Barbatula leoparda, Gauliard & Dettai & Persat & Keith & Denys, 2019

Gauliard, Camille, Dettai, Agnès, Persat, Henri, Keith, Philippe & Denys, Gaël P. J., 2019, Barbatula leoparda (Actinopterygii, Nemacheilidae), a new endemic species of stone loach of French Catalonia, Cybium 43 (2), pp. 169-177 : 171-174

Barbatula leoparda n. sp.

( Figs 1-3 ; Tab. I)

Material examined

Holotype. – MNHN 2018-0228, 62.6 mm SL ♀, France: Dept. Pyrénées-Orientales: Têt River at Nefiach: N 42.697 E 2.663, 7 Sep. 2016, Denys and ONEMA coll.;

Paratypes. – MNHN 2016-0347, 4, 32.4 mm SL ♂, 36.84 mm SL ♂, 44.5 mm SL ♂, 61 mm SL ♂, collected with holotype; MNHN 2010-0997, 1, 48.2 mm SL ♂, France: Dept. Pyrénées-Orientales: Tech River at Elne: N 42.584 E 2.970, 14 Sep. 2010, Denys and ONEMA coll.; MNHN erage of 218, minimum coverage 164)), genseq-1 complete 12S rDNA (GenBank accession MK518372, 950 bp, average coverage of 305, minimum coverage 93)) .

2016-0351, 1, 46.5 mm SL ♀, Tech River at Céret: N 42.496 E 2.755, 9 Sep. 2016, Denys, Hautecoeur and ONEMA coll .

Material for molecular references

Holotype. – MNHN 2018-0228, France: Dept. Pyrénées-Orientales: Têt River at Nefiach: N 42.697 E 2.663, genseq-1 COI (GenBank accession MK518369, 650 bp, average cov-

Diagnosis

Barbatula leoparda larger than 47 mm SL is distinguishable from B. barbatula of the same size by the presence of dark-brown blotches on the belly and the jugular area (vs. absence of pigmentation) ( Fig. 2 ), a larger interorbital width (35.6 to 41.8% HL, vs. 23.0 to 38.1% HL; Fig. 4A ), a deeper caudal peduncle (12.1 to 13.0% SL, vs. 8.0 to 12.4% SL; Fig. 4C ), and a fewer ratio length/depth of the caudal peduncle (1.30 to 1.48, vs. 1.38 to 2.56; Fig. 4D ). Sub-adult specimens (36 to 47 mm SL) are diagnosable by a larger interorbital width (35.5 to 40.5% HL, vs. 28.7 to 38.4% HL; Fig. 4B ), a fewer ratio length/depth of the caudal peduncle (1.41 to 1.45, vs. 1.45 to 2.15; Fig. 4E ) and longer pelvic fins (15.8 to 16.5% SL, vs. 12.4 to 15.5% SL; Fig. 4G ).

Barbatula leoparda larger than 47 mm SL is distinguishable from B. quignardi of the same size by the presence of dark-brown blotches on the belly and the jugular area (vs. absence of pigmentation) ( Fig. 2 ), a larger interorbital width (35.6 to 41.8% HL, vs. 21.6 to 36.0% HL; Fig. 4A ) and a shorter dorsal-fin length (17.1 to 20.1% SL, vs. 18.9 to 23.9% HL; Fig. 4F ). Subadult specimens are diagnosable Description

For general appearance, see figure 1; morphometric data are provided in table I. Medium sized species. The stone loaches belonging to B. leoparda present a marbled pigmentation on the body with brown-dark blotches on the belly and in the jugular area for specimens larger than 47 mm SL ( Fig. 2 ). The lateral profile is straight and the head is round- ed. The body is cylindrical in front of the dorsal-fin origin and the tail is laterally compressed. The body width is equal on all its length, except for the head. The anterior and posteri- or nostrils are close to each other without any space between them. The mouth bears 3 pairs of barbels, and the last one located at the corners does not reach the posterior part of the eye. The upper lip is slim with a medial incision not exceeding the half of the width of the upper lip ( Fig. 3 ). The mental lobes on the lower lip are not well marked ( Fig. 3 ). This species has III simple and 7 to 8 branched dorsal fin rays (holotype III7), III simple and 5 to 6 branched anal fin rays (holotype III5), I simple and 9 to 11 branched pectoral fin rays (holotype I11), I simple and 6 to 7 branched pelvic fin rays (holotype I7), and 14 to 18 branched caudal-fin rays (holotype 18). The lateral line is complete. Specimens larger than 47 mm SL have a proportionally deeper caudal peduncle and a smaller dorsal fin than smaller specimens. Largest known specimen 62.6 mm SL.

Figures

Figure 1. – Specimens of Barbatula spp. in lateral view. A: Holotype of Barbatula leoparda MNHN 2018-0228, 62.6 mm SL ♀, Têt River at Nefiach, 7 Sep. 2016, Denys and ONEMA coll.; B: Paratype of Barbatula leoparda n. sp. MNHN 2016-0351, 46.5 mm SL ♀, Tech River at Céret, 9 Sep. 2016, Denys, Hautecoeur and ONEMA coll; C: Barbatula barbatula MNHN 2013-0826, 72.9 mm SL ♂, stream Clauge (Rhône drainage) at La Loye, 1 Jul. 2013, Denys and ONEMA coll.; D: Holotype of Barbatula quignardi MGAB77, 52 mm SL ♂, Lez River, Jul. 1962, Băcescu coll.

Figure 2. – Specimens of Barbatula spp. in ventral view. A: Holotype of Barbatula leoparda MNHN 2018- 0228, 62.6 mm SL ♀, Têt River at Nefi- ach, 7 Sep. 2016, Denys and ONEMA coll.; B: Barbatula barbatula MNHN 2013-0826, 72.9 mm SL ♂, stream Clauge (Rhône drainage) at La Loye, 1 Jul. 2013, Denys and ONEMA coll.; C: Holotype of Barbatula quignardi MGAB77, 52 mm SL ♂, Lez River, Jul. 1962, Băcescu coll.

Figure 3. – Mouth of holotype of Barbatula leoparda MNHN 2018- 0228, 62.6 mm SL ♀, Têt River at Nefiach, 7 Sep. 2016, Denys and ONEMA coll.Abbreviations: medial indentation of upper lip (mi), mental lobe of lower lip (ml). Scale bar = 1 mm.

Figure 4. – Boxplots highlighting morphometric differences between Barbatula leoparda (in grey) and the two other species Barbatula barbatula and Barbatula quignardi, for the two sizes classes (36 to 47 mm SL and> 47 mm SL). only by a larger interorbital width (35.5 to 40.5% HL, vs. 21.4 to 35.6% HL; Fig. 4B).