[Freshwater fish] Order Cypriniformes Family Cobitidae(loaches). Multibanded loach Kichulchoia multifasciata(Kim & Lee, 1995). Max. 15 cm TL Korean name/susu-mi-ggu-ri(수수미꾸리) Dorsal spines 3, Dorsal soft rays 6. Anal spines 3, Anal soft rays 4. Vert/52~55. Gr/18~20
Distribution; Asia/endemic to Korea. Found only in Nak-dong River basin in southern Korea. General; Body elongated, body and head compressed laterally. Eye small, located close to dorso-head, inter orbital space narrow. An erectile branched spine below eye. Posterior nostril posited close to anterior nostril, anterior nostril with short tube like flap. Snout slightly extended and with blunt tip. Mouth small, placed below snout and with Ω shape when seen from below. Lower jaw shorter than upper jaw. With 3 pairs of barbels. Lips thick and lower lip with a groove in center that separates the lip into 2 labial lobes.
Gill opening small and located behind opercula. Lateral line incomplete, travel straight on flank, distinct in anterior body(till the pectoral fin tip), but indistinct thereafter. Scales very small, some scales embedded under skin and absent in head. Dorsal and pelvic fins placed far behind the middle of body. Anal fin scanty. Pelvic fin small and with rounded margin. Pectoral fin smaller than pelvic fin and with narrow depth. Absent in lamina circularis(small bony plate) that males of other congeners have at the base of pectoral fin. Margin of caudal fin almost truncated.
Body ground color light yellow when alive, Head, snout, barbels, pectoral fin, and pelvic fin with red orange color when alive. Small dark spots scattered on head. 13∼18 dark brown blotches regularly spaced on body, each blotches extended from back to lower ventral side and connected to opposite side through back. A broad vertical blackish band on mid portion of caudal fin. 2∼3 blackish transverse bands on dorsal fin.
Inhabits pebble-covered bottoms of clear water in upper streams, swim fast, hide under substrate when feel danger. Feed mainly on algae. Spawn in November to March. Male support egg laying female by embracing around and pressing the partner’s body; this behavior common in other congeners. Female lays 798∼901 eggs in a litter. Usually 10~13㎝, rarely over 15㎝.
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