Glyptothorax platypogonide

Ng, H. H. Tan H. H., 2000, The cat ® shes (Teleostei: Siluriformes) of central Sumatra, Journal of Natural History 34, pp. 267-303 : 291

Glyptothora x platypogonide s ( Bleeker, 1855)

Pimelodus platypogonides Bleeker, 1855: 260 , 272 (type locality: Lahat, Sumatra). Glyptothorax platypogonoide s: Hubrecht, 1887: 11.

Glyptothorax platypogonides: Fowler, 1904: 500 ; Kottelat et al., 1993: 77, pl. 37. Callomystax schmidti Volz, 1904: 470 .

Gagata schmidti: Weber and de Beaufort, 1913: 269 .

Material examined. BATANG HARI DRAINAGE: ZRC 41588 (1), 35.6±80.3 mm SL.

WEST SUMATRA DRAINAGES: ANSP 27285 (1), 77.7 mm SL.

Remarks. The taxonomic problems surrounding G. platypogonides illustrate well the sort of problems encountered in the taxonomy of Southeast Asian Glyptothorax . It has been extremely di cult to identify the syntypes; the problems have been outlined by Roberts (1989) and are summarized below.

The original description of G. platypogonide s refers to four syntypes of 70±85 mm TL from Lahat, Sumatra. The auction catalogue for Bleeker’s collection also lists four specimens ( Hubrecht 1879: 37); these specimens were eventually bought for the Nationaal Natuurhistorisch Museum in Leiden. However, two lots containing seven specimens (all collected by Bleeker) are extant in Leiden ( RMNH 6912 , 4 : 70.5±84.6 mm TL and RMNH 15289 , 3 : ca 85±97 mm TL). These two lots had previously been included in RMNH 6912 and it is highly probable that someone at a later date chose four specimens from the lot of seven that corresponded in length to the syntypes. Furthermore, an additional specimen in the Natural History Museum in London ( BMNH 1863.12.11:154, ca 76±79 mm TL) may also be a syntype, as the size indicates. It therefore becomes very di cult to ascertain which of the eight specimens are in fact the syntypes or even whether all eight specimens are from Lahat .

In addition to the problems with the types, the exact identity of G. platypogonide s has often been unclear and the species was reported from the Malay peninsula and northern Thailand by Hora and Gupta (1941) and Fowler (1934), respectively; these records are due to misidenti®cations, and highlight the problem in the identi®cation this species.