[1] The species has been discovered in 2012, named and described by Prof. Dr. Mathews Plamoottil,[2] Head of the Department of Zoology, Baby John Memorial Govt.

It was collected from Mananthavady river in the high altitude hilly Wayanad district in Kerala, India (Western Ghats region).

[5] The holotype ZSI FF 5285 was found on the Mananthavady river in the high altitude hilly Wayanad district in Kerala [6] The Malabar black-backed barb is different from the rest of the Puntius species by many features.

Another unique feature is the position of the eye which is placed behind and above the jaws angle and bulging above the head making it visible from below and the nostrils are in form of short tubes protruding out.

[5] The collection location of the fish is the fast flowing clear watered Mananthavady river in hilly Wayand district of Kerala.