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List of Freshwater Fishes reported from Lao
(landlocked)

n = 599
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Table 1: 573 species currently present in the country/island (endemic, native, introduced, reintroduced);
Table 2: 16 species possibly present in the country/island (stray, questionable);
Table 3: 10 species demonstrated to be absent in the country/island (extirpated, not established, misidentification, error).
Table 4: 599 species reported from the country/island altogether.
Table : 599 .
     
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Family Species Author Info Occurrence Common names Abundance Max length Maturity Remark Photo
Cyprinidae Aaptosyax grypus Rainboth, 1991 Fr native  Pa sanak gnai (Laotian), Pa sanak (Laotian), Sanak (Laotian) fairly common (chances are about 50%) 130 cm SL male/unsexed  Occurs in the middle Mekong River and lower most course of main tributaries (Ref. 43281). Found in Ban Hang Khone at Don Khone, 3 km below the fall line of the great waterfalls of the Mekong basin at Lee Pee (Ref. 9497). Apparently restricted to the mainstream of the Mekong River, where it may well be the rarest of the larger fish species (Ref. 9497). According to fishermen from Ban Hang Khone, the appearance of large pa sanak in December is a signal that the November-December migration of pa uhn (Probarbus) has ended (Ref. 9497). Also Ref. 10431, 30857, 37770. 
Gobionidae Abbottina rivularis (Basilewsky, 1855) Fr, Fi introduced   18.90 cm TL male/unsexed  Introduced in the Mekong basin. 
Cobitidae Acanthopsoides delphax Siebert, 1991 Fr native   6.00 cm SL male/unsexed  Occurs in the Mekong basin (Ref. 43281). Found in the lower Xe Bangfai, a tributary of the Mekong basin (Ref. 27732). Also Ref. 30857. 
Cobitidae Acanthopsoides gracilentus (Smith, 1945) Fr native   6.00 cm SL male/unsexed  Occurs in the middle Xe Bangfai, a tributary of the Mekong basin (Ref. 27732). Also Ref. 30857, 43281. 
Cobitidae Acanthopsoides gracilis Fowler, 1934 Fr native   5.40 cm SL male/unsexed  Known from the Mekong basin. Also Ref. 36654.  No picture yet.
Cobitidae Acanthopsoides hapalias Siebert, 1991 Fr native   6.00 cm TL male/unsexed  Known from the Mekong basin (Ref. 43281). Occurs in the lower and middle Xe Bangfai, a tributary of the Mekong basin (Ref. 27732). Also Ref. 30857. 
Cobitidae Acantopsis dialuzona Van Hasselt, 1823 Fr native  Pa it (Laotian)  25.00 cm SL male/unsexed  Known from the Mekong basin (Ref. 4792). Also Ref. 7050, 36654. 
Cobitidae Acantopsis dinema Boyd & Page, 2017 Fr native   11.67 cm SL male/unsexed  Known from the tributaries of the Mekong River draining the Khorat Plateau and Mekong Delta ecoregions (Ref. 116755).  No picture yet.
Cobitidae Acantopsis ioa Boyd & Page, 2017 Fr native  Slender horseface loach (English)  13.20 cm SL male/unsexed  Widely distributed in the mainstem Mekong River. Also occurs in Nam Lik, a large tributary of the Mekong (Ref. 116755).  No picture yet.
Cobitidae Acantopsis rungthipae Boyd, Nithirojpakdee & Page, 2017 Fr native   11.97 cm SL male/unsexed  Known from Mekong River basin (Ref. 116755).  No picture yet.
Acheilognathidae Acheilognathus barbatulus Günther, 1873 Fr native   8.70 cm TL male/unsexed  Known from Nam Ma basin (Houaphan Province, South China Sea slope) and from Nam Ma Yen (Louang Nam Tha Province, Mekong basin). Also Ref. 43281. 
Acheilognathidae Acheilognathus deignani (Smith, 1945) Fr native   5.20 cm SL male/unsexed  Occurs in a tributary of Mekong River at Ban Nam Puat (Ref. 37773). Also Ref. 4792, 94476. 
Acheilognathidae Acheilognathus longibarbatus (Mai, 1978) Fr native   9.20 cm SL male/unsexed  Occurs in the Nam Mat basin (Ref. 43281).  No picture yet.
Acheilognathidae Acheilognathus tonkinensis (Vaillant, 1892) Fr native   12.20 cm TL male/unsexed  Known from Nam Mat basin. 
Soleidae Achiroides leucorhynchos Bleeker, 1851 Fr native   8.00 cm SL male/unsexed   
Soleidae Achiroides melanorhynchus (Bleeker, 1850) Fr questionable   14.00 cm SL male/unsexed  Listed as Achiroides cf. melanorhynchus in Ref. 30857; occurrence needs verification. 
Cyprinidae Acrossocheilus iridescens (Nichols & Pope, 1927) Fr native   29.70 cm SL male/unsexed  Known from Nam Xam and Nam Ma basins. 
