Pseudecheneis paucipunctatus, Zhou & Li & Yang, 2008

Zhou, Wei, Li, Xu & Yang, Ying, 2008, A Review Of The Catfish Genus Pseudecheneis (Siluriformes: Sisoridae) From China, With The Description Of Four New Species From Yunnan, Raffles Bulletin of Zoology 56 (1), pp. 107-124 : 116-117

Pseudecheneis paucipunctatus , new species

( Fig. 10 )

Pseudecheneis sulcatus – Chu, 1982: 431 (in part specimens from Nujiang); Chu, Mo & Kuang, 1990: 196–197, Fig. 196 (in part specimens from Nujiang); Chu & Mo 1999: 153–154, Fig. 98 (in part specimens from Nujiang). except occipital and posttemporal (vs. absent). Differs from P. tchangi and P. brachyurus in lacking yellow spots and patches on occipital and posttemporal (vs. having). Differs from P. longipectoralis in having shorter pectoral fin, not extending to base of pelvic fin (vs. extending). And P. paucipunctatus further differs from P. gracilis and P. stenura in having a shorter caudal peduncle (23.9–29.3% SL vs. 26.0–35.8).

Description. – Morphometric data as in Table 2. Body elongate. Dorsal profile rising gradually from tip of snout to origin of dorsal fin, then sloping slowly ventrally to end of caudal peduncle. Head and abdominal region before origin of pelvic fin moderately broad. Body after dorsal fin compressed gradually. Caudal peduncle long and moderately compressed. Thoracic adhesive apparatus oval with 14–18 transverse ridges (laminae).

Head compressed and broadly rounded when viewed from above. Eye small and almost rounded, subcutaneous and located on dorsal surface of head. Distance to tip of snout longer than to dorsalmost extremity of gill openings. Mouth small, transverse and inferior. Lips with papillae. Premaxillary tooth band semicircular and two or four teeth along its outer edge ( Fig. 2A ), mandibular tooth band crescent ( Fig. 2B ). Outer teeth shovel-shaped ( Fig. 3A–C ). Inner teeth conical ( Fig. 3D–F ). Teeth on premaxillary and mandibular tooth bands sparse and embedded in skin. Only tips exposed and arranged in irregular rows. Barbels flattened and in four pairs with papilla except nasal barbel. Nasal barbel short, not extending to orbit. Maxillary barbel not

Material examined. – Holotype. SWFC 200203003, 136 mm TL, 109 mm SL; Nangunhe (23 ° 16.49'N 99 ° 04.34'E) (a tributary of Salween River ), Cangyuan County, Yunnan Province; L. Zheng, 15 Mar.2002.

Paratypes. SWFC 200203001–002, 200203004-005, 4 ex. 89.8- 165.1 mm TL, 73.9–135.4 mm SL; same data as holotype. SWFC 9902138–139, 2 ex. (1DS), 108–139 TL, 87–114 mm SL; Nangunhe (23 ° 16.49'N 99 ° 04.34'E), Cangyuan County, Yunnan Province; M.-L. Bao, 2 May 2000 . SWFC 200104001–003, 3 ex., 90–91 TL, 73–75.8 mm SL, Dahedi in Nangunhe (23 ° 16.16'N 99 ° 01.41'E), Cangyuan County, Yunnan Province; Z.-S. Wang, 7 Apr.2001 .

Diagnosis. – Pseudecheneis paucipunctatus is distinguished from P. sulcata in having longer pelvic fin, reaching base of first anal fin ray (vs. not reaching), and from P. crassicauda in having longer pectoral fin, reaching origin of pelvic fin (vs. not reaching). Pseudecheneis paucipunctatus is further distinguished from P. serracula in having a shorter adipose fin base (length of adipose fin base 125–166.7% in length of anal fin base vs. larger than 200%), and from P. sympelvica in having separate pelvic fins (vs. fused). Distinguished from P. paviei in having 14–18 transverse ridges (laminae) of thoracic apparatus (vs. 9–13), and further differs from P. paviei and P. sulcatoides in having a furcated neural spine of complex vertebra (vs. single). And P. paucipunctatus is distinguished from P. immaculatus in having yellow spots and patches on some parts of the body

THE RAFFLES BULLETIN OF ZOOLOGY 2008

developed, only extending to level of anterior orbit margin and not reaching gill opening. Length of outer mandibular barbel longer than inner mandibular barbel, not reaching or just beyond the front of thoracic apparatus. Gill openings moderate, extending beyond base of first pectoral fin element.

