Lepidocephalichthys jonklaasi (Deraniyagala, 1956)
Jonklaas' s loach
Lepidocephalichthys jonklaasi
photo by Ramani Shirantha

Family:  Cobitidae (Spined loaches)
Max. size:  6 cm TL (male/unsexed)
Environment:  demersal; freshwater; depth range - 0 m, non-migratory
Distribution:  Asia: known only from the type locality in Wilpita, Akuressa in Sri Lanka; recent collections indicate presence of species in the Kalu River basin near Madakada (6°48'N, 80°10'E) and in the Kanneliya Reserve in the Gin River Basin, Sri Lanka.
Diagnosis:   
Biology:  Not enough is known of the biology of this species. Inhabits shallow, slow-flowing rivulets, heavily shaded, with leaf debris (Ref. 11966). This fish is not visible from the water surface, being concealed beneath leaf debris. It is too rare to be of value to the aquarium trade which in any case exports large numbers of the superficially similar Lepidocephalus thermalis.
IUCN Red List Status: Endangered (EN); Date assessed: 07 August 2019 (B1ab(iii)+2ab(iii)) Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless


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