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| Parosphromenus barbarae Tan & Grinang, 2020 |
In Sarawak, there are two main populations of Parosphromenus known, the eastern population linked to the Rejang River basin being P. allani, and the western population linked to the Batang Kayan basin, is herein described as P. barbarae, new species. Parosphromenus barbarae differs from its most similar species, P. allani, in having a distinct black ocellus on caudal-fin base, indistinct dark brown ocellus on posterior base of dorsal-fin; presence of clearly demarcated subdistal hyaline band on anal fin (vs. faint); dorsal-fin rays XI – XIV, 4 – 5 (total count 15 – 18, mode 17); anal-fin rays XI – XIII, 6 – 10 (total count 19 – 21, mode 21); lateral scales 29 – 31½ (mode 29).
Key words: Allopatric speciation, Anabantiformes, biodiversity, peat swamps, Southeast Asia.
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| Fig. 3. Parosphromenus barbarae, ZRC 61245, ca. 25.0 mm SL male paratype (when live; right-side reversed). |
Parosphromenus barbarae, new species
Diagnosis. Parosphromenus barbarae can be differentiated from its congeners with the following unique
combination of characters: presence of faint ocellus on
posterior base of dorsal-fn; presence of distinct ocellus
on caudal fn base; presence of distinct three cream and
two and half dark brown stripes on body; dorsal-fn rays
XI –XIV, 4 –5 (total count 15 – 18, mode 17); anal-fn
rays XI –XIII, 6–10 (total count 19–21, mode 21); lateral scales 29–31½ (mode 29).
Distribution. This species is currently known only from
the remnant peat swamp forest near Batang Kayan in
Lundu, near the western tip of Sarawak (Fig. 4).
Etymology. Named for Barbara Brown, spouse of Allan Brown, who frst collected this species. This is the
allopatric species to P. allani, being found in southern
Sarawak, east of the Lupar divide.
Tan Heok Hui and Jongkar Grinang. 2020. Parosphromenus barbarae, A New Species of Licorice Gourami from Sarawak, Borneo (Teleostei: Osphronemidae). Vertebrate Zoology. 70(3); 349-356. DOI: 10.26049/VZ70-3-2020-07
