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Channa pyrophthalmus,
Channa rakhinica,
Channa coccinea
Britz, Tan & Lukas, 2024
Raffles Bulletin of Zoology. 72 |
Abstract
We describe four new species of Channa from Myanmar, all members of the Gachua group. Channa rakhinica, new species, is a species endemic to west-flowing streams on the western slope of the Rakhine Yoma in Rakhine State; C. rubora, new species, occurs in mountain streams south of Mogaung, Kachin State; C. coccinea, new species, co-occurs with C. burmanica in streams north of Putao, also Kachin State, at the foothills of the Himalayas; and C. pyrophthalmus, new species, is found in streams in Tanintharyi Region at the southernmost tip of Myanmar, bordering Thailand. All four species are readily diagnosed by their colour pattern from other Gachua group taxa. They show genetic distances of 3.5–19.9% in the COI barcoding gene to other Myanmar members of the Gachua group.
Key words. snakehead fishes, Channoidei, Indo-Burman ranges, Tenasserim ranges, Himalayan foothills
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Channa rakhinica, paratype, colouration in life, BMNH 2019.10.16.269–275, not measured, ca. 110 mm SL.
Channa rubora, paratype, colouration in life, Myanmar, Kachin State, unnamed stream south of Mogaung,BMNH 2019.10.16.195–206, not measured, ca. 90 mm SL. |
Channa rakhinica, new species
Diagnosis. A member of the Gachua group readily distinguished from other Myanmar members by its colour pattern in life including reddish cheek, series of up to 5 semicircular concentric maroon pectoral bands wider than interbands, series of 6–7 saddle-like blotches, orange subdistal and white distal rim on dorsal- and caudal fins (vs. different colour pattern). It is further distinguished from C. stewartii by fewer dorsal-fin rays (34–38 vs. 39–41), and generally fewer anal-fin rays (23–25, rarely 22 or 26 vs. 26–27) and from C. burmanica by presence of pelvic fins (vs. absence). It also differs substantially from all Myanmar Gachua group snakeheads by a genetic distance of 12.9–18.5% in the COI gene.
Etymology. The species name is derived from the name of the area where it occurs, the Rakhine Yoma in western Myanmar, an adjective.
Remarks. This species has been traded as an ornamental fish since at least 2012 under the name “Channa sp. mimetic pulchra” and has been referred to as Channa sp. Rakhine Yoma in Conte-Grand et al. (2017) and Rüber et al. (2020). Aquarium reports suggest that this is a mouthbrooding species.
Channa rubora, new species
Diagnosis. A member of the Gachua group distinguished from all other Myanmar members except C. ornatipinnis, C. pulchra, and C. stewartii by the presence of numerous black spots on the head and body (vs absence). It differs from the latter by the size of the spots (tiny, a quarter of pupil size vs. almost pupil size or larger) and by its unique fin colouration in life, consisting of a pectoral fin with orange fin rays, a bluish proximal blotch and 3–6 brown distal semicircular concentric bands, of dorsal-, anal- and caudal-fins with a blue middle section of the fin membranes margined by a proximal dark brown and distal bright orange rim in the dorsal and caudal fins and white rim in the anal fin (vs different colour pattern). It also differs substantially from all Myanmar Gachua group snakeheads by a genetic distance of 11.6–19.3% in the COI gene.
Etymology. The species name, rubora, a noun in apposition, is derived from the Latin nouns ‘rubor’ for redness, and ‘ora’ for rim. The name was inspired by the orange-red rim of the dorsal and caudal fins.
Remarks. This species has been traded as an ornamental fish since at least 2012 under the name “Channa sp. red fin” and has been referred to as Channa sp. Mogaung in Conte-Grand et al. (2017) and Rüber et al. (2020). Aquarium reports suggest that this is a mouthbrooding species, in which larvae and small juveniles are of a yellow colour. Among the Gachua group species in Myanmar, C. rubora is readily distinguished from all other species by its colour pattern, specifically the numerous tiny spots on the head and flanks. It is also clearly distinguished from C. burmanica by presence of pelvic fins (vs. absence). From the other three species described in this paper, C. coccinea, C. pyrophthalmus, and C. rakhinica, C. rubora also differs in lacking caniniform teeth on the palatine and dentary.
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Channa coccinea, colouration in life, ZRC 64932, 120.5 mm SL; Myanmar, Kachin State, unnamed stream near Putao.
Channa pyrophthalmus, colouration in life, ZRC 64934, 121.3 mm SL; Myanmar, Tanintharyi Region, Lon Phaw, tributary of Kra Buri. |
Channa coccinea, new species
Diagnosis. Channa coccinea can be distinguished from all other Myanmar species of the Gachua group by its colour pattern consisting of oblique reddish saddle-like markings and lines (vs. different colour pattern). It can be distinguished from C. burmanica, which occurs in the same area, by presence of pelvic fins (vs absence). It also differs from all Myanmar Gachua group snakeheads by a genetic distance of 3.5–19.9% in the COI gene.
Distribution. The new species was found in streams near Putao, Kachin State, northern Myanmar.
Etymology. The species name is derived from the Latin adjective ‘coccineus’, -a , -um, red, alluding to the reddish markings on the head and sides of the body.
Remarks. This species has been traded as an ornamental fish since early 2022 under the name “
Channa sp. ignis”. Its reproductive mode is still unknown, but it is likely a mouthbrooder.
Channa pyrophthalmus, new species (Figs. 14–16)
Diagnosis. Channa pyrophthalmus is distinguished from other Myanmar species of the Gachua group by the colour pattern of its head consisting of a bright orange suborbital patch combined with steel blue lips. It is further distinguished from them by generally having fewer dorsal- (32–34 vs. 34–40) and anal-fin rays (20–22 vs. 22–27) and vertebrae (40–41 vs. 41–48). It also differs substantially from all Myanmar Gachua group snakeheads by a genetic distance of 10.1–18.8% in the COI gene.
Distribution. The new species is known from the area around Lon Phaw, Kra Buri River drainage, southern Tanintharyi Region, close to the border with Thailand.
Etymology. The species name is derived from the Greek words πῦρ (pyr), fire, and ὀφθαλμός (ophthalmos), eye. It was inspired by the bright orange area under the eye, a colour reminiscent of that of glowing embers. Used as a noun in apposition.
Remarks. This species has been traded as an ornamental fish since 2009 under the name “Channa sp. ice & fire” or “Channa sp. fire and ice” and has been referred to as Channa sp. Tenasserim in Conte-Grand et al. (2017) and Rüber et al. (2020). Aquarium reports suggest that this is a mouthbrooding species. Among the Gachua group species in Myanmar, C. pyrophthalmus is readily distinguished from all other species by its colour pattern which includes a bright orange are around the eye combined with light blue lips and throat and a light blue margin of the anterior infraorbitals. Among Myanmar Gachua group snakehead fishes, it has the lowest dorsal- (32–34) and anal-fin ray (20–22), as well as vertebral counts (40–41).
Ralf Britz, Tan Heok Hui and Lukas. 2024. Four New Species of
Channa from Myanmar (Teleostei, Labyrinthici, Channidae).
Raffles Bulletin of Zoology. 72; Pp. 1–25.
