Fish of the Month

Previous Fishes of the Month

A small, elongate, slender, bottom-dwelling fish with eyes are situated high on its head and short barbels on its lower jaw below its mouth, shown in left lateral view against a white background. It has a rounded body that is not much laterally flattened, and rounded dorsal and caudal fins with their tips slightly notched. The caudal peduncle is quite long and narrow. The anal fin is triangular, the ventral fin rounded and the pectoral fins quite fleshy. The general colour of this fish is yellow h-brown with blotches of darker colour. Image © Syed Talia Mushtaq

October 2026

Kashmir Stone Loach
Triplophysa kashmirensis

Image © Syed Talia Mushtaq

Triplophysa kashmirensis (Hora, 1922) is a native freshwater fish of the western Himalaya, recorded from the Kashmir Valley and adjoining areas of Pakistan. Adapted to riverine and lacustrine habitats, this small benthic fish is an important but often overlooked component of Himalayan freshwater biodiversity. It is currently listed as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List, with threats including hydropower development, habitat degradation, pollution and mining. Despite its conservation significance, important gaps remain in our understanding of its population status, ecology and conservation requirements.

Nomination: Dr. Syed Talia Mushtaq, Division of Fisheries Resource Management, Faculty of Fisheries, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Kashmir (SKUAST-K), Jammu and Kashmir, India.