A New Species of the Blind Cave Loach Genus Protocobitis (Cypriniformes: Cobitidae), Protocobitis longicostatus sp. nov., from Guangxi, China

Jia-Jun Zhou; Zhi-Xian Qin; Li-Na Du; Hong-Ying Wu

doi:10.2108/zs230104

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29 February 2024 A New Species of the Blind Cave Loach Genus Protocobitis (Cypriniformes: Cobitidae), Protocobitis longicostatus sp. nov., from Guangxi, China

Jia-Jun Zhou, Zhi-Xian Qin, Li-Na Du, Hong-Ying Wu

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Zoological Science, 41(2):210-215 (2024). https://doi.org/10.2108/zs230104

Abstract

Protocobitis species are typical cave-dwelling fish, exhibiting distinctive morphological adaptations such as colorless body, lack of eyes, and reduced scales and ribs in response to their extreme cave habitats. Distinct from the recorded species, P. anteroventris, P. polylepis, and P. typhlops, a new species, Protocobitis longicostatus sp. nov., is described from Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China. Protocobitis longicostatus sp. nov. can easily be distinguished from all known congeners by the following characteristics: whole body covered by scales except head, 12 branched caudal fin rays, and long ribs. These species face threats from habitat degradation, hydrological changes, and environmental pollution. Thus, the conservation of cavefish in China has become an urgent issue.

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Jia-Jun Zhou, Zhi-Xian Qin, Li-Na Du, and Hong-Ying Wu "A New Species of the Blind Cave Loach Genus Protocobitis (Cypriniformes: Cobitidae), Protocobitis longicostatus sp. nov., from Guangxi, China," Zoological Science 41(2), 210-215, (29 February 2024). https://doi.org/10.2108/zs230104

Received: 29 October 2023; Accepted: 6 December 2023; Published: 29 February 2024

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