Description of a new species of Mustura Kottelat (Teleostei: Nemacheilidae) from the Brahmaputra drainage,India

Mustura subhashi, new species, is described from the Dikal River, a north bank tributary of the Brahmaputra drainage in Arunachal Pradesh. It is distinguished from all its congeners by having a colour pattern of 14–23 dark-greyish black to dark brown irregular bars on a greyish to pale beige body; pre-dorsal bars thin, numerous, wider than interspaces, weakly contrasted, uniting dorsally at lateral one-third or midway on flank to form thicker bars, coalescing further at lateral one-fifth and continuous on dorsum with contralateral bars; bars below dorsal fin exhibiting similar condition but slightly wider than pre-dorsal bars; post-dorsal bars thicker than anterior bars, wider than interspaces, sharply contrasted, rarely coalescing on flank; and a short bar along the caudal mid-line, rarely forming a blotch. Based on re-examination of the type specimens and additional materials, Mustura dikrongensis is confirmed as a species belonging to Mustura, and M. harkishorei is not sufficiently diagnosed from 'Nemacheilus' corica.     

Psilorhynchus ngathanu,a new torrent minnow species (Teleostei: Psilorhynchidae) from the Chindwin Basin,Manipur, India

Psilorhynchus ngathanu, a new psilorhynchid species, is described from the Dutah River, Chindwin Basin in Manipur, India. The new species is distinct from its congeners in the absence of scales from the midventral region between the pectoral fins, the presence of two rows of spots on the dorsal-fin rays and two black bars on the caudal fin, v–vi unbranched pectoral-fin rays, and 10 + 9 principal caudal-fin rays.     

Oreonectes guilinensis (Teleostei,Cypriniformes, Nemacheilidae), a new loach species from Guangxi,China

A new loach Oreonectes guilinensis sp. nov. is described from Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China. It is the second surface-dwelling fish identified in the genus Oreonectes after the type species Oreonectes platycephalus. This new species can be distinguished from other species within the genus by the combination of the following features: a round caudal fin, 13–14 branched rays, an incomplete lateral line with 4–6 pores, a short pelvic fin located some distance from the anus, a scale-covered body, a stout build (body width 14.0%–16.7% of standard length), a posterior chamber of well-developed airbladder and a yellowish-brown body with a lateral dark brown strip. The maximum likelihood phylogenetic analysis based on cytb gene recovered this new species in a well-supported clade with the type species O. platycephalus, sister to the Lefua clade. Morphological comparisons as well as our phylogenetic tree support Oreonectes shuilongensis, Oreonectes daqikongensis, Oreonectes jiarongensis as species of Troglonectes. Based on our results there are 6 valid species in the genus Oreonectes.     

Squalius semae,a new species of chub from the Euphrates River,Eastern Anatolia (Teleostei: Cyprinidae)

In a study of the fishes of the Euphrates River (Persian Gulf basin) three species of Squalius belonging to the cephalus-group were found: The Tohma population was identified as S. seyhanensis and the Merzimen and Hilvan populations as S. berak. The comparison of 28 metric and 5 meristic parameters and morphological characters showed that the populations of the northern Euphrates River drainages are distinct and belong to a hitherto unnamed species. We describe it here as Squalius semae sp. n.

http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:D195B69C-C6CB-4DEB-B85D-5B695F917CE5     

Pethia sanjaymoluri,a new species of barb (Teleostei: Cyprinidae) from the northern Western Ghats,India

Pethia sanjaymoluri, a new cyprinid, is described from the Pavana and Nira tributaries of Bhima River, Krishna drainage, Maharashtra, India. It can be distinguished from congeners by a combination of characteristics that includes an incomplete lateral line, absence of barbels, upper lip thick and fleshy, 23–25 lateral series scales, 7–12 lateral‐line pored scales, 10 predorsal scales, 11–14 prepelvic scales, 17–20 pre‐anal scales, 4½ scales between dorsal‐fin origin and lateral line, four scales between lateral line and pelvic‐fin origin, 8–15 pairs of serrae on distal half of dorsal‐fin spine, 12–14 branched pectoral‐fin rays, 4 + 26 total vertebrae, 4 + 5 predorsal vertebrae, 4 + 13 abdominal vertebrae, 13 caudal vertebrae and a unique colour pattern comprising a humeral spot positioned below the lateral line and encompassing the third and fourth lateral‐line scales and one scale below, one caudal spot on 17th–21st lateral‐line scales with a yellow hue on its anterior side and apical half of dorsal fin studded with melanophores making the fin tip appear black. Genetic analysis based on the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene sequence suggests that the species is distinct from other known species of Pethia for which data are available.     

