Mystus malabaricus, commonly known as the Jerdon's catfish or koori, is a small to medium-sized freshwater fish of the family Bagridae found in the Western Ghats region of India.[1] They are endemic to the hilly streams of Western Ghats.
The generic epithet, Mystus, is probably derived from mystax (Greek; "whiskered", referring to the four pairs of barbels characteristic of the family). The specific epithet malabaricus refers to Malabar, region in southern India, where the type locality is situated.[2] [3]
Members of this genus have been reported as facultative air-breathers. M. malabaricus is amphidromous, meaning they migrate to brackish waters for purposes other than breeding. They have demersal habit, found in shallow hill streams with rocky bottom.
Nasal barbels never reach occiput, it reaches a middle point between occiput and orbit; outer mandibulars reach to tip of pectorals; occipital process connected to dorsal front by an interneural shield; tip of rayed dorsal reaches to base of adipose dorsal front; any other fins touch each other; dorsal spine smooth both internally and externally; anal fin inserted considerably behind anal opening; upper caudal lobe longer than lower one. Sensory organs distinctly seen on lateral line. Color: body greenish; eyes blackish blue.
Body elongate; dorsal and ventral profiles nearly straight; maxillary barbels reach to middle or end of pelvic fins; cephalic fontanel single, shallow and never reach to occiput; occipital process short and it do not reach dorsal front; the former cannot be seen externally as predorsal region is covered by a thick layer of flesh; caudal lobes rounded.
Other species from the region include (list incomplete)[4] -
M. malabaricus has been reported from the Western Ghats across Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra. The type locality is assigned as "mountain streams of Malabar" by Jerdon[5]