Oreoglanis infulatus, a new species of glyptosternine catfish (Siluriformes: Sisoridae) from central Vietnam

A new species of glyptosternine catfish, Oreoglanis infulatus , is described from the Lam River drainage in central Vietnam. The new species is distinguished from all its congeners by possessing the following combination of characters: a dark band running across the anal fin, a lunate and uniformly dark caudal fin, the lower lip lacking a medial notch and with a lobulate posterior margin, maxillary barbel with a rounded tip, length of caudal peduncle 19·0–22·6 % L _S, depth of caudal peduncle 2·6–3·2 % L _S, post-adipose distance 6·8–8·0 % L _S, eye diameter 10·5–12·1 % L _H, 12 principal caudal-fin rays.     

A new cave-dwelling loach, Triplophysa macrocephala (Teleostei: Cypriniformes: Balitoridae), from Guangxi, China

A new cave-dwelling species, Triplophysa macrocephala sp. nov. is described based on specimens collected from a karst cave in Renguang village, Lihu Town, Nandan County, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China. The new species can be distinguished from its congeners by possessing the following combination of characters: pectoral fin not reaching beyond pelvic-fin origin; caudal fin forked; body smooth or scaleless; dorsal-fin origin anterior to pelvic-fin origin, edge of dorsal fin truncate; dorsal fin with eight branched rays; anal fin with five branched rays; eye small and vestigial; lower jaw arched with a median notch; air-bladder wrapped in bony capsule, lateral enlarged, posterior chamber of air-bladder degenerated.     

A new species of the genus <Emphasis Type="Italic">Triplophysa</Emphasis> (Nemacheilinae: Balitoridae), <Emphasis Type="Italic">Triplophysa jianchuanensis</Emphasis> sp. nov,from Yunnan,China

A new loach species, named Triplophysa jianchuanensis, has been recognized in collections from Jianchuan in Dali Prefecture, Yunnan, China. Triplophysa jianchuanensis can be distinguished from the other Triplophysa species by the following combination of characteristics: smooth skin, scaleless; lateral line complete; head long (26.7–29.8% of SL); eyes large (25.9–31.0% of dorsal head length); snout shorter than postorbital length (26.9–30.1% of HL); middle of lower lip interrupted and forming a pair of furrows; lower jaw spoon-like with obtuse edge; posterior chamber of air bladder completely degenerated; intestines short, bending in zigzag-shape behind stomach; pelvic-fin tip not reaching anus; caudal fin emarginate; branched rays of dorsal fin 7; branched rays of caudal fin 16. A key to the known species of Triplophysa from the Lancangjiang River is provided.     

A new species of Curimatopsis Steindachner (Characiformes: Curimatidae) from the Rio Nhamundá, Amazon basin

A new species of Curimatopsis is described from the Rio Nhamundá, Amazon basin in northern Brazil. The new species is distinguished from congeners by the presence of a distinctive concentration of dark pigmentation over the entire lower lobe of the caudal fin, reticulate pattern of body pigmentation, lower jaw longer than and overlapping the anterior portion of the upper jaw, crescent‐shaped posterior nostril and by morphometric and meristic data. Comments on the phylogenetic position of the new species within Curimatopsis are also provided.     

Moenkhausia celibela: a new species from the Amazon basin,Brazil (Characiformes: Characidae)

A new species of Characidae, Moenkhausia celibela, is described from the Rio Amazonas at Santarém, Rio Maraú, several localities in the Rio Tapajós, Rio Curuá‐Una, Rio Xingu and Rio Jari, all from the Amazon basin, Brazil. The new species is distinguished from its congeners, except species included in Géry's 1992 Moenkhausia lepidura group, by presenting a dark blotch on the upper caudal‐fin lobe, and the lower lobe is hyaline or light grey. Moenkhausia celibela is distinguished from the species of the M. lepidura group by the absence of a humeral spot and the presence of a roughly triangular and dark spot at the caudal‐fin base, extending posteriorly along the middle caudal‐fin rays, and distinctly separate from the spot on the upper caudal‐fin lobe.     

