Terateleotris aspro (Kottelat, 1998)

Family:  Odontobutidae (Freshwater sleepers)
Max. size:  10 cm SL (male/unsexed)
Environment:  benthopelagic; freshwater
Distribution:  Asia: Xe Bangfai of the Mekong basin in Laos.
Diagnosis:  Dorsal spines (total): 9-9; Dorsal soft rays (total): 9-9; Anal spines: 1-1. Distinguishable by its shallower body (depth 2.1-2.4 times in SL) with relatively narrow vertical bars; bar 1 usually not continued onto thorax or across ventral surface of the body; bar 2 originating at base of 5th-6th dorsal spine; usually 11 branched anal fin rays (Ref. 27732). First dorsal fin with 8 rays; small genitalia not extending backwards to base of first anal fin ray (Ref. 43281); presence of connection between oculoscapular and preopercular canals; short and stout gill rakers on lower half outer surface of first gill arch with small spines; presence of furrow on all mid-lateral line scales; complete cephalic sensory canals; sensory papillae on chin forming transverse pattern, separate right and left lines; transverse pattern formed by sensory papillae on tip of snout; right and left gill membrane united at vertical from a point of near posterior edge of eye; wide gill opening, extending to a vertical from anterior margin of pupil; width of interorbital narrower than eye diameter; ctenoid predorsal scales, extending forward to posterior part of interorbital space; 5th pelvic ray branched; presence of distal radial of first-dorsal fin element; presence of suborbital bone; three epurals; presence of large extrascapula; absence of prevomerine teeth; absence of ventral transverse shelf on posterior half of urohyal; gill rakers separated bon inner part of 4th ceratobranchial; presence of anterior projection on anterior tip of metapterygoid; absence of overlap with lower part of ectopterygoid and quadrate (Ref. 92840).
Biology:  Found in backwaters (Ref. 27732). Inhabits gravelly-sandy bottom of a shallow-flowing area just downstream of the exit of river underground course (Ref. 42922).
IUCN Red List Status: Endangered (EN); Date assessed: 11 November 2011 (B1ab(iii)+2ab(iii)) Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless


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