A new cave-dwelling blind loach, Triplophysa erythraea sp. nov. (Cypriniformes: Nemacheilidae), from Hunan Province, China

Zool Res. 2019 Jul 18;40(4):331-336. doi: 10.24272/j.issn.2095-8137.2019.049. Epub 2019 Apr 12.

Abstract

A new blind loach species, Triplophysa erythraea sp. nov., from a karst cave in Hunan Province, central south China, is described based on morphology and cyt b gene sequencing. It can be distinguished from other species of Triplophysa by the following combination of characters: eyes absent; body scaleless and colorless; caudal-fin 17; maxillary barbel longest; fins transparent, compressed pectoral-fin reaching 2/3 distance between pectoral-fin and pelvic-fin origins; pelvic-fin and dorsal-fin origins relative; posterior chamber of airbladder well developed, long, oval, and dissociative.

Keywords: Blind fish; Cyt b; Karst cave; Triplophysa erythraea sp. nov..

Publication types

  • Letter

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Caves*
  • China
  • Cypriniformes / anatomy & histology
  • Cypriniformes / classification*
  • Female
  • Male
  • Rivers
  • Species Specificity

Associated data

  • GENBANK/MG967615

Grants and funding

This research was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (31560130) and Learning Research & Innovative Experiment Project of Hunan Province (Xiangjiaotong [2018] No. 255-601)