Monday, January 19, 2015

[Ichthyology • 2014] The First Record of Trigonostigma somphongsi (Meinken, 1958) | ปลาซิวสมพงษ์, A Critically Endangered Species, in its Natural Habitat of central Thailand


Habitat of Trigonostigma somphongsi in a deepwater rice field, in the flood plains of Nakhon Nayok River, Bangpakong Basin, Nakhon Nayok Province, central Thailand. Trigonostigma somphongsi were found in a mixed school with many other small cyprinids, was often led by Rasbora borapetensis (the strongest swimmer), then followed by Amblypharyngodon chulabhornae with Boraras urophthalmoides (smallest species) and Tsomphongsi at the tail of the school
Petsut, et al. 2014. Biodiversity-Journal


ABSTRACT
A population of a critically endangered Trigonostigma somphongsi (Meinken, 1958) has been discovered in a deepwater rice field, floodplain of Bangpakong Basin, Nakhon Nayok Province, central Thailand. The population was the first record of this species in its natural habitat since its description by Meinken in 1958. The species appeared to be a seasonal horizontal migration species, since it migrates to breed in the floodplain during the rainy season between July and November and migrates back into the main channel during the dry season.

KEY WORDS: Trigonostigma somphongsi; Cyprinidae; Bangpakong; Thailand.


Somphongs's rasbora | Trigonostigma sompongsi 
 Population: Unknown (declining) || Population size: Unknown
Range: Mae Khlong basin, Thailand
Primary threats: Habitat loss and degradation from farmland conversion and urbanization
Action required: Wetland restoration
photo: N. Panitvong


Nidsaraporn Petsut, Nonn Panitvong, Sitthi Kulabtong, Jirawaeth Petsut & Chirachai Nonpayon. 2014. The First Record of Trigonostigma somphongsi (Meinken, 1958), A Critically Endangered Species, in its Natural Habitat of Thailand.
Biodiversity Journal. 5(4): 471-474. http://www.biodiversityjournal.com/pdf/5(4)_471-474.pdf

Baillie J.E.M. and Butcher E.R., 2012. Priceless or Worthless ?: The World’s Most Threatened Species. Zoological Society of London, 112 pp.

Teetering on the edge: the world's 100 most endangered species (photos) http://news.mongabay.com/2012/0910-hance-100-endangered-species.html via @mongabay
 The World's 100 Most Threatened Species http://huff.to/TT4SFE via @HuffPostGreen