Badis juergenschmidti – a new species of the Indo-Burmese fish family Badidae (Teleostei: Perciformes) from Myanmar

The genus Badis Bleeker, 1854 was revised in 2002 by Kullander & Britz; they described and re-described 12 valid Badis species. The recently published descriptions of B. tuivaiei Vishwanath & Shanta, 2004 and B. dibruensis Geetakumari & Vishwanath, 2010, both from India, lift the number of species to 14. The members of the genus are distributed from middle Mekong in the east to the Indus drainage in the west (Kullander & Britz, 2002). The centre of the species diversity of the genus lies in north-eastern India, Bangladesh and Myanmar. During a fi eld trip in Myanmar the second author was able to collect specimens of an unknown species of Badis near the famous Kyaiktiyo Pagoda which is also well known as the ‘Golden Rock’. Comparison with the other species of the genus from inand outside Myanmar showed that the newly Badis juergenschmidti – a new species of the Indo-Burmese fish family Badidae (Teleostei: Perciformes) from Myanmar


Introduction
The genus Badis Bleeker, 1854 was revised in 2002 by Kullander & Britz; they described and re-described 12 valid Badis species.The recently published descriptions of B. tuivaiei Vishwanath &Shanta, 2004 andB. dibruensis Geetakumari &Vishwanath, 2010, both from India, lift the number of species to 14.The members of the genus are distributed from middle Mekong in the east to the Indus drainage in the west (Kullander & Britz, 2002).The centre of the species diversity of the genus lies in north-eastern India, Bangladesh and Myanmar.
During a fi eld trip in Myanmar the second author was able to collect specimens of an unknown species of Badis near the famous Kyaiktiyo Pagoda which is also well known as the 'Golden Rock'.
Comparison with the other species of the genus from in-and outside Myanmar showed that the newly Badis juergenschmidti -a new species of the Indo-Burmese fish family Badidae (Teleostei: Perciformes) from Myanmar (2002).Measurements were made with an electronic digital calliper reading to the nearest tenth of a millimetre.All ratios are expressed as percentages of standard length (SL).Counts were made under a dissecting microscope; fi n-ray counts were made with light transmitted through the fi ns.Figures in brackets after counts indicate the number of specimens examined with that particular condition.Data are given only for the measurements and meristics which are currently used in descriptions of new Badis species (e. g.Kullander & Britz, 2002;Geetakumari & Vishwanath, 2010).For comparisons data from previously described and re-described species (Kullander & Britz, 2002;Vishwanath & Shanta, 2004;Geetakumari & Vishwanath, 2010) were used.
Nomenclature of colour pattern (except for bar pattern) is according to Kullander & Britz (2002).Vertical bars are numbered from caudal fi n base in an anterior direction (similar as introduced for South American cichlids by Kullander & Silfvergrip, 1991) as shown in Fig. 1.Bar 1, across base of caudal-fi n (in some species split into three distinct spots); bar 2, across caudal peduncle (partly expressed as a prominent dark blotch on dorsolateral aspect of caudal peduncle in some species); bar 3, from posterior rays of dorsal