Garra rotundinasus, Zhang, 2006

Zhang, E, 2006, Garra Rotundinasus, A New Species Of Cyprinid Fish (Pisces: Teleostei) From The Upper Irrawaddy River Basin, China, Raffles Bulletin of Zoology 54 (2), pp. 447-453 : 448-451

Garra rotundinasus , new species

( Figs. 1 , 2 )

Garra gravelyi (non Annandale, 1919): Chu & Chui, 1987: 96 (Daying Jiang in Yunnan) ; Zhang et al., 2000: 243 ( Ying Jiang in Jiuchen , Yunnan) ; Zhang & Chen, 2002: 462 (upper Irrawaddy River basin in Yunnan) .

Material examined. – Holotype - IHB 78 IV 1162, 161.5 mm SL; Daying Jiang in Tengchong (Houqiao), Yiluowadi Jiang (upper Irrawaddy River) basin, Yunnan Province, China; W. X. Li, Apr.1978.

Paratypes. – IHB 90 IV0137-8, 2 ex., 146.2-184.5 mm SL; Daying Jiang in Tengchong , Yiluowadi Jiang (upper Irrawaddy River) basin, Yunnan Province, China; Y. F. Chen, Apr. 1990 . IHB 78 IV1163, 1 ex., 81.2 mm SL, same data as holotype . IHB 78 IV1664-5, 2 ex., 111.0- 125.1 mm SL; Daying Jiang in Yingjiang (Tongbiguan), Yiluowadi Jiang (upper Irrawaddy River) basin, Yunnan Province, China; W. X. Li, Apr., 1978 .

Non-types. – IHB uncatalogued, 5 ex., 53.6-106.1 mm SL, Daying Jiang in Yingjian , Yiluowadi Jiang (upper Irrawaddy River) basin, Yunnan Province, China; S. Z. Wang, Jun. 2001 .

Diagnosis. – Garra rotundinasus is distinct from all other Southeast Asian and Chinese congeners except for G. gravelyi in possessing a snout with a poorly developed proboscis that is represented by a truncate area in front of the nostrils. Garra rotundinasus differs from G. gravelyi in having 36-37 (vs. 32-34) perforated lateral line scales, 21 / 2 (vs. 31 / 2 - 41 / 2) scales above the lateral line, 10-11 (vs. 8-9) predorsal scales, a broadly rounded (vs. relatively pointed) snout, and absence of black spots at the base of the branched dorsal-fin rays (vs. presence). A colour pattern consisting of an indistinct mid-lateral band with a few incomplete narrow longitudinal stripes above and below the mid-lateral band, more distinct on the caudal peduncle; a black spot at the dorsal of the gill opening.

Garra rotundinasus is distinct from other sympatrically occurring Chinese congeners, except for G. tengchongensis , in having 36-37 (vs. 32-35) perforated lateral line scales, 5 (vs. 3-4) scales between the vent and anal-fin origin, and a wider gap between anus and anal fin origin (anus to anal distance 32.1-51.8% pelvic to anal distance, vs. 16.8-30.6), and from G. tengchongensis in having absence of a dark central band on dorsal fin, a smaller caudal peduncle (depth 10.8- 11.8% SL vs. 12.0-13.2), and a larger disc (width 68.8- 82.3% HL vs. 43.3-56.0, and length 46.8-60.8 % HL vs. 36.1- 42.5).

Description. – Measurements taken from six specimens (81.2- 184.5 mm SL) are presented in Table 1. General appearance of body is illustrated in Fig. 1 , and morphology of the head dorsum and mental adhesive disc are shown in Figs. 2 A-B, respectively.

Body elongate, anteriorly cylindrical and posteriorly slightly compressed laterally. Head moderately large and depressed with a somewhat convex dorsal profile; height less than width and width less than head length. Snout broadly rounded with a groove across its tip to form a transverse lobe and a poorly developed proboscis represented by a truncate area before nostril, deflected downward against snout and pointed forwards. Eye small, placed dorsolaterally in posterior half of head, with a broad and flat interorbital space. Two pairs of barbels; rostral pair located anterolaterally, shorter than eye diameter, and maxillary barbels hidden at corner of mouth, shorter than rostral barbels. Dorsal profile of body slightly convex from tip of supraoccipital process to dorsal-fin origin. Dorsal-fin base almost straight, sloped posteroventrally. Profile from posterior end of dorsal fin-base to caudal-fin ray straight or somewhat concave. Ventral profile of body straight or somewhat convex from pectoralto pelvic-fin origin, and straight from pelvic- to anal-fin origin. Anal fin base nearly straight, posterodorsally inclined. Profile between posterior end of anal-fin base to caudal-fin ray slightly concave.