Cyprinidae Acrossocheilus xamensis Kottelat, 2000 Fr native   23.53 cm SL male/unsexed  Known only from the Nam Xam basin. Type locality is Houay Tangoua, small stream entering Nam Xam in Ban Houatangoua, Houaphan Prov. (Ref. 36949). Also Ref. 43281.  No picture yet.
Cyprinidae Ageneiogarra theunensis (Kottelat, 1998) Fr native   30.00 cm SL male/unsexed  Occurs in the upper, middle and lower Nam Theun (Ref. 27732). Recorded from Nam Kading to Nam Tha basins (Ref. 43281).  No picture yet.
Akysidae Akysis bilustris Ng, 2011 Fr native   2.53 cm SL male/unsexed   
Akysidae Akysis ephippifer Ng & Kottelat, 1998 Fr native   3.36 cm SL male/unsexed  Known from Xe Kong of the Mekong basin. Also Ref. 52824. 
Akysidae Akysis recavus Ng & Kottelat, 1998 Fr native   4.00 cm SL male/unsexed   
Akysidae Akysis variegatus (Bleeker, 1846) Fr native  Pa khi hia (Laotian)  4.30 cm TL male/unsexed  Found in Ban Hang Khone, a village on an island in the middle of the mainstream Mekong River just below the Great Khone Waterfalls in Khong District, Champasak Province. Also Ref. 12693. 
Akysidae Akysis varius Ng & Kottelat, 1998 Fr native   4.00 cm SL male/unsexed  Occurs in the Xe Bangfai basin of the Mekong in western Laos. Type locality, Khammouan province (Ref. 30226). Also Ref. 30857. 
Cyprinidae Albulichthys albuloides (Bleeker, 1855) Fr native   30.00 cm SL male/unsexed  Known from the Mekong basin. Also Ref. 7050. 
Botiidae Ambastaia nigrolineata (Kottelat & Chu, 1987) Fr native   8.00 cm SL male/unsexed  Occurs in the upper Xe Bangfai, a tributary of the Mekong basin (Ref. 27732). Also Ref. 30857, 43281. 
Botiidae Ambastaia sidthimunki (Klausewitz, 1959) Fr native  Pba moo (Laotian)  5.50 cm SL male/unsexed  Found in the Mekong basin (Ref. 43281). Also Ref. 4792, 31466, 50526. 
Amblycipitidae Amblyceps caecutiens Blyth, 1858 Fr native   7.30 cm SL male/unsexed  Presence in the country is expected. Inhabits streams with moderate to swift current, often with gravel to pebble bottom (Ref. 43281).  No picture yet.
Amblycipitidae Amblyceps mangois (Hamilton, 1822) Fr native   12.50 cm SL male/unsexed   
Amblycipitidae Amblyceps serratum Ng & Kottelat, 2000 Fr native   4.53 cm SL male/unsexed  Collected from upriver of Mahaxai from mouth of Nam Phit to about 4 km downriver, Xe Bangfai, Khammouan Prov. and Xe Pon between rapids upstream and downstream of Ban Fuang, Savannakhet Prov. (Ref. 37785).  No picture yet.
Danionidae Amblypharyngodon chulabhornae Vidthayanon & Kottelat, 1990 Fr native   4.00 cm SL male/unsexed  Occurs in the Mekong basin. Also Ref. 30857. 
Cyprinidae Amblyrhynchichthys micracanthus Ng & Kottelat, 2004 Fr native   19.67 cm SL male/unsexed   
Cyprinidae Amblyrhynchichthys truncatus (Bleeker, 1850) Fr native  Dta bo (Laotian), Jon (Laotian), Pa ta po (Laotian), Pba dta jon (Laotian), Pba dta pbo (Laotian), Pba jon (Laotian)  40.00 cm SL male/unsexed  Known from the Mekong basin (Ref. 30857, 4792, 43281). Found in Ban Hang Khone at Don Khone, 3 km below the fall line of the great waterfalls of the Mekong basin at Lee Pee (Ref. 9497). Previously very common in the January-February migration at Ban Hang Khone, but it is now uncommon and may be more reduced than most species (Ref. 12369). Museum: Mekong at Ban Hang Khone, just below the Khone Falls, CAS 94272 (Ref. 5515). Becoming locally rare (Ref. 43281). Also Ref. 7050, 37767. 
Anabantidae Anabas testudineus (Bloch, 1792) Fr, Br, Fi native  Pa kheng (Laotian), Pba keng (Laotian)  25.00 cm TL male/unsexed  Occurs in the Mekong basin. Found in the lower and middle Xe Bangfai, and the middle Nam Theun (Ref. 27732) and Ban Hang Khone, a village on an island in the middle of the mainstream Mekong River just below the Great Khone Waterfalls in Khong District, Champasak Province (Ref. 37767). Also Ref. 4792, 30857, 50526. 
