Hillstream loach

hillstream loaches
(image here)
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Superclass[?]: Osteichthyes Class: Actinopterygii Order: Cypriniformes Family: Balitoridae
Genera Subfamily Balitorinae     Annamia[?]     Balitora[?]     Bhavania[?]     Crossostoma[?]     Cryptotora[?]     Gastromyzon[?]     Glaniopsis[?]     Hemimyzon[?]     Homaloptera[?]     Hypergastromyzon[?]     Lepturichthys[?]     Liniparhomaloptera[?]     Neohomaloptera[?]     Paraprotomyzon[?]     Parhomaloptera[?]     Plesiomyzon[?]     Protomyzon[?]     Pseudogastromyzon[?]     Pseudohomaloptera[?]     Sectoria[?]     Sewellia[?]     Sinogastromyzon[?]     Travancoria[?] Subfamily Nemacheilinae     Aborichthys[?]     Acanthocobitis[?]     Barbatula[?]     Ellopostoma[?]     Indoreonectes[?]     Lefua[?]     Longischistura[?]     Mesonemacheilus[?]     Micronemacheilus[?]     Nemacheilus[?]     Neonoemacheilus[?]     Nun[?]     Oreonectes[?]     Orthrias[?]     Paracobitis[?]     Physoschistura[?]     Schistura[?]     Seminemacheilus[?]     Sphaerophysa[?]     Sundoreonectes[?]     Triplophysa[?]     Troglocobitis[?]     Tuberoschistura[?]     Turcinemacheilus[?]     Vaillantella[?]     Yunnanilus[?] unclassified     Beaufortia[?]     Oreias[?]     Vanmanenia[?]

The hillstream loaches are a family (Balitoridae) of small Eurasian fish that generally live in fast-flowing streams and have a large sucker mouth and modified ventral fins used for clinging to rocks. They have a number of similarities with the sibling family of loaches (Cobitidae), such as multiple barbels[?] around the mouth. They should not be confused with Plecostomus[?], which looks similar but is a type of catfish.

The family includes over 500 species in at least 52 genera. Many of the species are popular for aquaria.

External link

• Loaches Online (http://www.loaches.com)