Tor (fish)

Tor
Golden mahseer (Tor putitora) Babai River, Nepal
Tor tambroides, a controversial species
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Cypriniformes
Suborder: Cyprinoidei
Family: Cyprinidae
Genus: Tor
J. E. Gray, 1833[1]
Type species
Tor hamiltonii
Gray, 1834[1]

Tor is a genus of freshwater ray-finned fishes belonging to the family Cyprinidae, the family which includes the carps, barbs and related fishes. The fishes in this genus, and some related genera, are commonly known as mahseers, though this genus is often distinguished as the true mahseer.[2][3]. These fishes are found in Asia.

Species

Tor is distinguished from its relatives, such as Naziritor and Neolissochilus, by the presence of a median lobe on the mandible/lower lip.[4] The median lobe may alternatively be described as an "interrupted fold or groove".[5]

The currently recognized species in this genus are:[6][7]

The genetically distinct yellow mahseer of Sri Lanka, sometimes referred to as Tor khudree longispinis, may be recognized as its own species.[8]

References

  1. ^ a b Fricke, Ron; Eschmeyer, William N. & van der Laan, Richard (eds.). "Genera in the family Torinae". Catalog of Fishes. California Academy of Sciences. Retrieved 18 January 2025.
  2. ^ Pinder, Adrian C. (March 2020). CONSERVING THE ICONIC AND HIGHLY THREATENED MAHSEER FISHES OF SOUTH AND SOUTHEAST ASIA (PDF) (Thesis). Bournemouth University. Retrieved 2026-03-18.
  3. ^ "A study on phylogeny and biogeography of mahseer species (Pisces: Cyprinidae) using sequences of three mitochondrial DNA gene regions". Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. 48 (3): 1223–1231. September 2008. doi:10.1016/j.ympev.2008.01.006.
  4. ^ "A Current Update on the Distribution, Morphological Features, and Genetic Identity of the Southeast Asian Mahseers, Tor Species". Biology. 10 (4). 1 April 2021. doi:10.3390/biology10040286.
  5. ^ Desai, V. R. (2003). SYNOPSIS OF BIOLOGICAL DATA ON THE TOR MAHSEER Tor tor (Hamilton, 1822) (PDF). Rome: FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS. ISBN 92-5-104933-5. Retrieved 18 March 2026.
  6. ^ Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.). "Species in genus Tor". FishBase. March 2026 version.
  7. ^ Bailly N (ed.). "Tor Gray, 1834". FishBase. World Register of Marine Species. Retrieved 2026-03-18.
  8. ^ "Mahseer (Tor spp.) fishes of the world: status, challenges and opportunities for conservation". Reviews in Fish Biology and Fisheries. 29: 417–452. 2 May 2019. doi:10.1007/s11160-019-09566-y.