About

They are a species of fish commonly called the Mekong Giant Salmon Carp.

Fewer than 30 individuals have been recorded since its formal identification in 1991.

Scientific Name

Aaptosyax grypus

Size

The predatory fish can grow up to 4 feet in length. 

Generally, they have a weight of 30 kilograms but the freshwater fish exceed 30 kilograms in weight.

Identification

It has a conspicuous knob at the tip of its lower jaw, which identifies the fish.

Habitat

They are generally found in the middle reaches of the Mekong River in Northern Cambodia, Laos and Thailand.

Threats

Overfishing, habitat degradation, and other threats such as noise from ships and industrialisation in the Mekong River.

Conservation status

They have been listed as Critically Endangered by the IUCN.

PRACTICE QUESTION

Q.Consider the following statements about the Mekong River: 

1. It is the twelfth-longest river in the world.
2. The river originates at the place called Sanjianyuang in the Tibetan Plateau of China.
3. The Mekong Ganga Cooperation (MGC) is an initiative by India and four riverine  countries of the Mekong River.

How many of the above statements is/are correct?

A.Only one

B.Only two

C. All Three

D.None

Answer: B

Explanation:

Statement 1 is correct: 

Mekong River is an international river in Southeast Asia.

It is the twelfth-longest river in the world and also the third-longest river in Asia with a total length of 2700 km.

Statement 2 is correct: 

The river originates at the place called Sanjianyuang in the Tibetan Plateau of China and it drains into the South China Sea.

The river course covers  six Asian countries which are China, Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam. 

Statement 3 is incorrect: 

The Mekong Ganga Cooperation (MGC) initiative by India and five riverine  countries of the Mekong River and also the ASEAN countries of Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam has potential to enhance the trade and connectivity between India and South East Asia.