Description

Dorsal spines (total): 0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 10; Anal spines: 0; Anal soft rays: 8. Diagnosis: Garra sindhae is distinguished from the other species of Garra of the Omani Dhofar province by the following combination of characters: it differs from G. smarti by having the belly and breast behind the pectoral-fin origin fully covered by deeply embedded scales vs. scales absent in front of the posterior pectoral-fin base, 8-12 gill rakers on lower limb of first gill arch vs. 13-15, maximum body depth at about middle between nape and dorsal-fin origin vs. maximum body depth at dorsal-fin origin, a prominent hump on back in some individuals vs. no hump, and the oral disc being wider than long vs. longer than wide; it is distinguished from G. dunsirei, a troglomorphic species, by having normally developed eyes, visible in ventral view vs. very small, not visible in ventral view, 14-16 circumpeduncular scales vs. 12, 8-12 gill rakers on lower limb of first gill arch vs. 6-7, and breast and belly fully covered by deeply embedded scales vs. scales reduced or absent (Ref. 111064). Garra lautior and G. mamshuqua are species from Wadi Hadramut; Garra sindhi is distinguished from G. lautior by having a fully-scaled breast and belly vs. naked in front of anal fin, and from G. mamshuqua by lacking tubercles on snout vs. present, and the central callous pad being much longer than the anteromedian fold vs. about equal (Ref. 111064). It is distinguished from the Garra species in the north of Oman by lacking tubercles on the head vs. present at least in mature males (Ref. 111064).

Common Names

No common names available.

Taxonomic Hierarchy

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Teleostei

Order: Cypriniformes

Family: Cyprinidae

Genus: Garra

Species: Garra sindhae Lyon, Geiger & Freyhof, 2016

Climate Zone

Location

Biology

This species was found in a large pool of about 40×35 m with stagnant water and an average depth of around 60-80 cm; the water in the pool was clear and Spirogyra sp. and Ceratophyllum demersum were growing along the edges of the bank, as well as several stands of Typha domingensis; the pool has a coarse gravel bed of round limestone pebbles and is frequently visited by livestock and wildlife, including observed Ardea cinerea, Ixobrychus sinensis and Podiceps nigricollis (Ref. 111064).

Habitat

benthopelagic