Garra

Garra
Garra
Doctor Fish (Garra rufa) at work
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Superclass: Osteichthyes
Class: Actinopterygii
Subclass: Neopterygii
Infraclass: Teleostei
Superorder: Ostariophysi
Order: Cypriniformes
Superfamily: Cyprinioidea
Family: Cyprinidae
Subfamily: Labeoninae (disputed)
Tribe: Garrini (but see text)
Genus: Garra
F. Hamilton, 1822
Type species
Garra rufa
Heckel, 1843
Diversity
About 100 species
Synonyms

Ageneiogarra Garman, 1912
Brachygramma Day, 1865
Discognathichthys Bleeker, 1860
Discognathus Heckel, 1843
Lissorhynchus Bleeker, 1860
Mayoa Day, 1870
Placocheilus Wu in Wu, Lin, Chen, Chen & He, 1977
Platycara McClelland, 1838

Garra, the garras, are a genus of ray-finned fish in the family Cyprinidae. These fish are one example of the "log suckers", sucker-mouthed barbs and other cyprinids commonly kept in aquaria to keep down algae. The doctor fish of Kangal (Turkey) also belongs into this genus.

The genus was established by Francis Buchanan-Hamilton in 1822 as a subgenus of Cyprinus (which at that time was a "wastebin genus" for carp-like cyprinids); he did not designate a type species. But as no other garras except the newly-discovered G. lamta were known to science in 1822, this was designated as the type species by Pieter Bleeker in 1863. The garras and their closest relatives are sometimes placed in a subfamily Garrinae, but this seems hardly warranted. More often, this group is included in the Labeoninae, or together with these in the Cyprininae. In the former case, the garras are members of the labeonine tribe Garrini, in the latter they are in the subtribe Garraina of tribe Labeonini. The genus Discogobio is a close relative.[1]

Contents

Description and ecology

Garras are slim cyprinids with a flat belly and a sucking mouth; their shape indicates that they are at least in tendency rheophilic. They are distinguished other cyprinids by a combination of features: As in their closest relatives, their lower lip is expanded at its posterior rim to form a round or oval sucking pad, the vomero-palatine organ is much reduced or completely lost, the pectoral fins have at least the first two rays enlarged and udually unbranched, the supraethmoid is wider than long when seen from above, and the cleithrum is narrow and elongated to the front.[1]

From other Garrini (or Garraina), the genus Garra can be distinguished as follows: their pharyngeal teeth are arranged in three rows (like 2,4,5–5,4,2), the dorsal fin has 10-11 rays and starts slightly anterior to the pelvic fins, while the anal fin starts well behind the pelvic fins and has 8-9 rays. As far as is known, the diploid karyotype of garras is 2n = 50.[1]

Garras are not or barely noticeably sexually dimorphic and generally cryptically coloured benthic freshwater fish. They are omnivorous, eating alga, plankton and small invertebrates that they suck off substrate like rocks or logs. The food is scraped off with the sharp keratinized borders of the jaws, and ingested via suction, created by contracting and relaxing the buccopharynx. As typical for Cypriniformes, the garras lack a stomach entirely, their oesophagus leading directly to the sphincter of the intestine. Different Garra species eat animal and vegetable matter in different proportions, which can – as typical for vertebrates – usually be recognized by the length of their intestine compared to related species: more herbivorous species have a longer intestine. Indeed, intestinal length in this genus is remarkably constant within species and varies a lot between species, meaning that it is useful to distinguish species and that dietary shifts have played a significant role in the evolution of garras.[1]

When the females are ready to spawn, they are markedly plum and swollen; the ripe roe may fill almost four-fifths of their body cavity. The testicles of reproductive males are large too. The average Garra egg is 1.77 mm in diameter, and a clutch contains several hundred eggs – up to a thousand or so in large females. The breeding behaviour is generally not well known and breeding is not often achieved in the aquarium; presumably, like many of their relatives they migrate upstream or (if they otherwise inhabit lakes) into the rivers to spawn.[1]

Species

About 100 species of Garra were accepted in 2011. Some 2–3 new species are being described every year on average.

