Gyrinocheilus aymonieri

The average body length of an individual is 100-150 mm. The body is nearly cylindrical, with two pairs of gill openings on the side of the head. There is a water inlet at the upper corner of the main gill opening, which leads to the gill cavity. The gill rakers are small and closely arranged. There are 40-41 lateral line scales. The origin of the dorsal fin is at the midpoint of the origin of the pectoral and pelvic fins; the paired fins and anal fins are small; the caudal fin is forked. The back of the body is gray-black, the abdomen is white and slightly flat, and there are 8-9 black spots on the back and sides of the body, sometimes in 2 rows. The caudal fin has dot-like stripes, and the other fins are gray. The back of the head is flat, and the distance between the eyes is wide. The snout is concave and has tumor-like protrusions. There are no barbels at the corners of the mouth. The upper and lower lips are combined to form a bowl-shaped suction cup, which is densely covered with

The diapsid fish is native to the Mekong River basin and has been raised as an ornamental fish throughout the world.

The Latin name of the diapsid fish is Gyrinocheilus aymonieri, which is endemic to Yunnan, China.

The mouth of the diapsid fish forms a suction cup, which is used to attach to the surface of stones and shovel algae on the surface of the stones. As an ornamental fish, it is kept in an aquarium. It can shovel mosses and algae on the surface and bottom of the glass, making the water clear and the glass bright, so it is called a "scavenger" or "algae-eating fish".

It likes to live in rivers with rocky bottoms in mountainous areas, mostly in rapids, and can live in still water. It is a fish that is highly adapted to rapids. Its two gill holes have a unique breathing function. When breathing, water enters the mouth through the upper gill hole, making the mouth more specialized without affecting its adsorption function. It uses its mouth to adhere to the surface of stones or other objects, and water flows in from the water inlet for gas exchange, and then is discharged from the gill holes to replace the opening and closing of the mouth. It can adhere to the slope of the dam with its powerful mouthparts, so it is also known as a "wall-climbing fish". It breathes 230-240 times per minute, which is much more than other fish. It feeds on algae and plant debris. They lay eggs in streams when the river water rises sharply in June and July.

There are only 2-3 species in the genus in the Indochina Peninsula, and only one species in my country. Because of its adaptation to rapids, its mouth has evolved into a highly evolved suction cup, which is a rare example of biological adaptation to the environment. It has certain scientific research value in fish taxonomy and comparative anatomy, and is a precious specimen for teaching and scientific research. In addition, fishermen along the river mostly catch them during the spawning season, so the number has dropped sharply and it is on the verge of extinction.

It is listed in the second level of the "List of National Key Protected Wildlife in China". (Wild populations only)

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