Garra roseae, Mousavi-Sabet & Saemi-Komsari & Doadrio & Freyhof, 2019

Mousavi-Sabet, Hamed, Saemi-Komsari, Maryam, Doadrio, Ignacio & Freyhof, Jörg, 2019, Garra roseae, a new species from the Makran region in southern Iran (Teleostei: Cyprinidae), Zootaxa 4671 (2), pp. 223-239 : 228-233

Garra roseae , new species

( Figs. 3–8 )

Holotype. GUIC 7847 , 38 mm SL; Iran: Sistan-va-Baluchistan prov. : stream Tang-e-Sarhe near Siahangari , at km 465 on road from Zahedan to Chabahar, 26.5383, 59.9406; H. Mousavi-Sabet & M. Amouei.

Paratypes. VMFC GR-P1122 , 22 , 31–51 mm SL; FSJF 4071, 4 , 34–37 mm SL; same data as holotype .

Material for molecular genetic analysis. VMFC DNA-GR1397 , 3 ; same data as holotype (Genbank accession numbers: MN 258736 , MN 258737 , MN 258738 ) .

Diagnosis. Garra roseae is distinguished from the other species of the Garra variabilis group by a unique combination of characters. It is distinguished from the two Central Anatolian species G. kemali and G. klatti by having a mental disc (vs. absent) and 42–58 scales on the lateral line (vs. 35–45 in G. kemali and G. klatti ). The new species is distinguished from G. nudiventris , G. rossica , and G. variabilis by lacking barbels (vs. one pair in G. nudiventris and G. variabilis ; and one or two pairs in G. rossica ). It is further distinguished by having the predorsal mid-line fully covered by scales (vs. naked in G. nudiventris ), a naked breast (vs. scaled in G. rossica ), the belly covered by scales (vs. naked in G. nudiventris and G. variabilis ), 7½–8½ transverse scale rows between the lateral line and the dorsal-fin origin (vs. 5½–6½ in G. rossica ), 6½ transverse scale rows between the lateral line and the pelvic-fin origin (vs. 4½–5½ in G. rossica ), no axillary scale at the pelvic-fin origin (vs. present in G. nudiventris and G. rossica ), and 11–13 total gill rakers on the first branchial arch (vs. 10–11 in G. nudiventris , 13–15 in G. rossica ).

Description. For general appearance see Figs. 3–8 ; morphometric data are provided in Table 3 . Small sized and elongated species with laterally compressed caudal peduncle. Dorsal head profile rising gently, slightly convex. Predorsal contour slightly convex between nape and dorsal-fin origin. Prepelvic contour convex, ventral profile more or less straight from pelvic to anal-fin origins. Body deepest at about dorsal-fin origin or about middle between nape and dorsal-fin origin, depth decreasing towards caudal-fin base. Greatest body width at pectoral-fin base, body almost equally wide until dorsal-fin origin, width decreasing towards caudal-fin base. Head moderately small, section of head roundish, flattened on ventral surface; slightly depressed, almost conical; slightly convex or flat interorbital space; height-at-nape shorter than head length; width-at-nape greater or about equal to depth-at-nape. Head length 0.9–1.1 times in body depth. Snout rounded, its length 1.2–1.6 times in postorbital length; no obvious tubercle on transverse lobe, demarcated posteriorly by a shallow transverse groove in some individuals, no transverse groove. No obvious tubercle on proboscis and lateral surface of snout. Depressed rostral surface always without tubercles; moderately separating transverse lobe from lateral surface, not clear in some specimens. No groove between transverse lobe and lateral surface. Head tubercles present only on opercula surface. Eyes relatively large, eye diameter 2.3–2.9 times in head depth at eye, 2.0–2.3 times in interorbital width. Eyes located dorso-laterally on the anterior half of head or at mid head. Barbels absent. Rostral cap well-developed, fimbriate, papillate on ventral surface. Upper lip present. Upper jaw almost or completely covered by rostral cap. Disc elliptical, shorter than wide and narrower than head width; papillae on anterior fold of same size, regularly arranged; groove between antero-median fold and central callous-pad narrow and deep, latero-posterior flap absent; surface of central callous pad without or with sparsely arranged small papillae; posterior margin of central callous pad extending vertical to anterior edge of eye. Nostrils located just anterior to eyes, round-shaped. Anterior nostril opening developed as a low, pointed and flap-like tube. Posterior nostril narrow, nostrils adjacent, posterior tip of anterior nostril reaching to posterior nostril when folded down.

