''Lepidocephalus'' is a genus of

loaches 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 ...

native to rivers in the Southeast Asian countries of

Indonesia Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania between the Indian and Pacific oceans. It consists of over 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi, and parts of Borneo and New Guine ...

Malaysia Malaysia ( ; ) is a country in Southeast Asia. The federation, federal constitutional monarchy consists of States and federal territories of Malaysia, thirteen states and three federal territories, separated by the South China Sea into two r ...

and

Thailand Thailand ( ), historically known as Siam () and officially the Kingdom of Thailand, is a country in Southeast Asia, located at the centre of the Indochinese Peninsula, spanning , with a population of almost 70 million. The country is bo ...

and

Manipur Manipur () ( mni, Kangleipak) is a state in Northeast India, with the city of Imphal as its capital. It is bounded by the Indian states of Nagaland to the north, Mizoram to the south and Assam to the west. It also borders two regions of Myanm ...

, north east

India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...

. Members of this genus are known as "spirit loaches".Deein, G., Tangjitjaroen, W. & Page, L.M. (2014)
A revision of the spirit loaches, genus ''Lepidocephalus'' (Cypriniformes, Cobitidae).
''Zootaxa, 3779 (3): 341–352.'' They resemble the related kuhli loaches and ''

Lepidocephalichthys ''Lepidocephalichthys'' is a genus of ray-finned fish in the family Cobitidae. Species There are currently 18 recognized species in this genus:Kottelat, M. (2012)Conspectus cobitidum: an inventory of the loaches of the world (Teleostei: Cyprin ...

'' loaches (some species in the latter genus were formerly placed in ''Lepidocephalus''), but are more robust and generally found deep in large rivers. With little or no light in their habitat, their eyes and pigmentation are reduced to various extent. One species, ''L. spectrum'', completely lacks pigment and eyes, similar to

cavefish Cavefish or cave fish is a generic term for fresh and brackish water fish adapted to life in caves and other underground habitats. Related terms are subterranean fish, troglomorphic fish, troglobitic fish, stygobitic fish, phreatic fish and hypog ...

. They are generally poorly known, but based on the relatively few scientific museum specimens they can reach up to in

standard length Fish measurement is the measuring of individual fish and various parts of their anatomies. These data are used in many areas of ichthyology, including taxonomy and fisheries biology. Overall length * Standard length (SL) is the length of a fish m ...

Species

There are currently 5 recognized species in this genus. * ''

Lepidocephalus macrochir ''Lepidocephalus'' is a genus of loaches native to rivers in the Southeast Asian countries of Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand and Manipur, north east India. Members of this genus are known as "spirit loaches".Deein, G., Tangjitjaroen, W. & Page ...

Bleeker Bleeker is a Dutch occupational surname. Bleeker is an old spelling of ''(linnen)bleker'' ("linen bleacher").Lepidocephalus nanensis ''Lepidocephalus'' is a genus of loaches native to rivers in the Southeast Asian countries of Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand and Manipur, north east India. Members of this genus are known as "spirit loaches".Deein, G., Tangjitjaroen, W. & Page ...

'' Deein, Tangjitjaroen &

Page Page most commonly refers to: * Page (paper), one side of a leaf of paper, as in a book Page, PAGE, pages, or paging may also refer to: Roles * Page (assistance occupation), a professional occupation * Page (servant), traditionally a young mal ...

, 2014 (Thai spirit loach) * ''

Lepidocephalus pallens ''Lepidocephalus'' is a genus of loaches native to rivers in the Southeast Asian countries of Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand and Manipur, north east India. Members of this genus are known as "spirit loaches".Deein, G., Tangjitjaroen, W. & Page ...

'' Vaillant, 1902 (Pallid spirit loach) * ''

Lepidocephalus pahangensis ''Lepidocephalus'' is a genus of loaches native to rivers in the Southeast Asian countries of Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand and Manipur, north east India. Members of this genus are known as "spirit loaches".Deein, G., Tangjitjaroen, W. & Page ...

'' de Beaufort, 1933 (Pahang spirit loach) * ''

Lepidocephalus spectrum ''Lepidocephalus'' is a genus of loaches native to rivers in the Southeast Asian countries of Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand and Manipur, north east India. Members of this genus are known as "spirit loaches".Deein, G., Tangjitjaroen, W. & Page ...

'' T. R. Roberts, 1989 (Blind spirit loach)

References

Cobitidae {{Cobitidae-stub