genus
Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus com ...
of botiid
loach
Loaches are fish of the superfamily Cobitoidea. They are freshwater, benthic (bottom-dwelling) fish found in rivers and creeks throughout Eurasia and northern Africa. Loaches are among the most diverse groups of fish; the 1249 known species of C ...
es native to
Mainland Southeast Asia
Mainland Southeast Asia, also known as the Indochinese Peninsula or Indochina, is the continental portion of Southeast Asia. It lies east of the Indian subcontinent and south of Mainland China and is bordered by the Indian Ocean to the west an ...
and
China
China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...
. The species in this genus were formerly included in ''
Yasuhikotakia
''Yasuhikotakia'' (Mekong loaches) is a genus of botiid loaches, many which are popular aquarium fish. It is named in honor of Japanese collector/researcher Dr. Yasuhiko Taki. This genus has been separated from the genus ''Botia'' in the paper b ...
Ambastaia nigrolineata
''Ambastaia nigrolineata'' is a vulnerable species of loach found in the Mekong basin in Southeast Asia and China. It occurs in clear, fast-flowing riffles and hillstreams with moderate currents and substrates composed primarily of sand. It is ...
Ambastaia sidthimunki
The dwarf loach, ladderback loach, pygmy loach, chain loach or chain botia, (''Ambastaia sidthimunki'') is a freshwater fish belonging to the family Botiidae. Formerly included in the genus '' Yasuhikotakia'', it is frequently seen in the aquariu ...