Balitora eddsi,a new species of hillstream loach (Ostariophysi: Balitoridae) from Nepal

A new species of hillstream loach Balitora eddsi is described from the Karnali River drainage in south‐western Nepal. The new species is distinguished from all its congeners by possessing the following combination of characters: six to seven unbranched pectoral‐fin rays, pelvic‐fin length 12–14% standard length (L_S), dorsal surface without circular or irregular shaped dark blotches, snout pointed, median lobe between anterior rostral barbels pointed posteriorly, dorsal‐fin origin posterior to pelvic‐fin origin, lateral line scales 66–67, caudal peduncle length 22–23·2% L_S, caudal peduncle depth 4·1–4·2 times its length.     

A new species of the genus <Emphasis Type="Italic">Balitora</Emphasis> (Teleostei: Balitoridae) from Guangxi,China

A new species of the hillstream loach genus Balitora Gray, Balitora ludongensis, from Qilong River which drains to Zuojiang River (a headwater of the Pearl River) drainage, Jingxi County, Guangxi, China. It can be distinguished from its congeners by the following characters: pectoral fin with vi–vii, 11–12 rays; pelvic fin with ii, 6–7 rays; pre-oral groove relatively shallow, upper lip without or with 3–5 fold-like papillae in a row on its middle surface and gradually smooth to the corner of mouth; two maxillary barbels at each corner of mouth, the outer one slightly longer than the inner one, 149.0–190.9% of eye diameter; eyes small, eye diameter 14.2–18.1% of head length; Dorsal-fin origin slightly anterior to pelvic-fin origin; Caudal-peduncle depth 39.1–55.0% of its length; upper lobe of caudal fin longer than the lower one; lateral-line scales 69–74; with 6–9 black blotches on the dorsal side of body.     

Polydactylus bifurcus, a new species of threadfin from Lombok Island, Indonesia (Perciformes: Polynemidae)

Polydactylus bifurcus sp. nov. is described on the basis of a single specimen collected from Lombok Island, Indonesia. The new species is distinguished from all other Indo-Pacific Polydactylus species by the following combination of characters: 15 pectoral fin rays, 5 pectoral filaments, 69 pored lateral line scales, 30 gill rakers, second spine of first dorsal fin very strong and lateral line bifurcated on caudal fin base, extending to posterior margins of upper and lower caudal fin lobes. Received: October 19, 2000 / Revised: April 21, 2001 / Accepted: April 25, 2001     

Review of the genusBembras Cuvier, 1829 (Scorpaeniformes: Bembridae) with description of three new species collected from Australia and Indonesia

The bembrid genusBembras Cuvier is reviewed. Five species,B. japonica Cuvier,B. adenensis Imamura & Knapp and three undescribed species, were assigned to the genus. Type species of the genus,Bembras japonica is redescribed on the basis of 36 specimens including the holotype, and three new species,B. macrolepis, B. longipinnis andB. megacephala, previously misidentified asB. japonicus, are also described on the basis of specimens collected from Australia and Indonesia.Bembras macrolepis differs from its congeners by having large body scales, a long pectoral fin with 17–19 rays and a dark blotch on slightly upper portion to middle of margin, 14–15 anal-fin rays, small head and orbit, and caudal fin with a broad vertical dark band near posterior margin.Bembras longipinnis is distinguished from other members of the genus by having a slightly long pectoral fin with 17–19 rays and lacking a small black blotch near tip of upper rays, caudal fin with a large dark spot most intense in lower lobe, 1–2 gill rakers on upper gill arch, 13–14 anal-fin rays, slightly elong ated head and small orbit.Bembras megacephala is characterized by the following combination of characters: caudal fin with several irregular narrow vertical dark bands, small orbit, pectoral fin with 19–20 rays and lacking a small black blotch near tip of upper rays, head elongate, 2–4 gill rakers on upper gill arch, 15 anal-fin rays and small body scales. A key separating the five species ofBembras is given.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Parakysis notialis</Emphasis>, a new species of akysid catfish from Borneo (Siluriformes: Akysidae)

