A Current Update on the Distribution, Morphological Features, and Genetic Identity of the Southeast Asian Mahseers, <i>Tor</i> Species

• Main Authors: Faizul Jaafar, Uthairat Na-Nakorn, Prapansak Srisapoome, Thumronk Amornsakun, Thuy-Yen Duong, Maria Mojena Gonzales-Plasus, Duc-Huy Hoang, Ishwar S. Parhar
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2021-04-01
• Series: Biology
• Subjects: distribution; genetic marker; mahseer; morphology; Southeast Asia; <i>Tor</i>
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/2079-7737/10/4/286

The king of rivers or mahseer comprises three genera: <i>Tor</i>, <i>Neolissochilus,</i> and <i>Naziritor,</i> under the Cyprinidae family. The <i>Tor</i> genus has been classified as the true mahseer due to the presence of a median lobe among the three genera. The <i>Tor</i> species are widely distributed across Southeast (SE) Asia, and 13 <i>Tor</i> species have been reported previously: <i>Tor ater, Tor dongnaiensis, Tor douronensis, Tor laterivittatus</i>, <i>Tor mosal, Tor mekongensis, Tor putitora</i>, <i>Tor sinensis, Tor soro, Tor tambra, Tor tambroides</i>, <i>Tor tor</i> and <i>Tor yingjiangensis</i>. However, the exact number of valid <i>Tor</i> species remains debatable. Different and unstandardized approaches of applying genetic markers in taxonomic identification and morphology variation within the same species have further widened the gap and ameliorated the instability of <i>Tor</i> species taxonomy. Therefore, synchronized and strategized research among <i>Tor</i> species researchers is urgently required to improve and fill the knowledge gap. This review is a current update of SE Asia’s <i>Tor</i> species, outlining their distribution, morphology, and genetic identification. In addition, the present review proposes that there are ten valid <i>Tor</i> species in the SE Asian region. This list will serve as a template and standard to improve the taxonomy of the SE Asian <i>Tor</i> species, which could serve as a basis to open new directions in <i>Tor</i> research.