New species of Goonch

[GiantFishKeeper101]

Bagarius sp. Salween from Salween River is an undescribed species. They're not exactly new species, they have been discovered quite some time now. It's not like they're rare or something, the whole river full of them of the same species. But there aren't any research on them yet. Or possibly in progress that i don't know of.

My selling stock. These are quite rare in the hobby despite being a common fish in its areas.


They differ between their SEA congeners by the placement of their dorsal & anal fin. That's the most easiest thing to spot on.


This species have featured in Zeb Hogan's tv documentaries Monster Fish in Salween River episode. Forgot which season/episode it was.


Another photo of the species.

By looking at those adult photos, they do look similar to the Indian Goonch (Bagarius yarrelli). Here is some example of the Indian Goonch:



Indian's have much thicker heads, Salween's head is flat. Also Salween's head are much longer if you compare from the top mouth tip to the end of the gill plates. The maxillary barbels also a little bit thicker than Indian.

 

[Fishman Dave]

I think the whole taxonomy of Goonch has been altered and these are included to some level. Unfortunately the two previous main names for the Indian Goonch which people knew are now no longer in use, which in my view just makes things more complicated.
This addition in a new location certainly makes things interesting especially when one of the adult Salween variants photo’d above does not show the difference in anal and dorsal fin (although hard to see because of the guys hand and curve of fish).

 

[GiantFishKeeper101]

I think the whole taxonomy of Goonch has been altered and these are included to some level. Unfortunately the two previous main names for the Indian Goonch which people knew are now no longer in use, which in my view just makes things more complicated.
This addition in a new location certainly makes things interesting especially when one of the adult Salween variants photo’d above does not show the difference in anal and dorsal fin (although hard to see because of the guys hand and curve of fish).

It's not complicated, B. bagarius & B. yarrelli merge become 1 species & for indian species current name are B. yarrelli.

Anal & dorsal fin? You meant anal & adipose fin? Aside from those 2 fins, i stated that their heads & barbels are different so that's why i used that photos. Also there're other photos from the web that showed the same fins position correspond with the head shape. You can try search for those. But for now, I'm focusing on the head.

 

[Fishman Dave]

Maybe more complicated than you thought.
I believe they are no longer using B.Yarelli as this is the synonym of B.Bagarius. It’s Bagarius that is now the Indian variant. But no mention to the differences between the two, in particular any physical differences or indeed water temperature differences, which I still find it hard to believe that all the folks that have lost Goonch at warmer temperatures had nothing to do with type (if they are now both the same).
As for anal fin and dorsal, yes my mistake for copying what you had wrote above, albeit b.bagarius has a different dorsal fin to b.yarrelli imo, which I know counts for nothing.
As for head “thickness”, not sure yet, I see head thickness varying depending on flow so still think a fish that favours strong flow will have a more streamlined head shape, but for all we know yet we may see sexual differences in head shape within the same river. Still a lot of work to be done, but I am thankful another catch location has been found and potentially another variant.

 

[GiantFishKeeper101]

Maybe more complicated than you thought.
I believe they are no longer using B.Yarelli as this is the synonym of B.Bagarius. It’s Bagarius that is now the Indian variant. But no mention to the differences between the two, in particular any physical differences or indeed water temperature differences, which I still find it hard to believe that all the folks that have lost Goonch at warmer temperatures had nothing to do with type (if they are now both the same).
As for anal fin and dorsal, yes my mistake for copying what you had wrote above, albeit b.bagarius has a different dorsal fin to b.yarrelli imo, which I know counts for nothing.
As for head “thickness”, not sure yet, I see head thickness varying depending on flow so still think a fish that favours strong flow will have a more streamlined head shape, but for all we know yet we may see sexual differences in head shape within the same river. Still a lot of work to be done, but I am thankful another catch location has been found and potentially another variant.

Oops, how the hell have i missed that. Too late now, can't edit it. Yeah, i meant adipose & anal fin. The 4 species picture doesn't show the differences in dorsal fins.

Those indian goonch, the latest research 2021 by Heok Hee Ng & Maurice Kottelat, the main research are descibing new species B. vegrandis but it has some notes on those Indian bagarius. Apparently you're right about the name, B. yarrelli are the jr. synonym so B. bagarius are the sr name & currently in use. I don't have the access of the full paper but I'm sourcing from summary notes of the research. Conclusively, B. bagarius & B. yarrelli being merged into 1 species for now. Though perhaps they do have their differences, it can be trophic polymorphism, maybe full paper have done molecular test & have the same results. In any case, future research needs to be done so it can be definite.
Don't think temperatures implying different species. Higher elevation fish are more sensitive to the changes in the water (temperature, ph, etc) than lower elevation fish. I have tested it with few different fishes. Low elevation are much hardy fish.

I have seen a lot of salween's specimens, I'm also a salween importer in my country. I could say majority, if not all, have very compressed physical shape. Also it is supported by other of my fellow friends. My friends being ichthyologist, citizen experts. Most of their fish i refer their expertise.

 

[GiantFishKeeper101]

New photos of the big guy. The largest that came in around 18". It's been 2 weeks, it just started eating prawns.





So flat. Almost as flat as B. suchus. Even if it's fatten up, just like the others their shoulder becomes meaty. It doesn't go as high as other bagarius.

 

[mike paner]

Still a lot of work to be done, but I am thankful another catch location has been found and potentially another variant.

 

[Devilcat1970]

New photos of the big guy. The largest that came in around 18". It's been 2 weeks, it just started eating prawns.

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So flat. Almost as flat as B. suchus. Even if it's fatten up, just like the others their shoulder becomes meaty. It doesn't go as high as other bagarius.

Are any of these for sale?