The Cambodian Logsucker (Garra cambodgiensis) resembles the Siamese Algae Eater (Crossocheilus siamensis)
Garra fuliginosa
Garra lamta habitus drawing
Garra mullya habitus drawing
Garra gotyla gotyla
  • Garra aethiopica (Pellegrin, 1927)
  • Garra allostoma T. R. Roberts, 1990
  • Garra annandalei Hora, 1921 (Annandale Garra)
  • Garra apogon (Norman, 1925)
  • Garra arupi Nebeshwar, Vishwanath & Das, 2009
  • Garra barreimiae Fowler & Steinitz, 1956
    • Garra barreimiae barreimiae Fowler & Steinitz, 1956
    • Garra barreimiae shawkahensis Banister & M. A. Clarke, 1977
  • Garra bibarbatus (V. H. Nguyen, 2001)
  • Garra bicornuta Narayan Rao, 1920 (Tunga Garra)
  • Garra bisangularis Z. M. Chen, X. Y. Wu & H. Xiao, 2010
  • Garra bispinosa E. Zhang, 2005
  • Garra blanfordii (Boulenger, 1901)
  • Garra borneensis (Vaillant, 1902)
  • Garra bourreti (Pellegrin, 1928)
  • Garra buettikeri Krupp, 1983
  • Garra cambodgiensis (Tirant, 1883) (Cambodian Logsucker, Stonelapping Minnow, False Siamese Algae Eater)
  • Garra caudofasciatus (Pellegrin & Chevey, 1936)
  • Garra ceylonensis Bleeker, 1863 (Ceylon Logsucker, Stone Sucker)
  • Garra chebera Habteselassie, Mikschi, Ahnelt & Waidbacher, 2010
  • Garra compressus Kosygin & Vishwanath, 1998
  • Garra congoensis Poll, 1959 (Congo Logsucker)
  • Garra cryptonemus (G. H. Cui & Z. Y. Li, 1984)
  • Garra cyclostomata Đ. Y. Mai, 1978
  • Garra cyrano Kottelat, 2000
  • Garra dembecha Getahun & Stiassny, 2007
  • Garra dembeensis (Rüppell, 1835) (Cameroon Logsucker, Dembea Stonelapper)
  • Garra dulongensis (Z. M. Chen, X. F. Pan, D. P. Kong & J. X. Yang, 2006)
  • Garra dunsirei Banister, 1987
  • Garra duobarbis Getahun & Stiassny, 2007
  • Garra elongata Vishwanath & Kosygin, 2000
  • Garra emarginata Kurup & Radhakrishnan, 2011[2]
  • Garra ethelwynnae Menon, 1958
  • Garra fasciacauda Fowler, 1937
  • Garra findolabium F. L. Li, W. Zhou & Q. Fu, 2008
  • Garra fisheri (Fowler, 1937)
  • Garra flavatra S. O. Kullander & F. Fang, 2004
  • Garra fuliginosa Fowler, 1934
  • Garra geba Getahun & Stiassny, 2007
  • Garra ghorensis Krupp, 1982 (Jordanian Logsucker)
  • Garra gotyla (J. E. Gray, 1830)
  • Garra gotyla gotyla (J. E. Gray, 1830) (Sucker Head)
  • Garra gotyla stenorhynchus Jerdon, 1849 (Nilgiris Garra)
  • Garra gracilis (Pellegrin & Chevey, 1936)
  • Garra gravelyi (Annandale, 1919)
  • Garra hainanensis Y. R. Chen & C. Y. Zheng, 1983
  • Garra hindii (Boulenger, 1905)
  • Garra hughi Silas, 1955 (Cardamon Garra)
  • Garra ignestii (Gianferrari, 1925)
  • Garra imbarbatus (V. H. Nguyen, 2001)
  • Garra imberba Garman, 1912
  • Garra imberbis (Vinciguerra, 1890)