Dorsal fin with 3 simple and 6½ (1), 7½ (24) or 8½ (1) branched rays, last simple ray shorter than head length; distal margin slightly concave; origin closer to caudal-fin base than to snout tip; inserted anterior to vertical of pelvic-fin origin; first branched ray longest, tip of last branched ray reaching vertical to, or slightly in front of anus when folded down. Pectoral fin with one simple and 10 (10), 11 (13) or 12 (3) branched rays. Pectoral fin reaching approximately 38–54% of distance from pectoral-fin origin to pelvic-fin origin, length shorter than head length. Pelvic fin with one simple and 7 (2) or 8 (24) branched rays. Pelvic fin not reaching anus/anal-fin base, or reaching to anus in some in individuals, origin closer to anal-fin origin than to pectoral-fin origin, inserted below third or fourth branched dorsal-fin ray. Anal fin short, with 3 simple and 5½ branched rays; first branched ray longest; distal margin straight or slightly convex; origin closer to pelvic-fin origin than to caudal-fin base. Anal fin reaching approximately to ½ to 3 / 4 of caudal peduncle when folded. Caudal peduncle length 1.1–1.4 times longer than deep. Caudal fin forked with 9+8 branched rays; tip of lobes rounded (or slightly pointed). Caudal fin emarginated (length of the ray in the middle of caudal fin 68–72 % of the longest branched ray in the upper lobe of the fin), with 9+8 branched rays. Total gill rakers on first branchial arch 11–13 [11(3), 12(3), 13(5)]. Lateral line complete, with 42–58 [42(3), 44(2), 45(3), 48(2), 50(3), 51(1), 53(4), 54(1), 55(3), 56(2), 58(2)] scales, which 2–3 of them were on caudalfin base. Transverse scale rows above lateral line 7–9; between lateral line and pelvic-fin origin 6–7 and between lateral line and anal-fin origin 6. Circumpeduncular scale rows 20–24. Usually, 24–30 scales on predorsal midline between dorsal-fin origin and nape, embedded in some specimens. Scales on flank regularly arranged. Chest naked and belly scaled (scales presence from mid of pectoral fin when folded back). No axillary scale at base of pelvic fin. Largest known individual 51 mm SL.

Coloration. In preserved individuals: Background colour pale yellowish or whitish. Scales brown, grey in life, with whitish or yellowish margins. Dorsal surface of head pale yellow or brown. Flank above lateral line dark or pale brown. Abdominal edge and caudal fin origin pale yellow. Lateral head and flank anterior to dorsal-fin base pale yellow to whitish below lateral line. Cheek pale yellowish or whitish. A faint irregularly shaped, grey inner axial stripe most prominent on flank behind dorsal-fin base. Mouth, chest and abdomen yellowish.A wide, often indistinct, black or dark-brown bar at posterior-most caudal peduncle faded in most individuals, up to 2–3 scales wide. Bar reaching dorsal midline in some individuals, not reaching ventral midline. Lateral line beige, in contrast to brown colour on mid-lateral flank.A dark-brown blotch at base of unbranched dorsal-fin rays, followed by beige base of branched rays 2–3 and black or dark brown base of rays 4–7. All fins hyaline with irregularly set black spots on rays.

In life: Background colour silvery, all fins hyaline with irregular black spots. Head grey and scales on flank and back dark grey, whitish or pale grey on lower flank and belly. Iris silvery orange with dark grey spots, internal ring without spots. Dark grey dots at pectoral-fin base in some individuals.

Distribution. Until now, G. roseae is known from the stream Tang-e-Sarhe.

Etymology. The species is named after Rose, daughter of the first author.

Notes on habitat. Garra roseae was collected in a shallow stream with slow current at 1116 m altitude ( Fig. 9 ). At the sampling site, the water was polluted from villages along the stream. The length of the stream Tang-e-Sarhe is about 70 kilometres.

