Ayarnangra Roberts, 2001

Alfred W. Thomson & Lawrence M. Page, 2006, Genera of the Asian Catfish Families Sisoridae and Erethistidae (Teleostei: Siluriformes)., Zootaxa 1345, pp. 1-96 : 8-10

Ayarnangra Roberts, 2001

Fig. 2

Ayarnangra Roberts, 2001 : 83. (Type species: Ayarnangra estuarius Roberts, 2001 , by original designation). Gender masculine.

Diagnosis: No thoracic adhesive apparatus; granulate anterior margin on pectoral spine; slender body shape; smooth to granulate anterior margin on dorsal spine; papillate upper lip; moderate gill openings; 13-16 anal rays.

Ayarnangra is distinguished from all other erethistid genera by having 13-16 anal fin rays (vs. 8-12) and a granulate (vs. serrated) anterior margin on the pectoral spine. It is further distinguished from Conta , Pseudolaguvia and Caelatoglanis by the absence of a thoracic adhesive apparatus, from Caelatoglanis by having a papillate (vs. plicate) upper lip, from Caelatoglanis and Erethistes by having a more slender body (Fig. 2), from Caelatoglanis and Pseudolaguvia by having moderate gill openings (vs. wide, nearly meeting one another on the venter), and from Conta by having a granulate (vs. serrated) anterior margin on the dorsal spine and moderate gill openings (vs. extremely narrow gill openings not extending onto venter).

Remarks: Roberts (2001) diagnosed Ayarnangra as a genus of Sisoridae .

Description: Dorsal fin with 1 spine, 6 rays; pectoral fin with 1 spine, 5-6 rays; 6 pelvic-fin rays, 13-16 anal-fin rays, first 7-8 rays simple; 16 principal caudal rays. Body elongate. Eyes very small, nostrils huge, much larger than eye. Palatal teeth absent. Maxillary barbel with well-developed membrane, soft base; extending slightly beyond pectoral-fin spine origin. Bases of outer and inner mental barbels nearly parallel. Gill openings moderate; branchiostegal membranes broadly fused to isthmus. Pectoral girdle with large coracoid process externally visible. Pectoral-fin spine with finely granulated anterior edge, serrated posterior edge. Dorsal spine granulated anteriorly, with small serrations posteriorly. No thoracic adhesive apparatus. Paired fins non-plaited.

Distribution: Irrawaddy River drainage, Myanmar (Roberts, 2001).