Channa nox , a new channid fish lacking a pelvic fin from Guangxi, China

Abstract

A new species of channid fish, genus Channa, is described from 7 specimens collected from the vicinity of Hepu, Guangxi Province, southern China. The new species, Channa nox, is distinguished from all other channid species by the following combination of characters: absence of pelvic fins, small rounded head (22.1%-26.8% SL), narrow interorbital width (19.6%-26.7% HL), short snout length (3.6%-5.1% SL), predorsal and prepectoral lengths (26.9%-28.4% SL and 24.8%-28.3% SL, respectively), 47-51 dorsal fin rays, 31-33 anal fin rays, 55-63 lateral line scales, 5.5-6.5 scales above lateral line, 9-13 cheek scales, 53-55 total vertebrae, 1 or 2 scale(s) on each side of lower jaw undersurface, the black upper half of body with 8-11 irregular (often anteriorly pointed V-shaped) bands or blotches, a large white-rimmed black ocellus on caudal peduncle and sparse white spots on the dark brown body and dorsal and caudal fins, as well as the shape of the hyomandibular process of the suprabranchial organs. Channa nox is sympatrically distributed with its morphologically most similar congener, C. asiatica.

Molecular phylogenetic analyses of snakeheads (Perciformes: Channidae) using mitochondrial DNA sequences

“…Recent taxonomic studies have discovered several new channid species and found unique morphological characters that are common among some species (e.g., Musikasinthorn, 1998Musikasinthorn, , 2000Musikasinthorn and Taki, 2001;Zhang et al, 2002). However, to the best of our knowledge, phylogenetic relationships among the channid species have been rarely studied, whether morphologically or molecularly.…”

“…1), which are characterized by peculiar morphological features, such as an elongated cylindrical body, long and entirely soft-rayed dorsal and anal fins, a large mouth with well-developed teeth on both upper and lower jaws, and an accessory air-breathing apparatus known as the suprabranchial organ (Musikasinthorn, 1998(Musikasinthorn, , 2003. In addition, some Asian species entirely lack pelvic fins (Zhang et al, 2002;Musikasinthorn, 2003). Snakeheads are important food fishes in many countries within their distributional range, and some colorful species are even common in the aquarium trade (Ng and Lim, 1990;Musikasinthorn, 2003;Courtenay and Williams, 2004).…”

“…which are restricted to central West Africa (Bonou and Teugels, 1985;Teugels, 1992;Zhang et al, 2002;Musikasinthorn, 2003). Recent taxonomic studies have discovered several new channid species and found unique morphological characters that are common among some species (e.g., Musikasinthorn, 1998Musikasinthorn, , 2000Musikasinthorn and Taki, 2001;Zhang et al, 2002).…”

“…The Asian genus Channa, which presently contains 26 valid species, is widely distributed in Iran and southern Asia (the Indian subcontinent including Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Philippines) and the Far East (China, Taiwan, Korea, and southern Russia) (Musikasinthorn, 1998(Musikasinthorn, , 2000(Musikasinthorn, , 2003Berra, 2001;Musikasinthorn and Taki, 2001;Zhang et al, 2002;Courtenay and Williams, 2004; Bonou and Teugels (1985), Courtenay and Williams (2004), Kottelat (2001), Musikasinthorn (1998Musikasinthorn ( , 2000Musikasinthorn ( , 2003, Musikasinthorn and Taki (2001), Teugels (1992), and Zhang et al (2002) b Identification based on sketches and morphological data recorded by Fumio Ohe for a specimen from which tissue was collected recent transcontinental dispersal?…”

Channa andrao, a new species of dwarf snakehead from West Bengal, India (Teleostei: Channidae)

“…Their significance as food fishes lead to an early burst of species discovery and thus the majority of species was described before the start of the 20 th century. The last two decades, however, have seen a renewed interest in snakehead taxonomy and eight new species have since been described (Musikasinthorn 1998(Musikasinthorn , 2000Zhang et al 2001;Britz 2008;Geetakumari & Vishwanath 2011;Nguyen 2011). Material of a dwarf snakehead lacking pelvic fins from West Bengal has recently been brought to my attention.…”