Pristolepis pentacantha Plamoottil, 2014
Wayanad leaffish
Pristolepis pentacantha
photo by Plamoottil, M.

Family:  Pristolepididae (Mudperches)
Max. size:  9.45 cm SL (male/unsexed)
Environment:  pelagic-oceanic; freshwater
Distribution:  Asia: India.
Diagnosis:  Dorsal spines (total): 15-16; Dorsal soft rays (total): 11-11; Anal spines: 5-5; Anal soft rays: 7-7. This species is distinguished by the following characters: body roughly rectangular and strongly laterally compressed; body depth 2.4- 2.5 in SL; dorsal contour rising gradually from snout towards the dorsal front, convex along the dorsum and abruptly attenuated at the caudal base; head moderate, its length 2.8- 3.0 and depth 2.9-3.2 in SL, pointed towards the snout; mouth upturned, its width 3.4- 3.7 in HL, maxilla ending at vertical at the level of anterior margin of orbit; opercle with two spines posteriorly; preopercle angle serrated with 5-6 serrae; junction of inter and sub opercle slightly serrated; preorbital without any teeth; pectoral fin reaching 9th scale row downwards posteriorly through 3 scales and then reach 2-3 scales in front of caudal fin base (Ref. 104746).
Biology: 
IUCN Red List Status: Not Evaluated (N.E.) Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless


Source and more info: www.fishbase.org. For personal, classroom, and other internal use only. Not for publication.