Editorial Type:
Article Category: Research Article
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Online Publication Date: 26 Feb 2010

A Revision of Lepidocephalichthys (Teleostei: Cobitidae) with Descriptions of Two New Species from Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, and Myanmar

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Page Range: 137 – 159
DOI: 10.1643/CI-08-240
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Abstract

The genus Lepidocephalichthys is revised and diagnosed as having the seventh and eighth pectoral rays modified in the mature male. Other cobitids have different pectoral rays modified (second ray in Cobitis). The 17 valid species of Lepidocephalichthys are discussed and compared. Fifteen species are redescribed: L. annandalei, L. arunachalensis, L. berdmorei, L. coromandelensis, L. furcatus, L. goalparensis, L. guntea, L. hasselti, L. irrorata, L. jonklaasi, L. lorentzi, L. manipurensis, L. micropogon, L. thermalis, and L. tomaculum; and two new species are described from Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, and Myanmar. Lepidocephalichthys kranos, new species, is distinguished from all other Lepidocephalichthys except L. irrorata by having conspicuous scales on top of the head and from L. irrorata by its more anterior dorsal fin placement and larger size. Lepidocephalichthys alkaia, new species, is distinguished from all other Lepidocephalichthys by a dark stripe extending from the snout, through the orbit, and continuing to the terminus of the caudal fin. Acanthophthalmus sandakanensis is reassigned from Lepidocephalichthys to Pangio based on its modified first and second pectoral rays. Sexual dimorphism in Lepidocephalichthys is discussed, as are the validity and taxonomic history of forked-tailed species. Species are illustrated, and a taxonomic key to species is provided.

Copyright: 2010 by the American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists
Fig. 1
Fig. 1

Lamina circularis variation in Lepidocephalichthys. (A) L. hasselti, UF 161479, 30.4 mm SL; (B) L. tomaculum, BMNH 1997.8.5.1, 34.4 mm SL; (C) L. berdmorei, ANSP 179824, 69.3 mm SL; (D) L. lorentzi, ZMA 116.551, 31.9 mm SL; (E) L. annandalei, KU 29379, 33.5 mm SL; (F) L. furcatus, CAS 79060, 25.6 mm SL; (G) L. micropogon, UMMZ 208693, 47.1 mm SL; (H) L. goalparensis, KU 29154, 39.5 mm SL; (I) L. irrorata, ZMA 115.796 (paratype), 27.1 mm SL; (J) L. guntea, KU 29353, 53.4 mm SL; (K) L. thermalis, USNM 271748, 38.8 mm SL; (L) L. jonklaasi, BMNH 1981.1.21.323–324, 33.6 mm SL.

Fig. 2
Fig. 2

Species of Lepidocephalichthys. (A) L. hasselti, UF 161479, 30.4 mm-SL male; (B) L. tomaculum, BMNH 1997.8.5.1, 34.4 mm-SL male; (C) L. berdmorei, ANSP 179824, 69.3 mm-SL male; (D) L. lorentzi, ZMA 116.551, 31.7 mm-SL female.

Fig. 3
Fig. 3

Distribution of Lepidocephalichthys. (A) L. hasselti and L. alkaia, new species; (B) L. berdmorei, L. lorentzi, and L. tomaculum; (C) L. annandalei and L. micropogon; (D) L. goalparensis and L. furcatus. Records are based on material examined (solid symbols) and published records (hollow symbols) in Tilak and Husain (1981), Menon (1992), and Arunkumar (2000). Circled solid symbols represent type localities (when known). Circled X in (A) represents type locality of Cobitis barbatuloides, previously considered a synonym of L. hasselti, and in (D) of Lepidocephalus caudofurcatus, a synonym of L. goalparensis; type localities of other synonyms within ranges of valid species.

Fig. 4
Fig. 4

Lepidocephalichthys alkaia, new species. USNM 372169 (holotype), 37.0 mm SL, Myanmar, Kachin State, Hpa-Lap stream of Nam Chim Chaung of Nan Kwe Chaung (Irrawaddy drainage), NW Myitkyina, (A) dorsal view, (B) lateral view showing black stripe on caudal fin, (C) top of head, (D) barbels.

Fig. 5
Fig. 5

Lepidocephalichthys tomaculum from Palembang Province, Sumatra (UF 166982) illustrating the variation and difficulty in separating L. tomaculum from L. hasselti. Dorsal pattern: (A) 31.0 mm-SL male with thin bars characteristic of L. tomaculum, (B) 24.3 mm-SL female with thick bars/splotches more characteristic of L. hasselti, (C) 25.6 mm-SL female with intermediate bars. Body shape: (A–B) deep caudal peduncle, uniform body depth characteristic of L. tomaculum, (C) narrower caudal peduncle more characteristic of L. hasselti.

Fig. 6
Fig. 6

Species of Lepidocephalichthys. (A) L. annandalei, KU 29146, 32.1 mm-SL male; (B) L. furcatus, CAS 79060, 27.2 mm-SL female; (C) L. micropogon, RLIKU 1363, 39.9 mm-SL male; (D) L. goalparensis, ZRC 43572, 44.7 mm-SL female; (E) L. irrorata, ZMA 115.797 (paratype), 27.5 mm-SL female (caudal fin damaged and split); (F) L. guntea, KU 20346, 65.8 mm-SL female; (G) L. thermalis, ZRC 41688, 42.0 mm-SL male; (H) L. jonklaasi, ZRC 41594, 44.1 mm-SL female.

Fig. 7
Fig. 7

Distribution of Lepidocephalichthys. (A) L. irrorata and L. kranos, new species; (B) L. guntea and L. thermalis; (C) L. jonklaasi and L. manipurensis; (D) L. coromandelensis and L. arunachalensis. Records are based on material examined (solid symbols) and published records (hollow symbols) in Tilak and Husain (1981), Rahman (1989), Menon (1992), and Arunkumar (2000). Circled solid symbols represent type localities (when known). Circled X in (B) represents type localities (virtually identical) for Lepidocephalus dibruensis and Cobitis phoxocheila (synonyms of L. guntea); type localities of other synonyms within ranges of valid species.

Fig. 8
Fig. 8

Lepidocephalichthys kranos, new species. UF 171980 (holotype), 33.1 mm-SL male, Thailand, Ubon Ratchathani, Mun River (tributary, Mekong River): (A) dorsal view, (B) lateral view, (C) top of head with large, exposed scales, (D) barbels, (E) lamina circularis.

Fig. 9
Fig. 9

Pangio sandakanensis. ZRC 37645, 27.7 mm-SL female.

Contributor Notes

Associate Editor: C. J. Ferraris.

1 Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, Dickinson Hall, Gainesville, Florida 32611; E-mail: (JCH) jhavird@ufl.edu; and (LMP) lpage1@ufl.edu. Send reprint requests to LMP.
2 Department of Zoology, University of Florida, 211 Bartram Hall, Gainesville, Florida 32611.
Received: 18 Dec 2008
Accepted: 16 Sept 2009
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