  • Garra kalakadensis Rema Devi, 1993
  • Garra kempi Hora, 1921 (Kemp Garra)
  • Garra laichowensis V. H. Nguyen & L. H. Doan, 1969
  • Garra lamta (F. Hamilton, 1822)
  • Garra lancrenonensis Blache & Miton, 1960
  • Garra lautior Banister, 1987
  • Garra lissorhynchus (McClelland, 1842) (Khasi Garra)
  • Garra litanensis Vishwanath, 1993
  • Garra longipinnis Banister & M. A. Clarke, 1977
  • Garra makiensis (Boulenger, 1904)
  • Garra mamshuqa Krupp, 1983
  • Garra manipurensis Vishwanath & Sarojnalini, 1988
  • Garra mcclellandi (Jerdon, 1849) (Cauvery Garra)
  • Garra menoni Rema Devi & Indra, 1984
  • Garra micropulvinus W. Zhou, X. F. Pan & Kottelat, 2005
  • Garra mirofrontis X. L. Chu & G. H. Cui, 1987
  • Garra mlapparaensis Kurup & Radhakrishnan, 2011[3]
  • Garra mullya (Sykes, 1839) (Mullya Garra)
  • Garra naganensis Hora, 1921 (Naga Garra)
  • Garra nambulica Vishwanath & Joyshree, 2005
  • Garra nasuta (McClelland, 1838) (Nose Logsucker)
  • Garra nigricollis S. O. Kullander & F. Fang, 2004
  • Garra notata (Blyth, 1860) (Tenasserim Garra)
  • Garra nujiangensis Z. M. Chen, S. Zhao & J. X. Yang, 2009
  • Garra orientalis Nichols, 1925
  • Garra ornata (Nichols & Griscom, 1917)
  • Garra paralissorhynchus Vishwanath & Shanta Devi, 2005
  • Garra periyarensis Gopi, 2001
  • Garra persica Berg, 1914
  • Garra phillipsi Deraniyagala, 1933 (Philipps' Garra)
  • Garra poecilura S. O. Kullander & F. Fang, 2004
  • Garra poilanei Petit & T. L. Tchang, 1933
  • Garra propulvinus S. O. Kullander & F. Fang, 2004
  • Garra qiaojiensis H. W. Wu & Yao, 1977
  • Garra quadrimaculata (Rüppell, 1835)
  • Garra rakhinica S. O. Kullander & F. Fang, 2004
  • Garra regressus Getahun & Stiassny, 2007
  • Garra robustus (E. Zhang, S. P. He & Yi-Yu Chen, 2002)
  • Garra rossica (Nikolskii, 1900)
  • Garra rotundinasus E. Zhang, 2006
  • Garra rufa (Heckel, 1843) (Reddish Logsucker, Doctor Fish)
  • Garra rupecula (McClelland, 1839) (Mishmi Garra)
  • Garra sahilia Krupp, 1983
    • Garra sahilia gharbia Krupp, 1983
    • Garra sahilia sahilia Krupp, 1983
  • Garra salweenica Hora & Mukerji, 1934
  • Garra smarti Krupp & Budd, 2009
  • Garra spilota S. O. Kullander & F. Fang, 2004
  • Garra surendranathanii Shaji, Arun & Easa, 1996
  • Garra tana Getahun & Stiassny, 2007
  • Garra tengchongensis E. Zhang & Yi-Yu Chen, 2002
  • Garra theunensis Kottelat, 1998
  • Garra trewavasai Monod, 1950
  • Garra variabilis (Heckel, 1843)
  • Garra vittatula S. O. Kullander & F. Fang, 2004
  • Garra wanae (Regan, 1914)
  • Garra waterloti (Pellegrin, 1935)
  • Garra yiliangensis H. W. Wu & Q. Z. Chen, 1977

