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| Triplophysa baishuijiangensis Shi, Chen, Yang & X.-A. Wang, in Shi, Chen, Che, Dao, Liu, D.-S. Wang, Yang et X.-A. Wang, 2025. |
Abstract
Triplophysa baishuijiangensis sp. nov., a new cave-dwelling loach, was collected from an underground river outlet in Xiaoganxi Village, Yiliang County, Yunnan Province, China, situated within the core area of the Baishuijiang National Aquatic Germplasm Resources Reserve for Endemic Fish, part of the Hengjiang–Jinsha River system. The new species is distinguished from congeners by significant genetic divergence and the following combination of characteristics: vestigial eyes, absence of skin pigmentation, pelvic fin tip reaching the anus, complete lateral line, developed posterior chamber of the swim bladder, and dorsal fin rays iii-7. Phylogenetic analysis based on Cyt b positions this new species in the hypogean group of Triplophysa, increasing the documented cave species in the genus from 42 to 43. Triplophysa baishuijiangensis sp. nov. represents the first documented typical cavefish in the Jinsha River basin, underscoring the region’s ecological significance for subterranean adaptation and suggesting unexplored cave biodiversity that merits systematic investigation.
Key words: Cavefish, Cyt b sequence, loach, molecular phylogeny, new species, Triplophysa
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| Triplophysa baishuijiangensis sp. nov. Morphological characteristics of holotype KIZ2025000165 A. Lateral view; B. Dorsal view; C. Ventral view; D. Lateral view of head; E. Dorsal view of head; F. Ventral view of head; G. Lateral and; H. Dorsal views of the X-ray graph. |
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| A. Habitat; B. Live photo of Triplophysa baishuijiangensis sp. nov. Red circles indicate the subterranean river outlet. |
Triplophysa baishuijiangensis Shi, Chen, Yang & X.-A. Wang, sp. nov.
Etymology. The specific epithet baishuijiangensis is in reference to the type locality of the new species: the core area of Baishuijiang National Aquatic Germplasm Resources Reserve for Endemic Fish. We propose the common English name “Baishuijiang high-plateau loach” and the Chinese name “Bái Shuǐ Jiāng Gāo Yuán Qiū (白水江高原鳅)”.
Min Shi, Yuan-Chao Chen, Xing-Jin Che, Wei Dao, Wen-Ming Liu, Deng-Shan Wang, Jun-Xing Yang and Xiao-Ai Wang. 2025. A New typical Cavefish of the Genus Triplophysa (Teleostei, Cypriniformes, Nemacheilidae) from the Jinsha River, Yunnan, China. ZooKeys. 1253: 73-92. DOI: doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1253.153155