Remarks. Garra persica is the only species of Garra known from the Makran region not belonging to the G. variabilis group. While G. persica is widespread in Iran and most likely also in adjacent Pakistan, it has not been found in sympatry with G. roseae . Garra roseae is distinguished from G. persica by lacking barbels (vs. having two pairs of barbels), having 42–58 scales along the lateral line (vs. 32–37), 20–24 circumpeduncular scales (vs. 14–16), 9+8 branched caudal-fin rays (vs. usually 8+8), a naked breast (vs. covered by scales), 7½–8½ transverse scale rows between the lateral line and the dorsal-fin origin (vs. 4½), 6½ transverse scale rows between the lateral line and the pelvic-fin origin (vs. 4½), no axillary scale at the pelvic-fin base (vs. present), and 11–13 total gill rakers on the first branchial arch (vs. 17–19).

Within the frame of this study, we examined materials of the extirpated populations of G. klatti from Central Anatolia (ZMH 320: Lake Gölcük, ZMH 1122, Lake Eğirdir) and found these to indistinguishable from Hemigrammocapoeta menderesensis described by Küçük et al. (2015). Therefore, we follow Geiger et al. (2014) and treat Hemigrammocapoeta menderesensis as a synonym of Garra klatti .

This study also allows us to re-assess the taxonomic status of G. nudiventris , which was treated as a valid species different from G. rossica by Esmaeili et al. (2016). In our molecular dataset, G. rossica is very closely related to G. nudiventris , and both are characterised by a minimum K2P distance of 0.46% in the COI barcode region. Despite this low genetic distance, G. rossica and G. nudiventris are separated clearly in two distinct clades. All G. rossica examined by us are distinguished from all G. nudiventris by having the predorsal mid-line, the breast, and belly covered by scales (vs. naked; see Figs. 10–11 ). Therefore, we confirm the results published by Esmaeili et al. (2016), and consider G. rossica and G. nudiventris as two distinct taxa.

It should be noted, that Discognathus phryne , described by Annandale (1919) from “Nasratabad, Seistan, eas- tern Iran ”, was characterised by one pair of barbel, 36–39 scales on the lateral line, and a naked chest and back. Coad (1981) considered D. phryne as synonym of G. rossica , but our results strongly suggest that it is a synonym of G. nudiventris , but not of G. rossica . Garra nudiventris is found in the Seistan region and has a naked breast and back as described by Annandale (1919).

The Garra species from the Pakistani Makran region are poorly known and we have to discuss here G. wanae , which was originally described by Regan (1914) from the Wana Toi, tributary of the Gomal River in the upper Indus River drainage in north-western Pakistani Waziristan. Based on the description of G. wanae by Regan (1914), G. roseae is distinguished from G. wanae by lacking barbels (vs. two pairs of barbels) and having a naked breast (vs. covered by scales).

Figures

FIGURE 3. Garra roseae, GUIC 7847, holotype, 38 mm SL; Iran: stream Tang-e-Sarhe.

FIGURE 4. Garra roseae, VMFC GR-P, paratypes; from above: 36 mm SL; 35 mm SL; 34 mm SL; 34 mm SL; Iran: stream Tang-e-Sarhe.

FIGURE 5. Garra roseae, VMFC GR-P, paratypes; from above: 36 mm SL; 35 mm SL; 34 mm SL; 34 mm SL; Iran: stream Tang-e-Sarhe.

FIGURE 6. Garra roseae, VMFC GR-P, paratypes; from above: 36 mm SL; 35 mm SL; 34 mm SL; 34 mm SL; Iran: stream Tang-e-Sarhe.

FIGURE 7. Garra roseae, VMFC GR-P, paratype; 36 mm SL; Iran: stream Tang-e-Sarhe.

FIGURE 8. Garra roseae, VMFC GR-H, holotype, 38 mm SL; Iran: stream Tang-e-Sarhe.

FIGURE 9. Iran: stream Tang-e-Sarhe, type locality of Garra roseae.

FIGURE 10. Above: Garra nudiventris, VMFC GND, 81 mm SL; Iran: Qanat near Nehbandan. Below: Garra rossica, VMFC GROS, 86 mm SL; Iran: spring Golbahar.

FIGURE 11. Dorsal and ventral views; above: Garra rossica, VMFC GROS, 86 mm SL; Iran: spring Golbahar; below: Garra nudiventris, VMFC GND, 81 mm SL; Iran: qanat near Nehbandan.