The Paleogene nominal species Osteochilus sanshuiensis, Osteochilus longipinnatus, and Osteochilus laticorpus from Sanshui Basin, China, were originally assigned to the extant genus Osteochilus, in the family Cyprinidae. They were lately considered to belong to Catostomidae or the extinct family Jianghanichthyidae. However, the type specimens of the above nominal species have been deemed to be lost, which hindered the corroborated taxonomic assignment of the species. After multiple attempts and inter-institutional efforts, a series of original type specimens were recovered from a warehouse. We herein report the resurfacing and relocation of the specimens, as well as clarify the taxonomic status of those nominal species. Based on the type specimens and our recently collected specimens in the same locality, we propose to revise the three nominal species as one species †Jianghanichthys sanshuiensis comb. nov. One of the best-preserved original type specimens, SYSU R. 741177 is designated to be the lectotype.