Rostral fold well-developed, pendulous and greatly crenulated with a papillated distal margin, separated from upper jaw by a deep groove and laterally continuous with lower lip. Upper lip absent and upper jaw entirely covered by rostral fold, with a thin horny sheath edge. Lower lip modified into a mental adhesive disc. Disc elliptical, shorter than wide; anterior margin modified to form a transverse, fleshy and crescentic skin fold covered by numerous tiny papillae, anteriorly separated from lower jaw by a deep groove running along lower jaw and posteriorly bordered in a deep groove with central callous pad; lateral and posterior margins surrounding central callous pad, papillated and free; posterior-most margin reaching beyond vertical of posterior margin of eye.

Many minute tubercles present on transverse lobe of snout, anterior portion of lachrymal and anterior margin of proboscis in small specimens (81.2-111.0 mm SL); in large specimens (125.1-184.5 mm SL), tubercles are more prominent and larger on the transverse lobe of snout and anterior portion of proboscis.

Lateral line complete; scales 33 (2) or 34(4*) plus 3 on caudal-fin base; longitudinal scale rows above lateral line 21 / 2 (3*) or 3 (3) and below lateral line 21 / 2 (3*) or 3 (3). Circumpeduncular scales 12 (6*). Predorsal scales 10 (3) or 11 (3*), regularly arranged. Chest and belly scaled. Long axillary scale present at base of pelvic fin, reaching beyond base of last pelvic-fin ray.

Dorsal fin with 4 simple and 8 (6*) branched rays, last ray split to base; last simple ray longer than or equal to HL; distal margin slightly concave; origin closer to snout tip than to caudal-fin base. Pectoral fin with 1 simple and 13 (1), 14 (4) or 15 (1*) branched rays, reaching about two-thirds of distance to pelvic-fin origin; its length less than or equal to HL. Pelvic fin with 1 simple and 8 (6*) branched rays, reaching beyond midway to anal-fin origin and surpassing anus; its length less than HL; origin closer to anal fin origin than to pectoral-fin origin, situated vertically at base of 2nd or 3rd branched dorsal -fin ray. Anal fin with 4 simple and 5 (6*) branched rays, last ray split to base, reaching beyond ventral origin of caudal-fin rays; distal margin almost truncate; origin of anal fin closer to caudal-fin base than to pelvic-fin origin. Vent placed closer to anal fin origin than to pelvic-fin origin, separated from anal-fin origin by width of five scale rows. Caudal fin forked, its longest rays less than 2 times as long as its shortest rays.

Vertebrae 23 + 12 = 35 (2), 24 + 11 = 35 (1*), 24 + 12 = 36 (2), 24 + 13 = 37 (1). Pharyngeal teeth triserial, 5, 3, 2 / 2, 3, 5 (2), with pointed, slightly curved and compressed tips. Air bladder bipartite, anterior chamber oval and posterior chamber very small. Gill rakers small and sparse.

Coloration. – In formalin-preserved specimens, body brown dorsally and laterally, grey ventrally. In small specimens (81.2-111.0 mm SL), an inconspicuous dark longitudinal stripe along lateral line on side of body. Pectoral and pelvic fins with a blackish dorsal surface of outside rays; caudal fin with a black distal margin.

Distribution. – Garra rotundinasus is known from the Yiluowadi Jiang (upper Irrawaddy River) basin in Yunnan Province, China.

Etymology. – The name is made from the Latin rotundus (round) and nasus (snout), in allusion to having a broadly rounded snout in this species. Name used as a noun in apposition.

Figures

Fig. 1. Garra rotundinasus, holotype, 161.5 mm SL (IHB 78IV1162), China, Yunnan Province, Yiluowadi Jiang basin: Daying Jiang in Tengchong; lateral view.

Fig. 2. Garra rotundinasus, paratype, 125.1 mm SL, (IHB 78IV1665), China, Yunnan Province, Yiluowadi Jiang basin: Daying Jiang in Tongbiguan, Tengchong. A, dorsal view of head; B, ventral view of disc. Scale bar = 1 cm.