Recorded from the Mekong basin (Ref. 33488). Found in Ban Hang Khone, a village on an island in the middle of the mainstream Mekong River just below the Great Khone Waterfalls in Khong District, Champasak Province (Ref. 37767). Undertakes downstream migration during the wet season in late May/June-July through Hoo Som Yai at the Great Fault Line on the Mekong River, Champassack Province (Ref. 37771). Reported to migrate upstream during the dry season in December/March in Southern Laos (Ref. 37769). In terms of absolute numbers, it almost certainly is the single most abundant fish species below the Khone Waterfalls during the two migratory periods, December-February and May-July. It is the lead species in almost all of the major migrations of cyprinids moving up the Mekong in December-January. The lead migrators find their way upstream by trial and error. During migration, it is the only species that vocalizes to call conspecifics to migrate to the spawning grounds (Ref. 12369). Vocalizations last for about one month until all of the C. lobatus have migrated south according to villagers from Ban Don Tolatee, Ban Hang Khone and Ban Ta Kahm (Ref. 12369). Museum: Mekong, CAS 94936 (Ban Hang Khone); CAS 96189 (below Khone falls); CAS 94942 (Ban Hang Khone just below Khone falls) (Ref. 5515). Seasonally one of the most abundant species (Ref. 43281). Also Ref. 30857, 37771, 44002, 50526, 56905.