Schistura papulifera Kottelat, Harries & Proudlove 2007

Can be differentiated from all its congeners in having the lower half of the head covered by numerous small skin projections and 5 pores in the supratemporal canal of the cephalic lateral-line system. Additional distinguishing characters include white body, vestigial eyes, incomplete lateral line (reaching only to vertical above pelvic-fin origin) and absence of axillary pelvic bone (Ref. 57820).

Schistura papulifera is typically found in such pools of standing water, rather than in flowing streamways and appears to be most abundant in areas where the pools are both deep and extensive. It apparently retreats to such areas as the onset of the dry season, and the larger pools offer the best resources in terms of food and relatively stable oxygen levels. The fish were observed in a still gour (rimstone) pool with sandy bottom, 1.5 x 7 m, 1 m deep. In February, the passage carries no water, but would do so in the wet season, May -October. Up to 20 individuals were observed on each of five trips to the area. The fish exhibited no response to light, but were disturbed by movements of the water (Ref. 57820).

Schistura papulifera is a critically endangered species of ray-finned fish, a troblobitic stone loach, in the genus Schistura endemic to the state of Meghalaya in India. It is currently known to be restricted to the Krem Synrang Pamiang cave system near the Jaintia Hills, where it is threatened by limestone extraction. This species lives in pools of standing water within the cave system preferring these to the streams of flowing water, being most numerous in the largest and deepest pools. This may be because the larger pools offer a more stable environment for the fish. The specific name is a compound of the Latin papula meaning "a small tumour" and fera meaning "to bear", referring to the growths around the lower half this species head.