DOI: 10.3897/vz.75.e156077

Authors: Amanda K. Pinion, Daemin Kim, Elizabeth P. Dolan, David S. Portnoy, Gary Voelker, Kevin W. Conway

Abstract: Combined analyses of molecular and morphological data support a revised classification of Notropis stramineus comprising five distinct evolutionary lineages, two for which names are available, Notropis stramineus (Cope, 1865) and N. missuriensis (Cope, 1871), herein redescribed, and three for which no names are available, here formally described as new species. Four of these clades comprise a species complex, here termed the N. stramineus species complex, while these four clades, in addition to N. procne, N. topeka, N. chihuahua and the fifth clade form a monophyletic group here termed the N. stramineus species group. Notropis lucifer sp. nov., sister taxon of N. chihuahua, is distributed in the Colorado River and Rio Grande basins of Texas (USA), where it is distributed in the Devils River, and presumably also in Pinto Creek; based on distribution, populations in tributaries of the Rio Grande in Mexico are tentatively also assigned to this species. Notropis lucifer sp. nov. can be distinguished from other members of the N. stramineus species group primarily by coloration in life and pigmentation patterns which are still visible after preservation. Notropis oblitus sp. nov. is found in several Gulf Slope streams in Texas, including the upper reaches of Nueces, San Antonio, and Guadalupe River basins, though likely absent from the Colorado River basin. This species can be distinguished from other members by head shape, eye size and pigmentation patterns. Notropis multicorniculatus sp. nov. is found in the western portions of the Arkansas, Canadian and Red River basins in parts of Texas, Oklahoma, and Kansas, and likely also Arkansas and Colorado, as well as the Pecos River (New Mexico), where it is likely non-native. This species can be distinguished from other members of the species complex by comparatively larger and more abundant tubercles in males and differences in body shape. Comments are provided regarding the genus Miniellus, which has been recently suggested to comprise 21 species, including N. stramineus.

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DOI: 10.3897/vz.73.e101011

Authors: Neelesh Dahanukar, Remya L. Sundar, Duwaki Rangad, Graham Proudlove, Rajeev Raghavan

Abstract: The world’s largest subterranean fish was discovered in 2019, and was tentatively identified as a troglomorphic form of the golden mahseer, Tor putitora. Detailed analyses of its morphometric and meristic data, and results from molecular analyses now reveal that it is a new species of the genus Neolissochilus, the sister taxon of Tor. We formally describe the new species as Neolissochilus pnar, honouring the tribal communities of East Jaintia hills in Meghalaya, Northeast India, from where it was discovered. Neolissochilus pnar possesses a number of characters unique among species of Neolissochilus, with the exception of the similarly subterranean N. subterraneus from Thailand. The unique characters that diagnose N. pnar from all epigean congeners comprise highly reduced eye size to complete absence of externally visible eyes, complete lack of pigmentation, long maxillary barbels, long pectoral-fin rays, and scalation pattern. Neolissochilus pnar is distinguished from the hypogean N. subterraneus, the type locality of which is a limestone cave ~2000 kms away in Central Thailand, by a lesser pre-pelvic length (47.8–49.4 vs. 50.5–55.3 %SL), a shorter caudal peduncle (16.1–16.8 vs. 17.8–23.7 %SL), and shorter dorsal fin (17.4–20.8 vs. 21.5–26.3 %SL). In addition, Neolissochilus pnar is also genetically and morphologically distinct from its close congeners with a raw genetic divergence of 1.1–2.7% in the COI gene with putative topotype of N. hexastichus and 2.1–2.6% with putative topotype of N. hexagonolepis.

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