This genus is easily distinguished from other sisorids by having an adhesive apparatus on the thorax with grooves parallel or oblique to the longitudinal axis of the body, as opposed to grooves transverse to the longitudinal axis of body or the thoracic adhesive apparatus entirely absent.[2] The dorsal fin and pectoral fins have strong spines. The dorsal fin spine is smooth or serrate on the front edge and smooth or finely serrated on the posterior edge. The pectoral fin spine is serrated on the front edge. The head is small and depressed and the snout is conical. The body is elongate, from moderately to greatly depressed. The skin is either smooth or tuberculate. The eyes are small and dorsally placed. The lips are thick, fleshy and often papillate. The maxillary barbels have a well-developed membrane and a soft base. The gill openings are wide. The paired fins are plaited and modified to form an adhesive apparatus in some species of Glyptothorax.[2]
Ecology
Like other sisorids, these fish are rheophilic, that is they inhabit fast-flowing streams, where they are adapted to live by using the adhesive apparatus on the underside to attach themselves to rocks and prevent being washed away.[4]
Species
There are currently 120 recognized species in this genus:[1]
^Rameshori, Y.; Vishwanath, W. (2012). "A new catfish of the genus Glyptothorax from the Kaladan basin, Northeast India (Teleostei: Sisoridae)". Zootaxa. 3538: 79–87. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.3538.1.3.
^Rameshori, Y.; Vishwanath, W. (2014). "Glyptothorax clavatus, a new species of sisorid catfish from Manipur, northeastern India (Teleostei: Sisoridae)". Ichthyological Exploration of Freshwaters. 25 (2): 185–192.
^Plamoottil, M.; Abraham, N.P. (2013). "Glyptothorax elankadensis (Order-Siluriformes: family-Sisoridae), a new fish species from Manimala River, Kerala, India". Biosystematica. 6 (2): 17–25.
^Ng, H.H.; Kullander, S.O. (2013). "Glyptothorax igniculus, a new species of sisorid catfish (Teleostei: Siluriformes) from Myanmar". Zootaxa. 3681 (5): 552–562. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.3681.5.4. PMID25232627.
^Rameshori, Y.; Vishwanath, W. (2012). "Glyptothorax jayarami, a new species of catfish (Teleostei: Sisoridae) from Mizoram, northeastern India". Zootaxa. 3304: 54–62. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.3304.1.4.
^Ng, H.H.; Lalramliana (2012). "Glyptothorax maceriatus, a new species of sisorid catfish (Actinopterygii: Siluriformes) from north-eastern India". Zootaxa. 3416: 44–52. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.3416.1.4.
^Anganthoibi, N.; Vishwanath, W. (2013). "Glyptothorax pantherinus, a new species of catfish (Teleostei: Sisoridae) from the Noa Dehing River, Arunachal Pradesh, India". Ichthyological Research. 60 (2): 172–177. Bibcode:2013IchtR..60..172A. doi:10.1007/s10228-012-0328-5. S2CID42919047.
^Arunkumar, L. (2016): Glyptothorax pasighatensis, a new species of catfish (Teleostei: Sisoridae) from Arunachal Pradesh, Northeastern India. International Journal of Pure and Applied Zoology, 4 (2): 179-185.
^Roberts, T.R. (2021): Glyptothorax pedunculatus, a New Species of Sumatran Sisorid Catfish with Slender Caudal Peduncle and Simple Thoracic Adhesive Organ. aqua, International Journal of Ichthyology, 27 (1): 1-4.
^Ng, H.H. & Lalramliana (2013): Glyptothorax radiolus, a new species of sisorid catfish (Osteichthyes: Siluriformes) from northeastern India, with a redescription of G. striatus McClelland 1842. Zootaxa, 3682 (4): 501–512.
^Ng, H.H.; Lalramliana (2012). "Glyptothorax scrobiculus, a new species of sisorid catfish (Osteichthyes: Siluriformes) from northeastern India". Ichthyological Exploration of Freshwaters. 23 (1): 1–9.
^Rameshori, Y.; Vishwanath, W. (2012). "Glyptothorax verrucosus, a new sisorid catfish species from the Koladyne basin, Mizoram, India (Teleostei: Sisoridae)". Ichthyological Exploration of Freshwaters. 23 (2): 147–154.