fi n to posterior anal-fi n rays; bar 4, from posterior dorsal-fi n spines to anterior part of anal fi n; bar 5, from middle dorsal fi n to anus; bar 6, across side above vent; bar 7, from anterior dorsal fi n to slightly posterior of pelvic-fi n base; bar 8, from slightly anterior of dorsal-fi n base to posterior edge of gill cover.In the majority of Badis species bar 4 to 7 vertically split in an anterior and posterior part.These parts are indicated by an "a" for anterior and a "p" for posterior (e.g."7a" = anterior part of the split bar 7).Terminology for lateralis system on head follows Kullander & Britz (2002).
Observations of reproductive behaviour and live colouration are based on specimens collected from the type locality which have been kept in aquaria (these specimens are not part of the type series).
Delimitation of species follows the approach of the population aggregation analysis (PAA) as described and discussed by Davis & Nixon (1992).PAA is the formal procedure of the traditional pragmatic methodology on morphological diagnostic differences (Sites & Marshall 2003).According to this method species are discriminated by fi xed diagnostic characters or divergent character states (or on a unique combination of several such character states).
All photos of live specimens were taken under the same conditions, to provide an effective comparison of the hue of colours.The photos were illuminated with a fl ash light having a colour temperature of about 5600 Kelvin, without further infl uence of any other light source.
The parameters of the water in the fi eld were measured with the following instruments: WTW-Weilheim, Typ pH 320 with pH-electrode, SenTix 21 for the hydrogen ion concentration and water temperature and Sera (to lerance of 0.2 %) for the electrical conductivity.
Diagnosis.Badis juergenschmidti sp.n. is a comparatively slender species (body depth 29 -31 % of SL).It differs from the remaining members of the genus by the combination of the following character states: (1) no conspicuous blotch on posterodorsal corner of opercle, (2) no conspicuous dark blotch covering superfi cial part of cleithrum, (3) bar 1 in adult males broad, not reduced to a single median blotch nor split into three separate blotches, (4) bar 2 without a distinct dark blotch on dorsolateral aspect of caudal peduncle, (5) caudal fi n posterodorsally and posteroventrally with a contrasted white margin in adult males. 2 -3 for general appearance.Morphometric data of three type specimens (30.3 -34.6 mm SL) are summarized in Table 1.Counts are given for 5 specimens .Body comparatively elongate (body depth 30 -32 % of SL) and laterally compressed.Snout round, moderately long.Head rounded in lateral aspect.Orbit situated in males.Pectoral fi n round (length 24.5 -26.5 % of SL).Pelvic fi n pointed (length 24 -27 % of SL).Dorsal fi n XVI.9(1) or XVII.9(4).Anal fi n III.7(5).Pectoral fi n 12(5).dry season and the water was very shallow (about 20 to 30 cm).The current was slow.The river bed was characterized by boulders, pebbles and sand.Some parts are covered by a thin biofi lm or detritus.The water was clear.Its temperature (at 9.30 in the morning) was 26.9 °C and the water was very soft (electric conductivity 6 μS).The pH-value measured was 6.4 pH.

