Neolissochilus kaladanensis sp. nov., a new cyprinid species, is described from the Kaladan River drainage of Mizoram. It differs from all other valid Neolissochilus species in having higher number of gill rakers on the lower arm of the first gill arch (13-14 vs. 12 or below in all the species). The analysis of mitochondrial gene cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) sequences separated N. kaladanensis sp. nov. from all other Neolissochilus and Tor species with an average genetic distance of 6.0%. It is further separated from the morphologically most similar species N. hendersoni and N. soroides by a genetic distance of 6.7% and 6.8%, respectively. Based on the lowest BIC and AICc scores, best fit model for COI dataset was TN93 + G + I, out of 24 different nucleotide substitution models tested. The maximum-likelihood (ML) phylogenetic tree was constructed using the COI sequences of representative Neolissochilus and Tor species. The anomalies observed among the GenBank sequences of the genera Tor and Neolissochilus are also discussed.

Psilorhynchus khopai, a new species of Psilorhynchidae, is described from Tuisi River, a tributary of Kaladan River, in Mizoram, India. The species is proposed to be a member of the Psilorhynchus homaloptera species group and can be distinguished from its congeners in having a forked caudal-fin with 9 + 9 principal caudal rays, 14-17 predorsal scale rows, 39-41 lateral-line scale rows, mid-lateral body with 9-12 indistinct small dark brown round markings forming a lateral stripe and, in life, a faint gold stripe along dorsal midline with 4-5 black spots between dorsal fin and caudal fin base.

Channa aurantipectoralis, a new species of snakehead of the C. gachua species group, is described from Karnaphuli drainage of Mizoram, India. The species is immediately distinguished from all other snakehead species by its unique coloration in life, specifically its brightly-coloured orange pectoral fins, which lack any spots or stripes; and by the presence of a dark V-shaped blotch on the dorsal surface of the head. It can be further distinguished from all other species of the genus by the combination of the following characters: presence of pelvic fins, a large scale on the ventral surface of the lower jaw, 51-64 lateral-line scales, 34-37 dorsal-fin rays, 23-25 anal-fin rays, 13-14 pectoral-fin rays, 5½-6½ /1/ 7½-8½ transverse scale rows, and the absence of scales on the gular region.

Based on the first molecular phylogenetic analyses of samples from northeast India, specimens referred to Rhabdops from this region are more closely related to the southeast and east Asian natricine genera Opisthotropis Günther, 1872 and Sinonatrix Rossman & Eberle, 1977 (as well as to New World and western Palearctic natricines) than to peninsular Indian (true) Rhabdops. Morphologically, these northeast Indian populations differ from other natricines by having a single (‘fused’ or unpaired) internasal shield and a single prefrontal shield. Given the morphological and phylogenetic distinctiveness of these northeast Indian populations, we refer them to a new genus, Smithophis gen. nov., and transfer Rhabdops bicolor (Blyth, 1854) to Smithophis bicolor comb. nov. Based on morphological and molecular variation within our northeast Indian sample, we additionally describe Smithophis atemporalis sp. nov. from the state of Mizoram.

This study describes a new diminutive sisorid catfish from the upper reaches of the Karnaphuli River drainage in northeastern India. The new species can be distinguished from congeners in having a combination of: length of dorsal-fin spine 18.0-21.6% SL; 4-10 serrations on the anterior edge of the dorsal spine; length of pectoral-fin spine 20.7-26.1% SL; length of adipose-fin base 21.5-26.3% SL; body depth at anus 12.3-15.9% SL; caudal peduncle depth 7.5-9.8% SL; caudal peduncle length 17.0-20.5% SL; pale, y-shaped marking on dorsal surface of head; sides of body with pale yellowish patches and irregular bands.

This study describes Pseudolaguvia nubila, a new miniature sisorid catfish from the Kaladan River drainage in northeastern India. Pseudolaguvia nubila can be distinguished from congeners in having a combination of a mottled brown body with yellowish bands, a weakly projecting snout in which the premaxillary teeth are barely exposed when the mouth is closed,

Citation: Lalronunga, S., Lalnuntluanga & Lalramliana (2013). Garra dampaensis, a new ray-finned fish species (Cypriniformes: Cyprinidae) from Mizoram, northeastern India. Journal of Threatened Taxa 5(9): 4368-4377; http://dx.doi.org/10.11609/JoTT.o3141. Copyright: © Lalronunga et al. 2013. Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License. JoTT allows unrestricted use of this article in any medium, reproduction and distribution by providing adequate credit to the authors and the source of publication. Abstract: Garra dampaensis, a new cyprinid fish species, is described from the Seling River, a tributary of the Khawthlang Tuipui (Karnaphuli River), in Mizoram, India. The species can be distinguished from all other Garra species, except G. abhoyai, G. lissorhynchus, G. nambulica, G. paralissorhynchus and G. rupecula by the presence of a distinct W-shaped black band on the caudal fin. It can be distinguished from the above mentioned five species in having scales on the breast and belly, shorter vent to anal distance, and by having fewer lateral line scales (27-29 vs. more than 29 in all other species). A key to the species of Garra in the Lissorhynchus complex is provided. Mizo Abstract: Garra dampaensis, nghalim chhungkaw zinga mi, nghazawngek chi thar chu Seling lui, Khawthlang Tuipui (Karnaphuli), Mizoram, India atanga hmuhchhuah a ni. He sangha chi thar hian a mei ah W ang tak thil dum in rin a nei a, chutiang inrin chu nghazawng ek chi dang, heng, G. abhoyai, G. lissorhynchus, G. nambulica, G. paralissorhynchus leh G. rupecula, te chauhin an nei ve a ni. Heng nghazawngek chi 5 tarlante nen an danglamna chu, a awm leh dulah te phuhlip a nei bik, a mawngkua leh a mawng pangparh inkar hlat zawng a tawi bik, tin, a taksa dungzui zawnga phuhlip intlar thla a tlem bik a ni (27-29 vs. 29 aia tam vek). Nghazawngek (Lissorhynchus complex) ho hriathran theihna tur pek a ni bawk.

Specimens of a rare rhacophorid frog of the genus Theloderma were collected from Hmuifang, Mizoram, India. Based on their morphology and molecular analysis (16S rRNA), the specimens were identified as Theloderma moloch, a rare species previously recorded only from the Himalayan foothills of India and China. The present record significantly extends the known range of the species and is a first record for the state of Mizoram and Indo-Burma biodiversity hotspot. The uncorrected p-distance between the specimen from Mizoram, NE India and the specimen from Arunachal Pradesh, India (KU169993) and Tibet, China (KU243081) are 0.0% and 1.2% respectively.