Turcichondrostoma,a new genus for the Leuciscidae (Teleostei: Cypriniformes) from Southwestern Anatolia

Turcichondrostoma, a new genus, from the Southwestern Anatolia is distinguished by having fewer gill rakers on first gill arch and morphologies of premaxilla and dentary bones. In addition, as a result of the phylogenetic analyses based on combine data set (mtDNA COI + Cytb) sequences (1706 bp.), Turcichondrostoma genus was recovered with high posterior probability value (BI PP:1.0) and strong-supported bootstrap value (ML BP: 100%) among the former Chondrostoma groups. Also, high K2P mean genetic distance values (more than 7.84%) differentiated genus Turcichondrostoma from the other genera of former Chondrostoma group. The results of both morphological-osteological and molecular analyses are congruent with each other. The results of this study revealed that the genus Turcichondrostoma is easily distinguished from the genera in Chondrostoma group.     

Acrossocheilus spinifer, a new species of barred cyprinid fish from south China (Pisces: Teleostei)

Acrossocheilus spinifer sp. nov. is described from the river basins in Fujian Province and the Han Jiang basin in Guangdong Province, south China. It is one of the barred Acrossocheilus species sharing five or six vertical bars on the flanks, with each bar being two scales in width. Acrossocheilus spinifer sp. nov. is morphologically most similar to Acrossocheilus wenchowensis , but distinguished from it by: a colour pattern of all vertical bars extending ventrally to the second scale row below the lateral line, and having the second bar placed posterior to the base of the last simple dorsal‐fin ray, a blunt snout; and a stout, last simple dorsal‐fin ray. Acrossocheilus spinifer sp. nov. resembles Acrossocheilus kreyenbergii and Acrossocheilus stenotaeniatus with which it shares a stout, last simple dorsal‐fin ray with a serrated posterior edge, but is separated from both species by having a narrow median interruption in the lower lip, a lower jaw fully covered by the lower lip when viewed ventrally and the second vertical bar placed posterior to the base of the last simple dorsal‐fin ray. The absence of a longitudinal stripe extending along the lateral line on the flanks in males readily distinguishes A. spinifer sp. nov. from four other species, namely Acrossocheilus fasciatus , Acrossocheilus paradoxus, Acrossocheilus parallens , and Acrossocheilus jishouensis .     

A new rheophytic species of Pavetta (Rubiaceae) from Assam,northeast India

A new species, Pavetta puffii, is described and illustrated from Assam, northeast India. The taxonomic relationships of the new species with the hitherto known species of genus Pavetta are examined and discussed.     

Nothobranchius cooperi (Teleostei: Cyprinodontiformes): a new species of annual killifish from the Luapula River drainage,northern Zambia

Nothobranchius cooperi, Nagy, Watters and Bellstedt, new species, is described from seasonal streams and ephemeral pools associated with the upper Mansa River system in the middle Luapula drainage and systems draining into the low-lying area marginal to the southwestern part of Lake Bangweulu, in the Luapula province of northern Zambia. It belongs to the N. brieni species group. Males of Nothobranchius cooperi are distinguished from congeners by the following unique combination of characters: body scales with broad orange posterior margin, forming a highly irregular cross-barred pattern; anal fin fairly uniform orange-red with irregular to regular, light blue-green zone close to the base; caudal peduncle length 1.2–1.3 times its depth; prepelvic length 48.8–51.9% SL; and head depth 75–77% of head length. Genetic divergence of the mitochondrial COI and ND2 genes and nuclear S7 gene support the distinction of the new species from its closest known relative, N. rosenstocki and confirms its position in the N. brieni species group.     