Colouration in alcohol.
The only other species collected at that location was Acanthocobitis zonalternans; a very common loach in Myanmar.

Reproductive behaviour. Observations in captivity
showed that Badis juergenschmidti is a cave brooder.
After spawning the male takes care of the brood by himself.It does not allow the females to enter the cave afterwards.During the brood care it leaves the cave to eat something and to chase away intruders.After around 7 days the offspring leave the cave. Etymology.

Discussion
The family Badidae is comprised of the two genera Badis and Dario (see Kullander & Britz, 2002).side B. kyar.Badis juergenschmidti, however, may be reliably differentiated from B. kyar by the characteristics mentioned above (see comparative notes) and by the bar pattern (bar 5, 6 and 7 not vertically split in adult males of B. juergenschmidti versus bar 5, 6 and 7 vertically split in male B. kyar; cf.Kullander & Britz, 2002).Although there are some similarities in key characters, we refrain from putting B. juergenschmidti into a putative B. kyar species group since there are remarkable differences between both species.Furthermore, no comprehensive phylogenetic analysis (which should based on different kinds of character sets) of the genus is currently available.The species of Badis feature a pattern of vertically dark bars (Barlow, 1963;Kullander & Britz, 2002).Based on our preliminary observation of the development of the bar pattern based on ontogenetic series, we found a basic pattern and here provide a numbering system for it to facilitate describing and distinguishing species (see Fig. 1).There is a variation in the bar pattern among the species of Badis and even within a single specimens (the pattern differs slightly between left and right side).Nevertheless, the basic pattern is found in almost all Badidae species and the shape of the vertical bars providing an excellent tool for species or species group discrimination.There is only one species of Badis (B.dibruensis) which was recently described with the diagnostic character state of the absence of dark vertical bars on sides (Geetakumari & Vishwanath, 2010).However, it seems necessary to do more investigation on this subject because when looking at the type specimens, it may also be possible that the conclusion drawn by Geetakumari & Vishwanath (2010) is due to not well preserved specimens.
The basic bar pattern is also found in species of genus Dario (except for D. dayingensis; cf.Kullander & Britz, 2002).In contrast to Badis, where bars 4 to 7 are usually vertically split into an anterior and a posterior part, bars in Dario are not divided.
Live specimens of Badis do not show the bar pattern constantly.The pattern of dark markings and colouration depends on the mood of the fi sh and there is a great diversity of different patterns, each relating to a particular type of behaviour (Barlow, 1963).Despite that, the colour pattern in live specimens also holds species specifi c elements.This is why it seems important to include colour photos of live specimens in a species description.The typical colouration of adult males of B. juergenschmidti is unique for its almost plain and bright reddish-brown to reddish fl ank (Fig. 4).However, the colouration of live specimens is not yet documented for every species.This is why we are only using characteristics of colour pattern and dark markings observable in preserved specimens in the diagnosis and comparative notes.
The species of Badis are easily separated from species of the genus Dario by the presence of tube-bearing scales in the lateral line (versus absence of bony tubes in Dario) and a shorter pelvic fi n in males (pelvic fi n not reaching beyond the anterior base of anal fi n versus pelvic fi n in males reaching beyond the anterior part of anal fi n in Dario).Following these character sets B. juergenschmidti fi ts the genus Badis.
The species of the genus Badis resemble each other in sharing very similar (or even identical) morphometric data (Kullander & Britz, 2002).Hence, colour pattern is the major source for species delimitation within the genus (cf.Kullander & Britz, 2002;Vishwanath & Shanta, 2004;Geetakumari & Vishwanath, 2010).Badis juergenschmidti is also distinguished from the remaining species of the genus mainly by characteristics of its colour pattern (see diagnosis and comparative notes).
Kullander & Britz (2002) assigned the species of genus Badis based on external morphological characters and mainly on colour patterns to fi ve species groups (viz.B. assamensis group, B. badis group, B. corycaeus group, B. ruber group, and B. kyar).This assemblage receives further support by the analyses of molecular data (Rüber et al., 2004).Badis juergenschmidti, however, does not fi t any diagnostic characters or character states of these groups.Following the key to the species of Badidae provided by Kullander & Britz (2002), B. juergenschmidti keyed out along-

Fig. 1 .
Fig. 1.Schematic representation of generalized bar pattern in males of Badis juergenschmidti (for explanation of numbers see material and methods).
The species epithet honours Dr. Jürgen Schmidt (Ruhmannsfelden, Germany) for his valuable contributions on the ethology and taxonomy of Southeast-Asian freshwater fi shes.Morphometric data of Badis juergenschmidti.Measurements of holotype (h) and two paratypes (p) in percent of standard length (except SL in mm); mean = arithmetric mean.
blotch on dorsolateral aspect of caudal peduncle (versus present in B. siamensis, B. khwae, B. ruber), bar 1 in large preserved males broad and straight (versus bar 1 horizontally divided into three more or less clear separated blotches in B. ruber, B. siamensis, B. blosyrus and B. assamensis), bar 1 lacking a prominent median blotch (versus present in B. badis, B. chittagongis, Geographical distribution.So far only known from the type locality, the Ka Dat Chaung River, south eastern central Myanmar.Ecological notes.The type locality is a small river with a width of about fi fty meters during the rainy season.At the time of collecting, in March, it was the Tab. 1. B. kyar, B. corycaeus and B. pyema), vertical bars on fl ank not emerging from blackish spots (versus valid for B. ruber, B. siamensis, B. assamensis, B. blosyrus, B. corycaeus and B. pyema).