A new cave-dwelling loach, Triplophysa xichouensis sp. nov. (Teleostei Nemacheilidae) from Yunnan, China.
A new cave-dwelling loach of the genus Triplophysa, T. xichouensis, is described from an outlet of a subterranean river in Xisa Town, Xichou County, Yunnan Province, China. It can be distinguished from its congeners by the following characters: dorsal-fin rays iii, 8; anal-fin rays ii, 6; pectoral-fin rays i, 9 or 10; pelvic-fin rays i, 5 or 6; branched caudal-fin rays 16(8+8); eyes highly degenerated to a very tiny black dot; dorsal-fin origin closer to snout tip than to caudal-fin base and anterior to vertical line of pelvic-fin origin; pectoral fin length about two-thirds the distance between pectoral-fin origin to pelvic-fin origin; caudal peduncle slender, its length about three times its depth; caudal fin emarginate; body smooth and scaleless; lateral line complete and straight; anterior chamber of air bladder wrapped in dumbbell-shaped bony capsule and the posterior one well developed, long, oval; intestine short, bending in zigzag shape behind stomach. A key for the cave-dwelling species of Triplophysa is provided. urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:9162FFB1-7911-47C3-AE50-6A00E9590327.
State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650223, China.
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SW
Liu
State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650223, China.
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XF
Pan
State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650223, China.
J X
JX
Yang
Southeast Asia Biodiversity Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yezin, Nay Pyi Taw, 05282, Myanmar.
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XY
Chen
D000818:Animals; D059552:Caves; D002681:China; D003531:Cypriniformes / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000145:classification*; D005260:Female; D045483:Rivers
Nemacheilidae; Red River; degenerated eyes; scaleless; taxonomy