Lord'S Sicyopus

Diagnosis: A Sicyopus species which is distinguished from all the other species with the following set of characters: (i) a particular colour pattern, being similar in both sexes with three blackish bands present on the flanks: the first band extends from the tip of snout and upper lip, under the eye to the posterior edge of operculum and pectoral base, and from pectoral base to hypural; the second extends from behind the eye to the caudal fin; and the third runs along the upper part of flank from above the pectoral fin to the second dorsal fin base; (ii) a second dorsal fin with nine soft rays; (iii) a shorter caudal fin length in male; (iv) more scales in lateral series, 35–43, and transverse back scale series, 12–18 (Ref. 87905).Description: Dorsal fins VI-I,9; spines slightly filamentous in males and less so in females, spines 3 and 4 longer; first dorsal fin not contacting second dorsal fin basally, when depressed; anal fin I,10; pectoral fin rays 15; caudal fin with 13 branched rays with posterior margin slightly rounded; pelvic disc with one spine and five strongly branched rays (Ref. 87905). Scales in lateral series 35-43; scales may extend midlaterally over the origin of first dorsal fin in male and second dorsal fin in female, and posteriorly to hypural base; scales usually ctenoid from hypural base to origin of the second dorsal fin and cycloid elsewhere; scales along dorsum usually extending anteriorly along medial base of second dorsal fin, may extend to base of first dorsal fin; scales in zigzag series 6-10, transverse back series 12-18, transverse forward series 11-16; predorsal midline naked; head, breast and pectoral base usually naked; belly usually naked or with few cycloid scales (Ref. 87905). Upper jaw teeth mostly conical in the female with more and shorter teeth, 10-15, than male, 7-9, mostly caniniform; lower jaw teeth conical in female, 7-9, and males, 4-6 (Ref. 87905). Cephalic sensory pore system A, B, C, D, F, H, K, L, N and O; D singular, with all others paired; oculoscapular canal separated into anterior and posterior canals between pores H and K (Ref. 87905).Colouration: Colour in preservation: the sexual dichromatism is not well developed; background of head and body greyish; body greyish dorsal to midline; head greyish dorsally with small blackish dots; a blackish band extending from the tip of snout and upper lip, under the eye to the posterior edge of operculum and pectoral base, and from pectoral base to hypural; head whitish under this band and ventrally; blackish horizontal band above the pectoral fin to the second dorsal fin base; snout blackish; nape greyish; faint and thin blackish band extending from pectoral base to caudal fin along body midline; first and second dorsal fin hyaline, with several blackish dots; dorsal fin spines highlighted by black pigments; caudal fin dusky to greyish, with three to four vertical blackish bands; anal fin dusky to hyaline with black pigments; pelvic disc entirely white; pectoral fin dusky becoming whitish dorsally and ventrally; pectoral base blackish medially, slightly dusky ventrally and dorsally (Ref. 87905). Colour in life: the sexual dichromatism is not well developed; body dusky to slightly yellowish; three horizontal blackish bands on the flanks; the first one from the tip of snout and upper lip, under the eye, to the posterior edge of operculum and pectoral base, and from pectoral base to hypural; colour above this band iridescent gold in the last third of the body; second black band from the back of the eye to the caudal fin; third one along the upper part of flank from above the pectoral fin to the second dorsal fin base; dorsal and anal fins dusky to hyaline with black pigments on the rays; caudal fin greyish with three to four vertical blackish bands; pectoral fins hyaline; belly of male fish whitish to greyish; belly bright orange in gravid female fish (Ref. 87905).

Amphidromous. Refers to fishes that regularly migrate between freshwater and the sea (in both directions), but not for the purpose of breeding, as in anadromous and catadromous species. Sub-division of diadromous. Migrations should be cyclical and predictable and cover more than 100 km.Characteristic elements in amphidromy are: reproduction in fresh water, passage to sea by newly hatched larvae, a period of feeding and growing at sea usually a few months long, return to fresh water of well-grown juveniles, a further period of feeding and growing in fresh water, followed by reproduction there (Ref. 82692).

Dorsal spines (total): 7; Dorsal soft rays (total): 9; Analspines: 1; Analsoft rays: 10

Found in clear, high-gradient streams with rocky bottoms; it lives on the bottom of the river, on top of rocks, but it is also often seen swimming in open water in the current between rocks or in large pools (Ref. 87905).

Found in clear, high-gradient streams with rocky bottoms; it lives on the bottom of the river, on top of rocks, but it is also often seen swimming in open water in the current between rocks or in large pools (Ref. 87905). It is supposed, like the other Sicyopus, to be amphidromous (Ref. 87905).

fisheries: