Four new species of Channa from Myanmar (Teleostei, Labyrinthici, Channidae) Britz, Ralf Hui, Tan Heok Rüber, Lukas Raffles Bulletin of Zoology 2024 2024-01-15 72 1 25 Britz & Hui & Rüber, 2024 Britz & Hui & Rüber 2024 [978,1183,1405,1429] Channidae Channa Animalia Perciformes 2 3 Chordata species rakhinica sp. nov.  ( Figs. 2–5)     Holotype. BMNH 2019.10.16.190, 124.5 mmSL; Myanmar: Rakhine State, Kyeinthali township, Kyauk Tan village, South Stream, 18.0380°N 94.5072°E, coll. Britzet al.,  1 December 2009.    Paratypes. BMNH2019.10.16.191–193, 3 ex., 80.0– 92.5 mmSL; same information as holotype.  MTD 40204, 1 ex., 113.0 mm SL; same information as holotype. —  BMNH2019.10.16.276–282, 7 ex., 64.5–86.5 mmSL; Myanmar, Kyeinthali, coll. Tin Winet al.,  October 2008. —  BMNH2022.6.23.1004–1006, 3 ex., 83.3–97.1 mmSL; Myanmar, Rakhine State, Kyeinthali township, Kyauk Tan village, North Stream, 18.0455°N 94.4942°E, coll. Britzet al.,  1 December 2009. —  BMNH 2019.10.16.259, 1 ex, 94.2 mmSL; Myanmar, Rakhine State, Kyeinthali township, Kyeinthali Chaung, coll. Tin Winet al.,  October 2008. —  BMNH2019.10.16.269–275, 7 ex., 95.7–125.3 mmSL; Myanmar, Rakhine State, Kyeinthali township, Kyeinthali Chaung, coll. Tin Winet al.,  October 2008. —  BMNH2019.10.16.261–264, 4 ex., 95.1–126.0mm SL; Myanmar, Rakhine State, Kyeinthali township, Kyeinthali Chaung, coll. Tin Winet al.,  5 December 2004. —  BMNH2007.8.17.1–10, 10 ex., 57.7–105,7 mm SL; Myanmar, Rakhine State, Ann township, Kazukaingvilllage, remnant pools of Myaung Gyi Chaung, a tributary of Dalet Chaung, 19.9247°N 93.7933°E, coll. Britzet al.,  5 April 2007. —  BMNH2019.10.16.207–258, 48 ex., 42.0– 121.2 mmSL; Myanmar, Rakhine State, Ann township, Kazukaingvilllage, remnant pools of Myaung Gyi Chaung, a tributary of Dalet Chaung, 19.9247°N 93.7933°E, coll. Britzet al.,  5 April 2007. —  MTD 40205, 5 ex., 55.4–110.9 mmSL; Myanmar, Rakhine State, Ann township, Kazukaingvilllage, remnant pools of Myaung Gyi Chaung, a tributary of Dalet Chaung, 19.9247°N 93.7933°E, coll. Britzet al.,  5 April 2007. —  MTD 40206, 121.8 mmSL; Myanmar, Rakhine State, Kyauktaw township, Sinkaevilllage, remnant pools of tributary stream of Laymyo (Lemro) River, 20.7554°N 93.2713°E, coll. Britzet al.,  4 April 2007. —  BMNH2007.8.17.12–20, 9 ex., 56.5–114.7 mmSL; Myanmar, Rakhine State, Kyauktaw township, Sinkaevilllage, remnant pools of tributary stream of Laymyo (Lemro) River, 20.7554°N 93.2713°E, coll. Britzet al.,  4 April 2007.   Diagnosis.A member of the Gachua group readily distinguished from other Myanmarmembers by its colour pattern in life including reddish cheek, series of up to 5 semicircular concentric maroon pectoral bands wider than interbands, series of 6–7 saddle-like blotches, orange subdistal and white distal rim on dorsal- and caudal fins (vs. different colour pattern). It is further distinguished from  C. stewartiiby fewer dorsal-fin rays (34–38 vs. 39–41), and generally fewer anal-fin rays (23–25, rarely 22 or 26 vs. 26–27) and from  C. burmanicaby presence of pelvic fins (vs. absence). It also differs substantially from all MyanmarGachua group snakeheads by a genetic distance of 12.9–18.5% in the COI gene.   Description.See Figs. 2–3, 5for general appearance and Table 2for morphometric information and Table 6for select meristic characters. Body elongate, round in cross section anteriorly, laterally compressed at caudal peduncle, body depth 5.6–6.3 times in SL. Head large, length 3.2–3.5 times in SL. Head widest halfway between posterior margin of eye and that of opercle. Mouth large, maxilla extending posteriorly beyond jaw angle, lips fleshy. Premaxilla with multiple rows of small sharp, pointed teeth ( Fig. 4a). Dentary also with several series of small teeth anteriorly, a single series of small teeth along most of the lateral margin and an internal series of larger canines ( Fig. 4b). Vomer with a few very large teeth in the middle and smaller teeth at lateral corner ( Fig. 4a). Palatine with external series of smaller teeth and an internal row of up to 7 much larger canines ( Fig. 4a). Parasphenoid posteriorly with several medium sized teeth ( Fig. 4d). Hypobranchial 3 with a patch of tiny teeth ( Fig. 4c). Ceratobranchial 5 with series of large teeth with anteriorly directed tips along posterior and medial margin and smaller teeth in middle and along anterior margin ( Fig. 4c). Pharyngobranchial 2 elongate with several series of tiny teeth ( Fig. 4d). Pharyngobranchial 3 with prominent teeth with recurved tips ( Fig. 4d). Upper pharyngeal toothplate 4 with larger recurved teeth anteromedially and smaller teeth posterolaterally ( Fig. 4d). Pectoral-fin rays 14*–15. Dorsal-fin rays 34(4), 35(11), 36*(46), 37(23), 38(5). Anal-fin rays 22(2), 23*(20), 24(46), 25(18), 26(3). Caudal fin with 6(55) or 7*(39) + 7(17), 8*(75) or 9 (1) principal rays and 2(30), 3*(57) or 4(7) dorsal and 2 (53), 3*(31) or 4 (4) ventral procurrent rays. 44(9), 45*(25), 46(50) or 47(12) vertebrae with 38(2), 39(16), 40*(38), 41(38) 42(1) abdominal and 4(3), 5*(51) or 6 (44) caudal vertebrae.  Fig. 4.  Channa rakhinica, MTD40204, paratype, 113.0 mm SL. Volume rendered 3D models illustrating dentition on premaxilla, vomer and palatine, in ventral view (a), lower jaw (b) in dorsal view, ventral branchial arches (c) in dorsal view, and upper pharyngeal jaws and parasphenoid patch (d) in ventral view. Note presence of caniniform teeth on palatine and dentary. Abbreviations: cb 5, ceratobranchial 5; de, dentary; hb3, hypobranchial 3; pal, palatine; pb2, pharyngobranchial; pb3, pharyngobranchial 3; pmx, premaxilla; ps, parasphenoid up4, upper pharyngeal toothplate 4. Scale bars 1 cm. Predorsal scales 7–9. Lateral line with 45–47 scales extending from shoulder girdle in horizontal line, but dropping one scale row at scale 13–17, then continuing horizontally to end of caudal peduncle. Scales above lateral line 3.5 and below 6.5–7.5 at level of anal-fin origin. Postorbital scales 7 or 8. Circumpeduncular scales 28, with 8 larger scales on each side and 6 smaller to tiny scales along dorsal and ventral midline. Prepelvic scales 10–13. Single scale on ventral aspect of anguloarticular.  Fig. 5.  Channa rakhinica, paratypes, examples of colouration in life, BMNH 2022.6.23.1004–1006 (top and middle), not measured, ca. 90 mm SL; BMNH 2019.10.16.269–275 (bottom), not measured, ca. 110 mm SL.  Colouration in preservative.See Figs. 2–3. Body and fins dark maroon, slightly lighter ventrally. Dorsal, anal, and caudal fins with narrow white rim. Pectoral fins with dark brown base and alternating dark wide and light narrow bands, bands regularly arranged in semiconcentric fashion in specimens from the south of distribution range, but in more northern populations dark bands wider and light bands sometimes incomplete, not reaching distal margin of fin.  Colouration in life.See Fig. 5. Colour of body a light maroon with light grey marbling especially in ventral area, light grey ventrally on jaw, gular area and abdominal preanal area and a series of 6–7 darker brown saddle-like blotches  Fig. 6. South stream near Kyeinthali, type locality of  Channa rakhinica.  RAFFLES BULLETIN OF ZOOLOGY2024  Fig. 7. Remnant pools under large boulders in dry stream beds, habitat from which  Channa rakhinicaparatypes were collected at Seik Chaung, a small tributary of Laymyo river and Myaung Gyi Chaung, a tributary of Dalet Chaung. running from dorsal-fin base anteroventrally to upper third of side of body. Sides of head especially opercular region often with reddish brown cheek blotch. Dorsal fin with dark oblique markings separated by light oblique lines, sometimes forming black blotch in posteriormost area. Dorsal and caudal fins with submarginal orange rim and narrow white distal margin. Caudal fin with irregular semiconcentric dark narrow bands separated by lighter areas. Anal fin with dark brown subdistal rim and white distal margin. Pectoral fins with series of semicircular concentric maroon bands alternating with narrower cream bands. Pelvic fins light grey, like ventral abdomen.   Distribution and habitat.The new species was collected from small mountain streams near Kyeinthali in the southern RakhineYoma ( Fig. 6) and from small remnant puddles beneath large boulders in the otherwise dry bed of a small tributary stream of Dalet Chaung in the middle RakhineYoma, and Laymyo River in the northern RakhineYoma, respectively ( Fig. 7).   Etymology.The species name is derived from the name of the area where it occurs, the RakhineYoma in western Myanmar, an adjective.   Remarks.This species has been traded as an ornamental fish since at least 2012 under the name “  Channasp.mimetic pulchra” and has been referred to as  Channasp. RakhineYoma in Conte-Grand et al. (2017)and Rüber et al. (2020). Aquarium reports suggest that this is a mouthbrooding species. 2009-12-01 BMNH Britz Myanmar Kyeinthali township 18.038 South Stream 7 94.5072 Kyauk Tan village 2 3 BMNH 2019.10 1 Rakhine holotype BMNH 2 3 3 paratype MTD 2 3 MTD 40204 1 paratype 2008-10 BMNH Kyeinthali & Tin Win Myanmar Myanmar 2 3 7 paratype 2009-12-01 BMNH Britz Myanmar Kyeinthali township 18.0455 North Stream 7 94.4942 Kyauk Tan village 2 3 3 Rakhine paratype 2008-10 BMNH Tin Win Myanmar Kyeinthali Chaung Kyeinthali township 2 3 BMNH 2019.10 1 Rakhine paratype 2008-10 BMNH Kyeinthali Chaung & Tin Win Myanmar Kyeinthali township 2 3 7 Rakhine paratype 2004-12-05 BMNH Kyeinthali Chaung & Tin Win Myanmar 4 5 Kyeinthali township 2 3 4 Rakhine paratype 2007-04-05 BMNH Britz Myanmar Ann township 19.9247 Myaung Gyi Chaung 7 93.7933 Kazukaing 4 5 10 Rakhine paratype 2007-04-05 BMNH Britz Myanmar Ann township 19.9247 Myaung Gyi Chaung 7 93.7933 Kazukaing 4 5 48 Rakhine paratype 2007-04-05 MTD Britz Myanmar Ann township 19.9247 Myaung Gyi Chaung 7 93.7933 Kazukaing 4 5 MTD 40205 5 Rakhine paratype 2007-04-04 MTD Britz Myanmar Kyauktaw township 20.7554 Laymyo (Lemro) River 7 93.2713 Sinkae 4 5 1 Rakhine paratype 2007-04-04 BMNH Britz Myanmar Kyauktaw township 20.7554 Laymyo (Lemro) River 7 93.2713 Sinkae 4 5 9 Rakhine paratype