 Parakysis notialis sp. nov. is described from the Barito River drainage in southern Borneo. It can be distinguished from congeners in having a unique combination of the following characters: head length 26.5–27.0% SL, conical head, presence of median concavity on margin of lower lip, presence of laterosensory canal pore between inner and outer mandibular barbels, branched outer mandibular barbels, branches of inner mandibular barbels separated, deeply forked caudal fin with pointed lobes, 5 pectoral fin rays, 10 branched principal caudal fin rays, sparsely pigmented caudal fin, and absence of light brown saddle from base of posteriormost dorsal fin ray to caudal peduncle. Received: February 11, 2002 / Revised: September 4, 2002 / Accepted: October 11, 2002 Acknowledgments We thank Takashige Idei for the gift of the specimens of the new species, and Darrell Siebert (BMNH), David Catania (CAS), Karsten Hartel (MCZ), Douglas Nelson (UMMZ), and Kelvin Lim (ZRC) for permission to examine material under their care. Funding from a Block Grant from the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Michigan and the Rackham School of Graduate Studies, University of Michigan provided financial support for this project. Correspondence to:Heok Hee Ng     

A New Species of the Genus Tor from Yunnan, China (Teleostei: Cyprinidae)

A new species of the subfamily Barbinae, Tor yingjiangensis, is recognized from Yunnan province, China. It can be distinguished from other Tor species by the following combination of characters: last simple dorsal-fin ray osseous and non-serrated; no forward directed predorsal procumbent spine; head length considerably longer than body depth; no tubercles on the snout or sides of the face; 18–20 gill rakers on the outside of first gill arch; 24–26 lateral line scales; median lobe of lower lip short, its posterior margin truncate, not extending to the vertical across the inner corners of the mouth; and the condition of the lower lip consistent in individuals of different sizes. The new species has been misidentified previously as Tor putitora (Hamilton, F. 1822. An account of the fishes found in the River Ganges and its Branches. Edinburgh & London. 405 pp), which occurs in the Ganges and Indus River basins. The new species can easily be distinguished from T. putitora by having 3–3.5 (vs. 2.5) scales from lateral line to pelvic-fin origin, shorter caudal peduncle length (13.0% vs. 17.2% of standard length), lesser body depth (26.4% vs. 24.0% of standard length) and longer caudal peduncle depth (12.0% vs. 10.9% of standard length), no longitudinal stripe present along side of body, and eyes visible in ventral view of head.     

A new blind loach, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Oreonectes elongatus</Emphasis> sp. nov. (Cypriniformes: Balitoridae) from Guangxi,China

A new loach, Oreonectes elongatus sp. nov. is described based on collections from Mulun Township, Huanjiang County, Guangxi in China. It is distinguished from its congeners by the combination of the following characters: most elongate body (body depth/SL 8.62–10.68%), blind, a forked caudal fin, obvious adipose dorsal crest and ventral crest; entire body naked and de-pigmented. Although the new species has a similar distribution with O. macrolepis, it can be distinguished by scales (absent in O. elongatus vs. present in O. macrolepis), shape of snout (elongate vs. round), the opposite position of the dorsal and pelvic fins origins (behind vs. front). The new species shares the same possession of dorsal and ventral crests, a forked caudal fin, eyeless, naked body and incomplete lateral line with O. translucens, but can be distinguished from the latter by caudal fin crest (more developed and translucent in O. translucens), longer anterior nostril tube and barbel, extreme of pectoral fin reaching 2/3 of the distance between origin of pectoral and pelvic fins, more vertebrae (4 + 38–39 vs. 4 + 32).     

