Classification / Names
Common names | Synonyms | Catalog of Fishes(genus, species) | ITIS | CoL | WoRMS | Cloffa
Teleostei (teleosts) >
Cypriniformes (Carps) >
Nemacheilidae (Brook loaches)
Etymology: Schistura: Greek, schizein = to divide + Greek, oura = tail; an allusion to forked caudal fins (Ref. 45335); scripta: Name from Latin 'scripta' meaning ‘written words’, referring to the pattern of bars on the side of the body of this species resembling alphabetical characters.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Freshwater; benthopelagic. Tropical
Asia: Sri Lanka.
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm
Max length : 4.3 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 127984)
Short description
Identification keys | Morphology | Morphometrics
This species is distinguished from its congeners from Sri Lankan and peninsular India by the following characters: lateral line incomplete with 53-76 pores, ending beneath the dorsal-fin base or slightly beyond; post-dorsal bars 7-13; D 7½ branched rays; no axillary pelvic lobe; absence of a suborbital flap (Ref. 127984).
This species is known only from its type locality, a stream about 3-4 m wide, flowing through the palm-oil plantations of Nakiyadeniya Estate in an unprotected area of the Gin River basin, elevation ca. 80 m above sea level and where the substrate consists of small boulders and pebbles. It prefers the faster-flowing regions of the stream and was observed with Garra ceylonensis, Rasbora dandia, Belontia signata. It appears to be locally abundant when sampled during a relatively dry period in December 2017 and about 100 adults, including several gravid females, were observed in a stretch of approximately 50 m along the length of the stream. Schistura notostigma was recorded in similar habitats sampled in Udugama about 8 km from the type locality of S. scripta and as presently understood, these two species do not co-occur (Ref. 127984).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Sudasinghe, H., 2018. A new species of Schistura (Teleostei: Nemacheilidae) from the south-western lowlands of Sri Lanka. Zootaxa 4422(4):478-492. (Ref. 127984)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2024-2)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
Fisheries: of no interest
Tools
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Estimates based on models
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82804): PD
50 = No PD50 data [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.00148 (0.00056 - 0.00390), b=3.07 (2.84 - 3.30), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this (Sub)family-body shape (Ref.
93245).
Trophic level (Ref.
69278): 3.0 ±0.3 se; based on size and trophs of closest relatives
Resilience (Ref.
120179): High, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months (Preliminary K or Fecundity.).
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): Low vulnerability (10 of 100).