; serrations on anterior margin of pectoral spine pointing toward tip of spine; papillate upper lip; 9-10 anal rays.

Conta is distinguished from all other erethistids (and all sisorids) by the presence of a very long and narrow adhesive apparatus on its thorax. Conta is further distinguished from other erethistids by having extremely narrow gill openings (restricted to pectoral-fin base vs. gill openings extending onto venter), and by having a dorsal spine with the anterior margin serrated (vs. smooth or granulate). Conta is further distinguished from Ayarnangra by having 9-10 anal rays (vs. 13-16), from Caelatoglanis by having a papillate (vs. plicate) upper lip, and from Erethistes , Erethistoides and Ayarnangra by having serrations on the anterior margin of the pectoral spine that all point toward the tip of the spine (Table 2).

Description: Dorsal fin with strong spine, 4-5 rays; pectoral fin with strong spine, 5-7 rays; 6 pelvic-fin rays, 9-10 anal-fin rays plus rudimentary anterior ray. Head slightly depressed and flattened ventrally. Body elongate (Fig. 4); caudal peduncle long and narrow (Fig. 4). Skin tuberculate. Eyes small, dorsolateral. Villiform teeth in both jaws. Maxillary barbels short, less than length of head. Maxillary barbel with well-developed membrane, soft base. Branchiostegal membranes broadly fused to isthmus. Pectoral girdle with large coracoid process externally visible. Pectoral- and dorsal-fin spines serrated anteriorly and posteriorly. Elongate thoracic adhesive apparatus extends from gill openings nearly to pelvic fins. Paired fins non-plaited.

Distribution: Ganges and Brahmaputra drainages, India and Bangladesh (Jayaram, 1999; Ng, 2005b).