Oxynoemacheilus cemali,a new species of stone loach (Teleostei: Nemacheilidae) from the Çoruh River drainage,Turkey

Oxynoemacheilus cemali sp. nov. is described from the Çoruh River drainage in the eastern Black Sea basin. One molecular marker (coI), 25 morphometric and four meristic characters were analysed. Oxynoemacheilus cemali is distinguished from O. kosswigi, O. banarescui, O. samanticus and O. angorae in the Black Sea basin by having a suborbital groove in males, an axillary lobe at the pelvic-fin base, no dorsal adipose crest on the caudal peduncle, a slightly-forked caudal fin and 7–15 dark grey dorsal saddles. Morever, Oxynoemacheilus cemali is distinguished by commonly having 9–15 irregularly-shaped dark-grey bars on the flank posterior to the dorsal-fin origin or, rarely having a mottled pattern or 4–6 irregularly shaped dark-grey bars on the flank posterior to the dorsal-fin origin. Oxynoemacheilus cemali is also distinguished from the closely related species O. araxensis and O. cyri, distributed outside the Black Sea basin, by having 15 and 31 diagnostic nucleotide substitutions in the coI barcode region, respectively.     

A New Lanternshark <Emphasis Type="Italic">Etmopterus splendidus</Emphasis> from the East China Sea and Java Sea

A new species of the lanternshark Etmopterus splendidus is described. This new species is distinguished from the congeners by the combination of the following characters: distance from snout tip to 1st dorsal spine much less than distance from the spine to upper caudal origin; caudal fin short, much less than head length; dermal denticles on lateral side of trunk with very small, erect thornlike, conical crowns, those on trunk arranged in regular longitudinal rows, and distinctly arranged on interdorsal area and on lateral trunk of interspace between 2nd dorsal and caudal, but not arranged in regular longitudinal rows on dorsal surface of interorbital and o abdomen; color in life purplish-black above and with inconspicuous bluish-black flank marks and three other bluish-black marks at base of caudal fin and along its axis; shape of flank marks narrow anterior to, but broader posterior to pelvic fins.     

Neolumpenus unocellatus,a new genus and species of stichaeid fish from Japan

Neolumpenus unocellatus gen. et sp. nov., a stichaeid fish (subfamily Lumpeninae,sensu Makushok, 1958) is described on the basis of a single specimen found in the stomach of the Pacific cod,Gadus macrocephalus Tilesius, caught off Akkeshi, Hokkaido, Japan. The new genus and species is distinguished from all other lumpenines in having the following combination of characters: 1) 51 dorsal spines, 33 anal fin rays, 57 total vertebrae; 2) broad pelvic fin with deeply-branched soft rays; 3) lower rays of pectoral fin branched and not prolonged backward; 4) prevomerine and palatine teeth present; 5) pungent spines present in pelvic and anal fins; 6) upper lip fused to snout anteriorly; 7) gill openings not extending forward beyond a vertical through posterior margin of eye; 8) minimal (fifth) hypural present; 9) first interneural spine inserted between first and second neural spines; 10) extremely large cephalic sensory pores present; 11) high, steep snout; 12) ocellus on dorsal base of caudal fin.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Amblyceps improcerum</Emphasis>, a new sisoroid catfish from Kachin State,Myanmar (Teleostei: Siluriformes: Amblycipitidae)

A new species of amblycipitid catfish is here described from the Indawgyi Lake basin of the Irrawaddy River drainage in Kachin State, Myanmar as Amblyceps improcerum, new species. It can be distinguished from congeners in having a unique combination of the following characters: lower jaw longer than upper; head length 17.4–22.3% SL; head width 13.7–15.2% SL; head depth 9.0–11.7% SL; interorbital distance 31–39% HL; eye diameter 7–10% HL; 37–38 vertebrae; lateral line incomplete; predorsal length 25.5–30.7% SL; smooth posterior margin of pectoral spine; pectoral-fin length 13.5–16.8% SL; pelvic-fin length 9.6–13.4% SL; dorsal-to-adipose distance 25.2–28.7% SL; length of adipose-fin base 19.4–23.3% SL; adipose fin separate from dorsal procurrent caudal-fin rays; preanal length 62.1–66.9% SL; body depth at anus 9.8–12.8% SL; depth of caudal peduncle 10.1–12.6% SL; length of caudal peduncle 21.4–24.0% SL, post-adipose distance 15.8–17.8% SL; weakly-forked caudal fin with short broadly, rounded lobes (length of longest ray 1.3–1.5 times length of median rays); centrally projecting hooks on proximal lepidotrichia of median caudal-fin rays absent.     