Descriptions of two new species of the botiid genus Leptobotia Bleeker, 1870 (Teleostei: Cypriniformes) from South China

Two new species of Leptobotia are here described as L. rotundilobus from the Xin'an-Jiang of the upper Qiantang-Jiang basin in both Anhui and Zhejiang Provinces and the Cao'e-Jiang in Zhejiang Province, and L. paucipinna from the Qing-Jiang of the middle Chang-Jiang basin in Hubei Province, South China. Both have a plain brown body as found in L. bellacauda Bohlen & Šlechtová, 2016, L. microphthalma Fu & Ye, 1983, L. posterodorsalis Chen & Lan, 1992 and L. tientainensis (Wu, 1930). The two new species are distinct from these species in vertebral counts, further from L. posterodorsalis in vent placement and further from the other three species in pectoral-fin length. Both differ in caudal-fin coloration and shape, and dorsal-fin location and coloration, and also in internal morphology. Their validity is confirmed by their own monophyly recovered in a phylogenetic analysis based on the mitochondrial cyt b and COI genes.     

Acrossocheilus multistriatus,a new species of barbine fish(Teleostei: Cyprinidae) from the Zhujiang River basin,South China

A new barbine cyprinid fish, Acrossocheilus multistriatus sp. nov., is described from the Zhujiang River(Pearl River) basin in South China. It is separated from all other barred congeners except A. monticola by its unique coloration pattern of 8–12 vs. 5–7 vertical dark bars on the dorsum and flank. Although 8 vertical black bars are also present in specimens of A. monticola, the new species is distinct from it by having a well-developed(vs. poor-developed) lower lip, with or without a median interruption(vs. with a median interruption which wider than 1/2 mouth width) on lower jaw, the lower jaw entirely covered(vs. uncoverd) by the lower lip, body depth 22.57%–25.22% SL(vs. 25.64%–32.26% SL). Additional characteristices as follows: last simple dorsal-fin ray soft without serration; dark stripes on membranes between dorsal-fin rays; dark stripes absent on membranes between anal fin rays; maxillary barbels longer than eye diameter, extending to posterior edge of eyes.     

云南红河水系金线鲃属鱼类一新种——西畴金线鲃

该文记述了采集自云南省文山州西畴县兴街镇干海子(红河水系)一洞穴的鲤科鲃亚科金线鲃属鱼类一新种,命名为西畴金线鲃(Sinocyclocheilus xichouensis Pan,Li,Yang et Chen sp.nov.)。该新种眼睛正常,背鳍末根不分枝,鳍条变粗变硬,后缘3/5具锯齿,与属内分布在邻近南盘江水系的已知种大眼金线鲃(S.macrophthalmus)、圭山金线鲃(S.guishanensis)、狭孔金线鲃(S.angustiporus)、侧条金线鲃(S.lateristritus)、丘北金线鲃(S.qiubeiensis)、滇池金线鲃(S.grahami)、曲靖金线鲃(S.qujingensis)、麻花金线鲃(S.maculatus)、紫色金线鲃(S.purpureus)及疑似红河水系易门金线鲃(S.yimenensis)相似。籍第一鳃弓外侧鳃耙9以下的特征,可与大眼金线鲃相区别;眼间距为体长的8.1%～9.9%,吻须后伸超过眼后缘,口角须后伸超过前鳃盖骨后缘,可与圭山金线鲃相区别;背鳍起点与腹鳍起点相对,体侧沿侧线无黑色横带,可与侧条金线鲃相区别;侧线鳞74～88,侧线上鳞20,侧线下鳞16,可与滇池金线鲃相区别;侧线弯曲,侧线鳞74～88,围尾柄鳞48,可与曲靖金线鲃相区别;背鳍前距为体长的47.1%～53.7%,背鳍基长为体长的12.8%～15.8%,臀鳍前距为体长的66.0%～71.0%,臀鳍长为体长的13.7%～17.1%,胸鳍前距为体长的26.0%～29.5%,尾柄长为体长的19.3%～24.7%,下颌长为体长的4.7%～7.0%,明显区别于易门金线鲃;全身被鳞,具侧线鳞,可与其分布邻近的麻花金线鲃和紫色金线鲃相区别;背鳍前鳞35～39,鳃耙6,眼间距为体长的8.1%～9.9%,可与狭孔金线鲃及丘北金线鲃相区别。     

A new genus and species of octocoral with aragonite calcium-carbonate skeleton (Octocorallia,Helioporacea) from Okinawa,Japan

A new genus and species of octocoral with a calcium-carbonate skeleton, Nanipora kamurai sp. n., is described from a shallow coral reef in Okinawa, Japan. Contrary to most octocorals, the skeleton is composed of crystalline aragonite as in blue coral Heliopora. The results of molecular phylogenetic analyses of sequences of mtMutS, COI, and ITS1-5.8s-ITS2-28S region suggest Nanipora gen. n. specimens should be included in order Helioporacea. Based on morphological results compared with other Helioporacea including the genus Epiphaxum (family Lithotelestidae), we establish the new genus Nanipora within Lithotelestidae. This is the first time that a close molecular phylogenetic relationship between Heliopora and a related genus within Helioporacea has been revealed.     

