Two new species of miniature sisorid catfishes have been described from northeastern India by Singapore ichthyologist Heok Hee Ng.
The two new species both belong to the genus Pseudolaguvia, and have been named Pseudolaguvia ferruginea and P. flavida in a recent issue of the journal Ichthyological Exploration of Freshwaters.
Pseudolaguvia ferruginea is known from the Brahmaputra River drainage, and is distinguished from other members of the genus in having a combination of a more slender, elongate body (manifested as a smaller body depth at anus: 10.5-12.4% standard length), length of dorsal-fin base 14.9-17.3% standard length, length of dorsal spine 13.0-16.6% standard length, length of pectoral spine 16.3-18.8% standard length, dorsal to adipose distance 14.2-17.3% standard length, caudal peduncle depth 2.4-2.8 times in its length, head width 20.1-22.2% standard length, a smooth front edge of the dorsal spine, and the thoracic adhesive apparatus reaching to midway between the bases of the last pectoral-fin ray and the first pelvic-fin ray.
This species is named after its reddish-brown colour in life (Latin ferrugineus=colour of rust).
Pseudolaguvia flavida is known from the Hooghly River (a distributary of the Ganges River) and is distinguished from congeners in having a combination of a serrated front edge of the dorsal spine, body depth at anus 11.0% standard length, length of adipose-fin base 11.0% standard length, dorsal to adipose distance 16.3% standard length, caudal peduncle depth 6.5% standard length, and snout length 43% head length.
This species is named after its golden-yellow colour (=Latin flavida) in life.
For more information, see the paper: Ng, HH (2009) Two new species of Pseudolaguvia, sisorid catfishes (Teleostei: Siluriformes) from northeastern India. Ichthyological Exploration of Freshwaters, 20, pp. 277–288.
Pictures kindly supplied by Dr Heok Hee Ng.