Cyprinidae Anematichthys repasson (Bleeker, 1853) Fr native  Da si (Laotian), Dok niew (Laotian), Dta sai (Laotian), Pa doke ngieu (Laotian), Pa khao i thai (Laotian)  28.00 cm SL male/unsexed  Occurs in the Mekong, the middle and lower Xe Bangfai, and the middle and lower Nam Theun (Ref. 27732). Found in Ban Hang Khone, a village on an island in the middle of the mainstream Mekong River just below the Great Khone Waterfalls in Khong District, Champasak Province (Ref. 37767). Also Ref. 4792, 2091, 30857, 36654, 43281. 
Anguillidae Anguilla marmorata Quoy & Gaimard, 1824 Fr, Br, Thr native  Pa lai fai fa (Laotian), Pba lat meow (Laotian)  70.00 cm TL male/unsexed ;200 cm TL female  Known from the Mekong basin at Ban Hang Khone, Khong District, Champasak Province (Ref. 37767). Museum: Mekong river near Ban Hang Khone, below Lee Pee waterfalls CAS 96565 (Ref. 5515). Also Ref. 30857, 43281, 56905. 
Gastromyzontidae Annamia normani (Hora, 1931) Fr native  Pa tit hin (Laotian)  7.80 cm SL male/unsexed  Occurs in the upper Xe Bangfai, a tributary of the Mekong basin (Ref. 27732). Also Ref. 4792, 30857, 43281. 
Tetraodontidae Auriglobus modestus (Bleeker, 1850) Fr native  Pa pao luang (Laotian)  10.60 cm SL male/unsexed  Known from the Mekong basin. 
Tetraodontidae Auriglobus nefastus (Roberts, 1982) Fr native   13.00 cm SL male/unsexed  Occurs in the Mekong basin (Ref. 43281). 
Badidae Badis ruber Schreitmüller, 1923 Fr native   5.00 cm SL male/unsexed  Occurs in the Mekong basin (Louang Phabang, Ref. 43281). 
Sisoridae Bagarius bagarius (Hamilton, 1822) Fr misidentification  Pa ke (Laotian)  230 cm TL male/unsexed  Probably referring to Bagarius lica. 
Sisoridae Bagarius lica Volz, 1903 Fr, Fi, Thr native  Pa khe (Laotian), Pa khae (Laotian), Pba kae (Laotian)  200 cm SL male/unsexed  Occurs in the Mekong tributary, the lower and middle Xe Bangfai (Ref. 27732). Found in Ban Hang Khone at Don Khone, 3 km below the fall line of the great waterfalls of the Mekong basin at Lee Pee (Ref. 9497). Undertakes upstream migration during the wet season in July-August through Hoo Som Yai at the Great Fault Line on the Mekong River, Champassack Province (Ref. 37771). Reported to migrate during the dry season in December/January in Southern Laos (Ref. 37769). Questionably found in the lower and middle Nam Theun (Ref. 27732). Also Ref. 4833, 30857, 35669, 37767, 43281, 50526. 
Sisoridae Bagarius rutilus Ng & Kottelat, 2000 Fr native   100.00 cm SL male/unsexed  Known from the Nam Xam And Nam Ma basins (Ref. 43281). Also Ref. 37037.  No picture yet.
Sisoridae Bagarius suchus Roberts, 1983 Fr native   70.00 cm SL male/unsexed  Known from the Mekong River (Ref. 43281). Also Ref. 30857, 12693. 
Sisoridae Bagarius vegrandis Ng & Kottelat, 2021 Fr native   22.00 cm SL male/unsexed    No picture yet.
Bagridae Bagrichthys macracanthus (Bleeker, 1854) Fr native  Pa mak khan mak kheu (Laotian), Pa ka theung (Laotian), Pa makahn makehr (Laotian)  25.00 cm SL male/unsexed  Known from the Mekong River (Ref. 30857). Collected from Tha Ngon and Hatsalao (Ref. 4792). Found in Ban Hang Khone at Don Khone, 3 km below the fall line of the great waterfalls of the Mekong basin at Lee Pee (Ref. 9497). Occurs in the Mekong mainstream at Hat Village, Muang Khong District (Ref. 37769). Museum: Mekong at Ban Hang Khone, just below Khone Falls, CAS 92487 (Ref. 5515). Also Ref. 37767, 43281. 
Bagridae Bagrichthys macropterus (Bleeker, 1854) Fr native  Pa kouay souk (Laotian), Pa gooay sook (Laotian), Pa makahn makehr (Laotian)  30.00 cm TL male/unsexed  Found in the Mekong River. Collected at Hatsalao (Ref. 4792) and Ban Hang Khone, a village on an island in the middle of the mainstream Mekong River just below the Great Khone Waterfalls in Khong District, Champasak Province (Ref. 37767). 
Bagridae Bagrichthys obscurus Ng, 1999 Fr native   24.91 cm SL male/unsexed  Known from the Mekong basin (Ref. 43281). Also Ref. 38653. 
Cyprinidae Balantiocheilos melanopterus (Bleeker, 1850) Fr native  Pa pit (Laotian)  35.00 cm SL male/unsexed  Known from the Mekong basin. Also Ref. 4792, 36654. 
Balitoridae Balitora annamitica Kottelat, 1988 Fr native   12.00 cm TL male/unsexed  Known from the Mekong River. 
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