Malabar Black Backed Barb

This species is distinguished from all its congeners by the following characters: a blackish dorsal side; shorter maxillary barbels (12.3 % HL); shorter width of mouth gape (22.6 5 % HL); a higher body (BDD 35.8 % SL); with a row of elongated tiny black dots present on dorsal fin, the latter is shorter (21.1 % SL) and with 9 branched rays, last unbranched dorsal fin ray feebly ossified and flexible; anal fin with 6 branched rays; lateral line scales 27; greater pre-pelvic distance (52.6 % SL); a wide caudal peduncle (9.1 % SL); straight lateral line (Ref. 104740).