Schizothorax is a genus of cyprinid fish found in southern and western China, through northern South Asia (Himalaya) and Central Asia, to Iran. They are primarily found in highland rivers, streams and lakes, although a few species occur in lower-lying locations, like Lake Balkhash and lakes of the Sistan Basin. Their scientific name means "cloven-breast", from Ancient Greek () 'to cleave' and () 'breast-plate' (see also thorax). The western species are typically referred to as marinkas from their Russian name (), while the eastern species are usually called snowtrout. Although they do resemble trouts in habitus this is merely due to convergent evolution and they are by no means closely related apart from both being Teleostei: Cyprinids are in the teleost superorder Ostariophysi, while trouts are in the superorder Protacanthopterygii. Their ancestors must thus have diverged as early as the Triassic, more than 200 million years ago.

Schizothorax is classified within the subfamily Schizothoracinae, the snow barbels, within the family Cyprinidae, the family which includes the carps, barbs and related fishes. This grouping was formerly thought to include the mountain barbels now classified in the subfamily Schizopygopsinae.

Genomics Genome assemblies of Schizothorax oconnori (2020) and Schizothorax davidi (2026) have provided the first reference genomes for the genus. These genome assemblies provide a foundation for studies of polyploid genome evolution, high-altitude adaptation, and comparative genomics within Schizothorax.

Species

These are the currently recognized species in this genus:

Schizothorax argentatus Kessler, 1874 (Balkhash marinka) Schizothorax beipanensis J. Yang, X. Y. Chen & J. X. Yang, 2009 Schizothorax biddulphi Günther, 1876 Schizothorax chivae Arunkumar & Moyon, 2016 Schizothorax chongi (P. W. Fang, 1936) Schizothorax cryptolepis T. Y. Fu & M. R. Ye, 1984 Schizothorax curvilabiatus (Wu & W.-H. Tsao, 1992) Schizothorax dainellii Vinciguerra, 1916 Schizothorax davidi (Sauvage, 1880) Schizothorax dolichonema Herzenstein, 1889 Schizothorax dulongensis S. Y. Huang, 1985 Schizothorax edenianus McClelland, 1842 Schizothorax elongatus S. Y. Huang, 1985 Schizothorax esocinus Heckel, 1838 (Chirruh snowtrout) Schizothorax eurystomus Kessler, 1872 Schizothorax fedtschenkoi Kessler, 1872 Schizothorax gongshanensis W.-H. Tsao, 1964 Schizothorax grahami (Regan, 1904) Schizothorax griseus Pellegrin, 1931 Schizothorax gulinensis R. H. Ding, X. Y. Dai & W. Y. Huang, 2022 Schizothorax heteri J. Yang, L. P. Zheng, ZX. Y. Chen & J. X. Yang, 2013 Schizothorax heterochilus M. R. Ye & T. Y. Fu, 1986 Schizothorax heterophysallidos J. Yang, X. Y. Chen & J. X. Yang, 2009 Schizothorax huegelii Heckel, 1838 Schizothorax integrilabiatus (Y. F. Wu et al., 1992) Schizothorax intermedius McClelland & Griffith, 1842 Schizothorax kozlovi Nikolskii, 1903 Schizothorax kumaonensis Menon, 1971 (Kumaon snowtrout) Schizothorax labiatus (McClelland, 1842) (Kunar snowtrout) Schizothorax labrosus Y. H. Wang, D. D. Zhuang & L. C. Gao, 1981 Schizothorax lantsangensis W.-H. Tsao, 1964 Schizothorax lepidothorax J. X. Yang, 1991 Schizothorax leukus J. Yang, L. P. Zheng, X. Y. Chen & J. X. Yang, 2013 Schizothorax lissolabiatus W.-H. Tsao, 1964 Schizothorax longibarbus (P. W. Fang, 1936) Schizothorax macrophthalmus Terashima, 1984 (Nepalese snowtrout) Schizothorax macropogon Regan, 1905 Schizothorax malacathus S. Y. Huang, 1985 Schizothorax meridionalis W.-H. Tsao, 1964 Schizothorax microcephalus F. Day, 1877 Schizothorax microstomus S. Y. Huang, 1982 Schizothorax molesworthi (B. L. Chaudhuri, 1913) (Blunt-nosed snowtrout) Schizothorax myzostomus W.-H. Tsao, 1964 Schizothorax nasus Heckel, 1838 (Dongu snowtrout) Schizothorax nepalensis Terashima, 1984 Schizothorax niger Heckel, 1838 (Alghad snowtrout) Schizothorax ninglangensis Y. H. Wang, K. X. Zhang & D. D. Zhuang, 1981 Schizothorax nudiventris J. Yang, X. Y. Chen & J. X. Yang, 2009 Schizothorax nukiangensis W.-H. Tsao, 1964 Schizothorax oconnori Lloyd, 1908 Schizothorax oligolepis S. Y. Huang, 1985 Schizothorax parvus W.-H. Tsao, 1964 Schizothorax pelzami Kessler, 1870 (Transcaspian marinka) Schizothorax plagiostomus Heckel, 1838 Schizothorax prenanti (T. L. Tchang, 1930) Schizothorax progastus (McClelland, 1839) (Dinnawah snowtrout) Schizothorax pseudoaksaiensis Herzenstein, 1889 (Ili marinka) Schizothorax puncticulatus C. G. Zhang, Y. H. Zhao & C. Y. Niu, 2019 Schizothorax ramzani (Javed, Ullah & Pervaiz, 2012) Schizothorax raraensis Terashima, 1984 (Rara snowtrout) Schizothorax richardsonii (J. E. Gray, 1832) (Common snowtrout) Schizothorax rotundimaxillaris Y. F. Wu & C. Z. Wu, 1992 †Schizothorax saltans Regan, 1905 Schizothorax sinensis Herzenstein, 1889 Schizothorax skarduensis Mirza & A. A. Awan, 1978 Schizothorax taliensis Regan, 1907 Schizothorax waltoni Regan, 1905 Schizothorax wangchiachii (P. W. Fang, 1936) Schizothorax yunnanensis Norman, 1923 Schizothorax zarudnyi (Nikolskii, 1897)

References