Footnotes

  1. ^ a b c d e Stiassny & Getahun (2007)
  2. ^ Kurup, B.M. & Radhakrishnan, K.V. (2011): Two new cyprinid fishes under the genus Garra (Hamilton) from Kerala, Southern India. Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society, 107 (3) [2010]: 220-223.
  3. ^ Kurup, B.M. & Radhakrishnan, K.V. (2011): Two new cyprinid fishes under the genus Garra (Hamilton) from Kerala, Southern India. Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society, 107 (3) [2010]: 220-223.

References

  • Froese, Rainer, and Daniel Pauly, eds. (2011). Species of Garra in FishBase. August 2011 version.
  • Stiassny, Melanie L.J. & Getahun, Abebe (2007): An overview of labeonin relationships and the phylogenetic placement of the Afro-Asian genus Garra Hamilton, 1922 (Teleostei: Cyprinidae), with the description of five new species of Garra from Ethiopia, and a key to all African species. Zool. J. Linn. Soc. 150(1): 41-83. doi:10.1111/j.1096-3642.2007.00281.x PDF fulltext

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • garra — (De garfa). 1. f. Mano o pie del animal, cuando están armados de uñas corvas, fuertes y agudas, como en el león y el águila. 2. Mano del hombre. 3. Fuerza, empuje. 4. Mar. Cada uno de los ganchos del arpeo. 5. Ar. y Nav. pierna (ǁ extremidad… …   Diccionario de la lengua española

  • garra — sustantivo femenino 1. (preferentemente en plural) Uña fuerte, curva y afilada que tienen los dedos de algunos animales vertebrados: las garras del león. El águila atrapó un conejo entre sus garras. 2. Mano o pie del animal que tiene uñas fuertes …   Diccionario Salamanca de la Lengua Española

  • garra — s. f. 1. Cada uma das unhas das aves de rapina ou dos animais carnívoros. 2.  [Por extensão] Mão, dedos. 3. Poder (toma se sempre a má parte). 4.  [Figurado] O que arrebata. 5.  [Botânica] Gavinha. 6.  [Técnica] Gancho, garrucha (com que se puxa… …   Dicionário da Língua Portuguesa

  • Garra — Garra, Fluß, so v.w. Seiletsche …   Pierer's Universal-Lexikon

  • garra — disposición de la mano en la atrofia de los músculos interóseos, caracterizada por la extensión de las primeras falanges y flexión de las otras Diccionario ilustrado de Términos Médicos.. Alvaro Galiano. 2010 …   Diccionario médico

  • garra — ► sustantivo femenino 1 ZOOLOGÍA Mano o pie de un animal provisto de uñas corvas, fuertes y agudas: ■ el león despedazó su presa con las garras. SINÓNIMO zarpa 2 ZOOLOGÍA Uña corva, fuerte y afilada de algunos animales, que sirve para apresar y… …   Enciclopedia Universal

  • Garra — Para el género de peces ciprínidos, véase Garra (género). Garra de una iguana Las garras o zarpas son las uñas largas y afiladas que presentan algunos vertebrados, en especial las aves, los reptiles y varios órdenes de mamíferos, en especial… …   Wikipedia Español

  • garra — fuerza; ánimo; ímpetu; cf. gallito, ñeque; tiene garra ese equipo , muestra que tienes garra , sacó su garra el Nico Masú y logró dar vuelta el partido ■ garra blanca la garra blanca …   Diccionario de chileno actual

  • garra — {{#}}{{LM G18748}}{{〓}} {{SynG19234}} {{[}}garra{{]}} ‹ga·rra› {{《}}▍ s.f.{{》}} {{<}}1{{>}} {{♂}}En algunos animales vertebrados,{{♀}} mano o pie con dedos terminados en uñas fuertes, curvas y cortantes: • El águila cogió a su presa con las… …   Diccionario de uso del español actual con sinónimos y antónimos

  • garra — s f 1 Mano o pata de los animales que tiene uñas curvas y agudas, como el águila o el león: tener entre las garras 2 Uña curva y afilada: sacar las garras, afilar las garras 3 Caer en las garras de alguien Caer bajo el dominio y la voluntad de… …   Español en México

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