Ayumodoki Loach

アユモドキ · Ayumodoki

Kissing Loach (Ayumodoki) — Photo: Totti / CC BY-SA 4.0 / Wikimedia Commons

Designated by: National / Natural Monument
Designation type: Species
Designated on: July 2, 1977
Prefectures: Shiga Kyoto Okayama
Scientific name: Parabotia curtus

Designation facts (name, date, location) are compiled from public records by Japanese authorities.

About the Kissing Loach (Ayumodoki)

A loach resembling a sweetfish, endemic to Japan. Wild populations are currently confirmed only in parts of Okayama and Kyoto; no wild individuals have been confirmed in Shiga since 1992. It spawns in temporarily flooded fields and channels during the rainy season. Habitat loss and changes to waterways have made it critically threatened, and it is strictly protected.

Natural Monuments related to the Kissing Loach (Ayumodoki) →

Map

Designated as a species without a fixed area. Markers show related prefectures.

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Frequently asked questions

Yes. Ayumodoki Loach is a National Natural Monument, designated as: Species. Designated on July 2, 1977.

The Ayumodoki Loach is designated as a species without a fixed area and lives in places such as Shiga, Kyoto, Okayama.

When observing, follow local rules, keep your distance and never feed the animals. Capturing or harming Natural Monuments is prohibited under Japan's Act on Protection of Cultural Properties.

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