First and second unbranched ray of dorsal fin not ossified. Dorsal fin post-dorsal margin concave slightly. Dorsal fin origin located at point through anterior third of body. Distance of dorsal fin base to origin of adipose fin longer than distance to front of orbit. Adipose fin origin at vertical through anal fin origin. Length of adipose fin base shorter than distance of its origin to end of dorsal fin base. Pectoral fin enlarged with concave posterior margin, extending beyond origin of pelvic fin and not to end of pelvic fin base. Origin of pelvic fin at vertical through preceding end of dorsal-fin base. Pelvic fin extending to anus. First unbranched ray of paired fin broadened with regular striae on ventral surface. Anal fin post-ventral margin emarginate. Distance of anal fin origin to caudal fin base longer than to base of pectoral fin. Anus and urogenital openings located at origin of anal fin. Shortest ray of caudal fin circa 75% of longest ray. Upper lobe shorter than lower lobe.

Body covered with dense, rounded tubercles distributed irregularly, not uniformly ( Fig. 4A ). Tubercles decreasing in density gradually from occipital to caudal peduncle.

Lateral line complete and midlateral. Vertebrae 17+18=35 (1).

Colouration. – Alive, chestnut brown on dorsal and lateral surfaces of head and body. Light yellow on ventral region. Pink thoracic apparatus and oral region. Occipital and posttemporal without yellow spots. Lateral sides of dorsal fin origin respectively having two yellow ovate spots. End of dorsal fin base having a yellow saddle patch ( Fig. 5C ). Before origin of adipose fin having three yellow patches. Median patch located at origin of adipose fin. Two lateral patches respectively extending vertically to lateral line. An ovate patch on posterior adipose fin base. Another on caudal fin base.

Dorsal fin hyaline, with a thin chestnut brown band near distal margin of fin and a small yellow patch on tip. Adipose fin chestnut brown, with lighter colour around distal edge. Caudal fin base brown. Upper and lower edges with lightyellow lateral stripe near caudal fin base. Two light yellow patches on forked median distal margin of caudal fin. Yellow patch on tip of each lobe. Anal fin hyaline, base dark brown. Middle to distal margin light yellow with a dark strip. Dorsal surfaces of pectoral fins brown. Yellow elliptical patch near base. Yellow patch on distal margin. Pelvic fin base brown. Other part light yellow.

Distribution. – This species is found in the branches of the upper Nujing (Salween River) drainage ( Fig. 11 ).

Etymology. – From the Latin pauc, meaning a few, and punctatus, meaning spotted, in reference to occipital and posttemporal without yellow spots. Used as an adjective.

Figures

Fig. 10. Pseudecheneis paucipunctatus, SWFC 200203003, holotype, 109 mm SL; China: Nujiang (the upper Salween River) drainage. Dorsal, lateral and ventral views.

Fig. 2. Premaxillary and mandibular tooth band. A, ventral view of semicircular premaxillary tooth band and four teeth along its outer edge (Pseudecheneis gracilis, SWFC 200102148, paratype, 68 mm SL, DS); B, dorsal view of crescent mandibular tooth band (P. gracilis, SWFC 200102148, paratype, 68 mm SL, DS); C, ventral view of semicircular premaxillary tooth band and eight teeth along its outer edge (P. paviei, SWFC 0005084, 62 mm SL, DS).

Fig. 3. Tooth shape of premaxillary tooth band (Pseudecheneis gracilis, SWFC 200102148, paratype, 68 mm SL, DS): A–C, outer teeth; D–F, inner teeth. A, D, lateral view; B, E, frontal view; D, F, frontal-lateral view.

Fig. 4. Tubercles at dorsal of head: A, rounded tubercles (Pseudecheneis stenura, SWFC 0502004, 78.6 mm SL); B, some longitudinal tubercles among rounded tubercles (P. sulcatoides, SWFC 200005030, 75 mm SL).

Fig. 5. Patch or spots at dorsal fin origin: A, spots connected as a saddle patch (Pseudecheneis brachyurus, SWFC 200103294, holotype, 122 mm SL); B, spots connected as a saddle patch (P. gracilis, SWFC 200102125, paratype, 168 mm SL); C, spots isolated as two ovoid spots (P. stenura, SWFC 0502001, 90.5 mm SL).

Fig. 11. Map showing distribution of Pseudecheneis paucipunctatus, P. paviei, P. stenura, P. sulcata and P. sulcatoides.