Snout short, wider than depth. Mouth inferior, arched; three rostral fold in front of mouth. Four maxillary barbells in a row and well developed papillae in two rows on upper lip; two pairs of mandibular barbells at corner of mouth. Body thin, elongated, posterior laterally compressed; ventral profile horizontal to origin of anal; dorsal slightly horizontal. Scales tiny, ventral surface of head, thorax and abdomen naked, lateral line scales complete. L.l.：79－87; dorsal fin rays：3+8; pectoral fin rays：12-14+12-14; pelvic fin rays：6-7+10-12; anal fin rays：2+5; pectoral and pelvic fins laterally expanded; pelvic fins bases united; anus near the middle way between pelvic fin end and anal fin origin; caudal fin forked, lower lobe slightly longer than upper. Dorsal fin origin slightly behind pelvic fin origin. Greenish and blueish, irregularly dark blotches along back. Black stripes on dorsal and caudal fins. Resemble to H. formosanum, and can be distinguished by the united pelvic fin base and slender caudal peduncle of H. taitungensis.
habitats
Primary freshwater fish, lives in moderately fast running water of high and middle elevation. Benthic. Polyphagia, feed on aquatic insects and diatom on rock.
Distribution
Endemic to eastern portion of Central Mountain Range (CMR) of Taiwan. Presently known from branches at high elevation of Hualien River, Hsiukuluan River and Peinan River.
Tzeng, C.-S. etc. 1982 
2009/4/1 COA, Taiwan Redlist: Critically Endangered 
IUCN Redlist: Vulnerable(VU) D2 1996-08-01 
2012 Redlist of Fresh Water Fishes::EN
