Classification / Names
Common names | Synonyms | Catalog of Fishes(genus, species) | ITIS | CoL | WoRMS | Cloffa
Teleostei (teleosts) >
Cypriniformes (Carps) >
Nemacheilidae (Brook loaches)
Etymology: Triplophysa: Greek, triplos = thrice + Greek, physa = tube (Ref. 45335); macrocephala: The specific name, macrocephala, is derived from the Greek macro (large, great) and cephal(head), in reference to the species’ big head when compared with its body. It is a noun with feminine gender (Ref. 87804).
More on authors: Yang, Wu & Yang.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Freshwater; benthopelagic. Tropical; 26°N - 25°N, 107°E - 108°E
Asia: karst cave in Renguang Village in Nandan County, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China. The underground river drains into the Dagouhe River, which flows into the Xijiang River (tributary of the Pearl River) (Ref. 87804).
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm
Max length : 7.7 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 87804)
Short description
Identification keys | Morphology | Morphometrics
Distinguished from other species of Triplophysa by having the following combination of characters: pectoral fin not reaching beyond pelvic-fin origin; caudal fin forked; body smooth or scaleless; dorsal-fin origin anterior to pelvic-fin origin, edge of dorsal fin truncate; dorsal fin with eight branched rays; anal fin with five branched rays; eye small and vestigial; lower jaw arched with a median notch; air-bladder wrapped in bony capsule, lateral enlarged, posterior chamber of air-bladder degenerated (Ref. 87804).
This species inhabits karst cave, living in the pool with muddy bottom (Ref. 87804).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Yang, J., T.-J. Wu and J.-X. Yang, 2011. A new cave-dwelling loach, Triplophysa macrocephala (Teleostei: Cypriniformes: Balitoridae), from Guangxi, China. Environ. Biol. Fishes 93:169-175. (Ref. 87804)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2024-1)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
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Estimates based on models
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82804): PD
50 = 0.5000 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.00708 (0.00338 - 0.01484), b=3.00 (2.83 - 3.17), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this Genus-body shape (Ref.
93245).
Trophic level (Ref.
69278): 3.1 ±0.4 se; based on size and trophs of closest relatives
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): Low vulnerability (10 of 100).