Schizothorax


Schizothorax is a genus of cyprinid fish found in southern and western China, through northern South Asia and Central Asia, to Iran, with a single species, S. prophylax, in Turkey. They are primarily found in highland rivers, streams and lakes, although a few species occur in lower-lying locations, like Lake Balkhash and lakes of the Sistan Basin. Their scientific name means "cloven-breast", from Ancient Greek schízeïn 'to cleave' and thórax 'breast-plate'. The western species are typically referred to as marinkas from their Russian name marinka, while the eastern species are usually called snowtrout. Although they do resemble trouts in habitus this is merely due to convergent evolution and they are by no means closely related apart from both being Teleostei: Cyprinids are in the teleost superorder Ostariophysi, while trouts are in the superorder Protacanthopterygii. Their ancestors must thus have diverged as early as the Triassic, more than 200 million years ago.
Schizothorax is classified within the subfamily Schizotharcinae, the snow barbels, within the family Cyprinidae, the family which includes the carps, barbs and related fishes. This grouping was formerly thought to include the mountain barbels now classified in the subfamily Schizopygopsinae.

Species

These are the currently recognized species in this genus:Schizothorax argentatus Kessler, 1874 Schizothorax beipanensis J. Yang, X. Y. Chen & J. X. Yang, 2009Schizothorax biddulphi Günther, 1876Schizothorax chivae Arunkumar & Moyon, 2016Schizothorax chongi Schizothorax cryptolepis T. Y. Fu & M. R. Ye, 1984Schizothorax curvilabiatus Schizothorax dainellii Vinciguerra, 1916Schizothorax davidi Schizothorax dolichonema Herzenstein, 1889Schizothorax dulongensis S. Y. Huang, 1985Schizothorax edenianus [John John McClelland (doctor)|McClelland (doctor)|McClelland], 1842Schizothorax elongatus S. Y. Huang, 1985Schizothorax esocinus Heckel, 1838 Schizothorax eurystomus Kessler, 1872 Schizothorax fedtschenkoi Kessler, 1872Schizothorax gongshanensis W.-H. Tsao, 1964Schizothorax grahami Schizothorax griseus Pellegrin, 1931Schizothorax gulinensis R. H. Ding, X. Y. Dai & W. Y. Huang, 2022 Schizothorax heteri J. Yang, L. P. Zheng, ZX. Y. Chen & J. X. Yang, 2013Schizothorax heterochilus M. R. Ye & T. Y. Fu, 1986Schizothorax heterophysallidos J. Yang, X. Y. Chen & J. X. Yang, 2009Schizothorax huegelii Heckel, 1838Schizothorax integrilabiatus Schizothorax intermedius McClelland & Griffith, 1842Schizothorax kozlovi Nikolskii, 1903Schizothorax kumaonensis Menon, 1971 Schizothorax labiatus Schizothorax labrosus Y. H. Wang, D. D. Zhuang & L. C. Gao, 1981Schizothorax lantsangensis W.-H. Tsao, 1964Schizothorax lepidothorax J. X. Yang, 1991Schizothorax leukus J. Yang, L. P. Zheng, X. Y. Chen & J. X. Yang, 2013Schizothorax lissolabiatus W.-H. Tsao, 1964Schizothorax longibarbus Schizothorax macrophthalmus Terashima, 1984 Schizothorax macropogon Regan, 1905Schizothorax malacathus S. Y. Huang, 1985Schizothorax meridionalis W.-H. Tsao, 1964Schizothorax microcephalus F. Day, 1877Schizothorax microstomus S. Y. Huang, 1982Schizothorax molesworthi Schizothorax myzostomus W.-H. Tsao, 1964Schizothorax nasus Heckel, 1838 Schizothorax nepalensis Terashima, 1984Schizothorax niger Heckel, 1838 Schizothorax ninglangensis Y. H. Wang, K. X. Zhang & D. D. Zhuang, 1981Schizothorax nudiventris J. Yang, X. Y. Chen & J. X. Yang, 2009Schizothorax nukiangensis W.-H. Tsao, 1964Schizothorax oconnori Lloyd, 1908Schizothorax oligolepis S. Y. Huang, 1985Schizothorax parvus W.-H. Tsao, 1964Schizothorax pelzami Kessler, 1870 Schizothorax plagiostomus Heckel, 1838Schizothorax prenanti Schizothorax progastus Schizothorax pseudoaksaiensis Herzenstein, 1889 Schizothorax puncticulatus C. G. Zhang, Y. H. Zhao & C. Y. Niu, 2019Schizothorax ramzani Schizothorax raraensis Terashima, 1984 Schizothorax richardsonii Schizothorax rotundimaxillaris Y. F. Wu & C. Z. Wu, 1992