| Diagnosis: |
Dorsal spines (total): 0-0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 9-11; Anal spines: 0-0; Anal soft rays: 8-8; Vertebrae: 35-37. Diagnosis: Garra jamila differs from all other African Garra species, except G. napata and G. ethelwynnae, in an asquamate area along the dorsum which exceeds well beyond the dorsal fin insertion and laterally onto flanks and thus accounting for an incomplete scale row count of only 2 to 2.5 scales between dorsal fin insertion and the lateral line vs. 3 or more scales (Ref. 122047). It is distinguished from G. ethelwynnae from the Damas River basin in Eritrea by: an asquamate postpelvic area vs. squamate, and more scales in lateral line, 34-38 vs. 32-34 (Ref. 122047). It is distinguished from G. napata from the Main Nile basin by its well-developed disc, type C, with prominent free posterior flap vs. intermediate, type B, with very small or absent posterior flap; crenate upper lip vs. smooth; its vivid red colouration of the distal end of the anal fin when alive vs. anal fin lacking any red colours; a small dark humeral spot usually as large or smaller than the red postopercular spot vs. humeral spot twice as large as postopercular spot; fixed specimens with very dark blackish to brown colouration on back ad contrasting light belly vs. entire body grey beige (Ref. 122047). It is distinguished from G. vinciguerrae by a naked predorsal area that exceeds laterally beyond dorsal fin vs. at least single, irregular predorsal scales present on nape; middle of dorsal fin membrane with prominent dark horizontal band vs. no such band; from G. sannarensis by its well-developed disc, type C, vs. intermediate, type B disc, and posterior disc flap rounded and of equal width vs. caudally slightly extended, oval shaped flap with bulky middle; from G. sp. "White Nile" in having prominent stout short barbels, not reaching onto lower lip pad when flexed inwards vas. barbels nearly touching each other when flexed inwards (Ref. 122047).
Description: Laterally compressed and rather deep-bodied Garra, species with moderately or clearly flattened head profile (Ref. 122047). Disc well developed, type C, and oval shaped, shorter as broad, lateroposterior flap distinct and either well-developed, papillate and nearly as broad as disc or disc smooth and more than twice as long as flap and laterally reduced; central callus of disc as wide as mouth; rostral cap not as prominent as in Garra vinciguerrae but in comparison to all other Main Nile species well developed and distinct, margin fringed, maxillary barbels well developed but stout and rather short or very short (Ref. 122047). Dorsal fin origin at centre of body, posterior margin straight to slightly convex; usually 3-4 unbranched rays, one or two minute rays deeply embedded into the anterior fin tissue and recognisable only on X-ray images, followed by one smaller and one larger simple ray and 7 branched rays; pectoral fins inserting low on body; pelvic fins nearly reaching anal fin insertion; posterior margin of anal fin convex, three small simple rays, the first deeply embedded into anterior fin tissue and visible only via X-ray imaging, followed by 5 branched rays; caudal fin emarginated, upper and lower lobes rounded (Ref. 122047). Scales on body flanks large; chest, belly and postpelvic area scaleless; area in front and around dorsal fin base asquamate, laterally expanding on body flanks and thus reducing scale row count to only 2-2.5 complete scale rows between dorsal fin insertion and lateral line (Ref. 122047).
Colouration: In life very colourful Garra species with pinkish or golden body directly after capture, in large specimen red; head, cheek, flank scales and back dark green to olive scales and strongly pigmented; pigmented areas on flank scales often confined to anterior scale centres near scale pocket membranes; number of lighter scales with unpigmented posterior margin increasing towards belly; iris bright orange or red; spot on posterior dorsal corner of opercle deeply red and of same size as in directly bordering dark-green humeral spot on first lateral line scale; pectoral, pelvic and anal fins yellowish, anal fin anteriorly red, unbranched rays of pectoral and pelvic fin with distinct white margin; caudal peduncle with distinct dark, slightly rectangular bar; caudal fin membrane vividly yellow, dark grey melanophores along rays and increasing in number towards proximal part in subadults, in adults forming conspicuous horizontal stripes in the fin centre; upper lobe and ventral half of lower lobe of caudal fin and lower margin of anal fin tinted intensively red; centre of dorsal membrane at base of branched rays 2 or 3 to 6 with four to five prominent confluent dark spots; towards middle of fin with conspicuous and broad dark grey or black band; anterior distal fin margin at unbranched and first three branched membranes red, towards its free distal end hyaline (Ref. 122047). In preserved specimens, greenish body colouration turns into dark brown; belly pale with marked border to dark lateral and dorsal body flanks; pigmentation differences between anterior and posterior scale parts reversed or not traceable; first scale of lateral line behind opercle with dark blotch, dark vertical bar at the end of caudal peduncle visible; pectoral, pelvic and anal fins pale opaque white; dark margins in dorsal fin visible in preserved specimens (Ref. 122047). |