Olyra (fish)

Olyra
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Actinopterygii
Order:	Siluriformes
Family:	Bagridae
Genus:	Olyra McClelland, 1842
Binomial name
Olyra burmanica Olyra collettii Olyra horae Olyra kempi Olyra longicaudata

Olyra is a genus of catfishes (order Siluriformes) of the family Bagridae. It includes five species, O. burmanica, O. colletti, O. horae, O. kempi, and O. longicaudata.^[1]

Taxonomy

The genus Olyra has, in the past, been classified in its own family Olyridae.^[2] There are broad-scale problems in the current taxonomy of that genus, which is in need of revisionary studies.^[3]

The taxonomic status of O. colletii has been a puzzle. It was first described in 1881 by Franz Steindachner as Heptapterus collettii and marked as neotropical in origin. However, with examination it was determined that it more closely matched members of Olyra. It may even be a junior synonym of Olyra longicaudata.^[3]

O. kempi is treated in some literature as a synonym of O. longicaudata.^[1]

Distribution and habitat

The genus Olyra occurs throughout the South Asia and western Indochina, from India to western Thailand.^[3] O. burmanica comes from Pegu Yomas, and is only known from its type. O. horai inhabits Meghalaya, India, and Indawgyi Lake, Myanmar. O. kempi originates from Mangaldai, Assam, India. O. longicaudata lives at the base of Darjelling Himalaya, Assam, India and at Tenassarim, Myanmar.^[1]

O. kempi is found in rivers with swift flowing, clear water with bottom of rocks and boulders.^[4] O. longicaudata inhabits small rocky streams at the base of hills.^[5]

Description

Olyra species grow to about 6–15 centimetres (2.4–5.9 in) in length.^{[4][5][6][7][8]}

Relationship to humans

In Asia, Olyra are known as fighting catfish; they are placed in small aquaria to battle one another similar to Siamese fighting fish, and money is bet on the outcome.^[9]

References

1. ^ ^{a b c} Ferraris, Carl J., Jr. (2007). "Checklist of catfishes, recent and fossil (Osteichthyes: Siluriformes), and catalogue of siluriform primary types" (PDF). Zootaxa 1418: 1–628. http://silurus.acnatsci.org/ACSI/library/biblios/2007_Ferraris_Catfish_Checklist.pdf. 
2. ^ Nelson, Joseph S. (2006). Fishes of the World. John Wiley & Sons, Inc. ISBN 0-471-25031-7. 
3. ^ ^{a b c} Bockmann, Flávio A.; de Pinna, Mário C. C. (2004). Armbruster, J. W.. ed. "Heptapterus collettii Steindachner, 1881: A Member of the Asian Bagrid Genus Olyra Erroneously Assigned to the Neotropical Fauna (Siluriformes: Ostariophysi)". Copeia 2004 (3): 665–675. doi:10.1643/CI-03-198R1. 
4. ^ ^{a b} Froese, Rainer, and Daniel Pauly, eds. (2007). "Olyra kempi" in FishBase. June 2007 version.
5. ^ ^{a b} Froese, Rainer, and Daniel Pauly, eds. (2007). "Olyra longicaudata" in FishBase. June 2007 version.
6. ^ Froese, Rainer, and Daniel Pauly, eds. (2007). "Olyra burmanica" in FishBase. June 2007 version.
7. ^ Froese, Rainer, and Daniel Pauly, eds. (2007). "Olyra collettii" in FishBase. June 2007 version.
8. ^ Froese, Rainer, and Daniel Pauly, eds. (2007). "Olyra horae" in FishBase. June 2007 version.
9. ^ Linder, R. Shane (June 2000). "The Catfishes of Asia Family Bagridae part two" (PDF). Cat Chat 1 (2). http://www.catfishstudygroup.org/pdf/catfishes_of_asia2.pdf.