中国南海蛇鳗科一新纪录属及一新纪录种(鱼纲,鳗鲡目)

报道了中国南海蛇鳗科1新纪录属Echelus Rafinesque,1810和1新纪录种Echelus uropterus(Temminck et Schlegel,1846).该属的特征为:尾鳍、胸鳍存在;背鳍起点在胸鳍后端之前;头部无额骨孔、眶后孔和上颞骨孔;鳃孔中等大;鳃膜骨条连于舌骨或上舌骨尖前.该种的特征:尾尖柔软;颌齿和犁骨齿颗粒状,带形;后鼻孔在上唇边缘外侧.     

A new species of Sturisoma Swainson, 1838 (Loricariidae: Loricariinae), from the Madeira River basin,with a discussion of historical biogeography of western Amazonas and Paraguay River basins

A new loricariin species of Sturisoma is described from the Cautário, Guaporé, Mamoré, Machado and Soteiro rivers, Madeira River basin, in Bolivia and Brazil. The new species is distinguished from its congeners by the presence of a middorsal longitudinal, thin dark brown stripe on the caudal peduncle, extending from two or three plates posterior to the dorsal-fin base, reaching the origin of the caudal fin, or one or two plates anterior to the origin of the caudal fin; small squarish anteriormost abdominal plates; and a middorsal longitudinal dark-brown stripe from first predorsal plate to near the dorsal-fin origin. Furthermore, the new species is diagnosed from congeners by plate morphology, counts on the median series, coalescent plates and ventrolateral thoracic plates, in addition to measurements related to body and head structures. An analysis of genetic distances using cytochrome C oxidase subunit 1 gene marker of the mitochondrial genome between the new species and several congeners is presented, in addition to a likelihood analysis to illustrate the position of the new taxon within Sturisoma. An identification key for species of the genus currently recorded at the upper Amazonas River basin is provided.     

A new marine goby of genus Callogobius (Teleostei: Gobiidae) from Taiwan

A new marine goby Callogobius sheni collected from coral reefs off southern Taiwan is described. The new species can be distinguished from congeneric species by the following combination of features: dorsal fin rays VI-I, 9; anal fin rays I, 7; pectoral fin rays 18; longitudinal scale rows 27–28; predorsal scale rows 9–10; no posterior oculoscapular and preopercular canals; body pale white with five blackish brown cross bands; caudal and pectoral fins each with a large blackish brown blotch.     

Description and familial allocation of the African fluvial genus <Emphasis Type="Italic">Teleogramma</Emphasis> to the Cichlidae

 The external morphology, osteology, and myology of the African fluvial genus Teleogramma are described, and its familial allocation is discussed. Teleogramma is included in the family Cichlidae by loss of a major structural association between adductor mandibulae sections 2 and w, and by having an insertion of a large ventral division of adductor mandibulae section 2 onto the anguloarticular, expanded head of the fourth epibranchial, transversus dorsalis subdivided into four parts, functionally decoupled premaxillae and maxillae, the stomach's extendible blind pouch, the left-hand exit to the anterior intestine, the first intestinal loop at the left side, two epurals, seven branched rays on each upper and lower caudal fin lobe, free first uroneural from a united element of first preural and ural vertebra, and third preural vertebra fused with its haemal spine. Seven synapomorphies supporting the monophyly of Teleogramma are indicated, including the absence of or very low supraoccipital crest, the presence of a nostril tube, nonextended supraoccipital anteriorly, absence of extensive cartilaginous cap on the anterior border of the second epibranchial, presence of a beaklike projection on the cleithrum, caudal branched slip of epaxialis that inserts onto the upper two or three branched rays on the upper lobe of the caudal fin, and flexor dorsalis superior, which inserts onto the lower four unbranched rays on the upper lobe of the caudal fin. Received: September 12, 2001 / Revised: December 17, 2001 / Accepted: December 28, 2001