Distribution of Pristolepis marginata

Jerdon (1849) listed the east-flowing Mananthavady, the west-flowing Kuttyadi and the west-flowing Kannoth Rivers as the type localities of Pristolepis marginata . Repeated sampling in Kuttyadi and Kannoth, however, resulted in the collection of Pristolepis specimens that possess only three anal-fin spines. These specimens were also genetically distinct from P. marginata specimens from Mananthavady. The specimens from Kuttyadi and Kannoth, morphologically correspond to P. malabarica Günther, 1864 . We therefore conclude that P. marginata is restricted to tributaries of the east-flowing Cauvery River including the Kabini, Harangi and Hemavathy Rivers (Fig. 1).