Laogarra, Kottelat, 2025

Kottelat, Maurice, 2025, Laogarra heokheei, a new genus and species of ' garra' from north-eastern Laos (Teleostei: Cyprinidae), Zootaxa 5666 (3), pp. 389-407 : 391

Laogarra gen. nov.

Type species. Laogarra heokheei sp. nov.

Etymology. The name is formed from the country-name Laos and the generic name Garra . Gender feminine.

Diagnosis. Laogarra belongs to the Semilabeoina subtribe (see below) of the tribe Labeonini of Cyprinidae . Laogarra is distinguished from most garras in having the pulvinus margined posteriorly by an almost complete postpulvinal groove, except for a very short median interruption ( Fig. 2 ). The only other labeonine genera with a distinct postpulvinal groove are Supradiscus and Sinigarra .

Laogarra is additionally distinguished from Supradiscus in having the toral groove without intercalate tissues (vs. with tissues separated from torus and intercalate between torus and pulvinus in the toral groove; Fig. 3 ) and the posterior edge of the labrum without a posterior median notch (vs. with a notch). Laogarra is distinguished from Sinigarra by the presence (vs. absence) of the torus, the presence (vs. absence) of papillae on the labrum and labella, and the posterior margin of the labrum without a posterior median notch (vs. with a notch reaching forwards to the pulvinus).

Other diagnostic characters (none of them unique to Laogarra ) are as follows. No rostral lobe. No proboscis. No large tubercles on head. Three enlarged scales at caudal-fin base ( Fig. 4 ). Rostral cap covered by papillae, with crenulated edge. Upper lip as a small string of papillae along edge of upper jaw. Jaws transverse, almost straight. Torus strongly curved, covered by papillae; at extremities rounded backwards around sides of pulvinus. Toral groove curved at extremities around sides of pulvinus. Pulvinus roughly triangular, entirely devoid of papillae, with two wrinkles orientated obliquely more or less parallel to lateral edges of pulvinus. Labrum wide, width about half of sagittal length of pulvinus; covered by papillae, about same size as anterior papillae of torus. Labellum weakly marked in holotype, continuous with labrum in paratype. Mandibular barbel at lateral extremity of rostral cap.

Figures

FIGURE 2. Laogarra heokheei; mouth and disc; a, MHNG 2797.028, holotype, 62.7 mm SL (arrows: upper lip); b, CMK 28985, 65.5 mm SL (arrow: postpulvinal groove); c, CMK 28985, 23.0 mm SL.

FIGURE 3. Supradiscus micropulvinus, CMK 18394, 92.6 mm SL; a, mouth and gular region; b, close-up of corner of mouth.

FIGURE 4. Laogarra heokheei, MHNG 2797.028, holotype, 62.7 mm SL; caudal fin.