Schindleria parva,a new species of Schindler's fish (Teleostei: Schindleriidae: Schindleria) from Jeddah,Saudi Arabia,Red Sea

Schindleria parva, a new species of the family Schindleriidae, is described from two specimens collected from the central Red Sea of Saudi Arabia. The new species is characterized by lack of pigmentation on the body, possession of an inconspicuous gas bladder and the presence of small teeth on the premaxillae. The holotype is a female of 11 mm standard length (SL) (11.9 mm total length) and the paratype is a male of 9 mm SL. Dorsal fin rays 10 (9) anal fin rays 9 (7). The body depth at pectoral-fin origin 5% (4%) of SL, depth at anal-fin origin 8% (7%) SL, predorsal length 63% (65%) SL, preanal length 72% (72%) SL, the first anal-fin ray situated below the fourth dorsal-fin ray), a total of 23 + 16 myomeres. The female contained a series of 30 rectangular eggs in a single row, whereas the male is characterized by a short rod-like urogenital papilla. Species of the genus Schindleria are likely the smallest marine vertebrates on the planet and S. parva is likely the smallest Schindleria species in the Red Sea. The global diversity of Schindleria is likely underestimated due to the paedomorphic features of this genus. Its fast generation times make it a species-rich genus of high turnover rates, thus potentially highly important for the trophic food webs of coral reefs. Thus, this finding advances knowledge on the biodiversity of the Red Sea, highlights its conservation significance, and contributes towards the understanding of the complexity of the coral-reef fish community.     

Pareuchiloglanis (Teleostei: Sisoridae) from the Pearl River,China with description of three new species

We describe three new species of Pareuchiloglanis. Based on a comparison of 17 valid species of Pareuchiloglanis, the genus can be divided into two groups contingent on their gill opening size and the anus position. One group, which we call the large gill opening group, has a large gill opening extending to the base of the first pectoral-fin element; the anus is obviously closer to pelvic-fin insertion than the anal-fin origin; this group includes five species distributed in the Red and Pearl Rivers, China. The other group has a small gill opening extending only to the middle base of the pectoral-fin elements; the anus is usually located at the midpoint of the pelvic-fin insertion to the anal-fin origin or slightly behind. This group includes the other 12 species, which are distributed in the Mekong and Yangtze Rivers. The large-gill-opening group can be divided into two sub-groups based on the length of the caudal peduncle. One sub-group has a long caudal-peduncle and the distance from the anal-fin origin to caudal-fin base is greater than distance from the pelvic-fin insertion. This sub-group is only distributed in the Pearl River drainage. Another sub-group has a short caudal peduncle and the distance from the anal-fin origin to the caudal-fin base is typically smaller than the distance from the pelvic-fin insertion. This sub-group is only distributed in the Red River basin of China and Vietnam. The former will be called the large-gill-opening group with long caudal peduncle in the text and only includes one species P. longicauda. During our ongoing taxonomic work of specimens collected from Nanpan-jiang and Beipan-jiang (upper Pearl River drainage in Yunnan, China), some Pareuchiloglanis specimens that had the characters of the large-gill-opening group with long caudal peduncle represent three undescribed species.     

Description of a new species of Triplophysa (Teleostei: Nemacheilidae) from Guizhou Province,China

A new cave‐dwelling fish species Triplophysa guizhouensis is described based on specimens collected from Guizhou, China, in a subterranean system interconnected with the Hongshui River drainage. The species can be distinguished from its congeners by a combination of characters: eyes present; caudal fin with 14 branched rays; inner gill rakers of first gill arch 8–10; posterior chamber of air bladder developed; and body posterior of dorsal fin scaled. A key to species of Triplophysa in the Pearl River basin is provided.