Paratanakia julongjiangensis, Chen & Shy, 2024

Chen, I-Shiung & Shy, Jhy-Yun, 2024, Two new species of Paratanakia (Teleostei: Cyprinidae) from Taiwan and mainland China, Zootaxa 5550 (1), pp. 250-257 : 255-256

Paratanakia julongjiangensis sp. nov.

(九ăäƋŝ)

( Fig. 4 )

Material examined

Holotype. — NTOUP-2005-03-351 , 66.3 mm SL, male, Peinhe , Nanjin, lower reaches of Julongjiang River basin, Fujian Province, PR China, coll. I-S. Chen et al., 11 March 2005.

Paratypes. — NTOUP-2005-05-352 , 2 specimens, 48.9–55.9 mm SL, collection date and other data same as above holotype .

Diagnosis

Paratanakia julongjiangensis n. sp. which endemic in Fujian Province, mainland China can be well distinguished from other congeners by the following unique combination of features: (1) fin ray counts: dorsal fin rays 3, 9; anal fin rays 3, 11; pectoral fin rays modally 1, 12; (2) lateral-line scales modally 34; and (3) specific color pattern: dorsal fin gray with a broad shiny pinkish stripe, and with a very thin gray margin in male.

Description

Dorsal fin rays 3, 9. Anal fin rays 3, 11. Pectoral fin rays 1, 12. Pelvic fin rays 1, 7. Lateral-line scales 33–34 (modally 34). Transverse scales 10. Pre-dorsal scales 13. Vertebral count 4+30=34 (n=3).

Body proportion listed in Table 1 . Body compressed, body depth very high and roughly spindle shaped. The highest position of dorsal line located at the anterior margin of dorsal fin base. Head small, snout slightly prominent, tip slightly rounded. Mouth small, a pair of barbels at mouth corner. Eye large and located on lateral side of head. Belly slightly rounded in both sexes. Lateral-line complete and running slightly downward abruptly above the anus and along the ventral profile into middle of caudal fin base. Body covered with moderate-sized cycloid scales. Belly from inter-pectoral fin basal region extending backward to anal fin anterior base, always covered with cycloid scales.

Pectoral fin almost reaching anterior margin of pelvic fin when compressed. Pelvic fin slightly rounded.Anterior margin of anal fin inserted below third branched ray of dorsal fin. The length of dorsal fin in male is distinctly longer than in female when compressed. Caudal fin deeply forked and rear margin of caudal fin lobe rounded. Two patches of turbucles appeared on snout in adult male.

Coloration while fresh. ( Fig. 4 )

All coloration based on three male of type series. Upper areas of head and body generally pale yellowish. Scales on upper area of body side with gray margin. Belly silver white. A distinct longitudinal blue stripe on posterior half of body, starting from caudal fin base and extending forward to the position below the second spine of dorsal fin. Middle belly from inter-pectoral region to anterior margin of anal fin is grayish black. Eye grayish white with white to pinkish around the pupil.

Dorsal fin gray with a broad shiny pinkish stripe, and with a very thin gray margin. Pectoral fin pale yellow. Pelvic fin white to gray. Caudal fin pinkish, central area with a broad, longitudinal black stripe. Anal fin gray with broad pinkish to pinkish orange stripe, and with broad grayish black margin. Pectoral fin cream light yellow. Pelvic fin grayish white.

Distribution. Currently known only from lower reaches of the Julongjiang river basin, Fujian Province, China.

Etymology. The specific name, “ julongjiangensis ” refers to the type locality of “Julongjiang river basin” in Fujian Province, China.

Remarks

Among the member of the genus, P. julongjiangensis sp. nov. is more similar to P. haifengensis Huang et al., 2024 than any other species. However, P. julongjiangensis sp. nov. can be well distinguished from P. haifengensis by following features (meristic comparison seen in Table 2 ): (1) anal fin rays: 3, 11 vs. modally 3, 12; (2) lateral line scales modally 34 vs. 36; (3) body depth: higher body as 40–42% vs lower body 32–35%; and (4) caudal-fin black bar: rather thick in male vs. narrow in male. The distinct mitogenetic differentiation is also detected by Chen et al. (unpublished data). It is very necessary to explore more different river basins (especially both Pearl River and Yangtsi River basins) to gather full picture of current genus in large mainland China.

Figures

FIGURE 4. Paratanakia julongjiangensis n. sp., male, 62.8 mm SL, holotype, Peinhe, Nanjin, lower reaches of Julongjiang River basin, Fujian Province, PR China.