A new species of barb Puntius nigripinnis (Teleostei: Cyprinidae) from southern Western Ghats, India

Authors

  • J.D Marcus Knight
  • K Rema Devi
  • T.J Indra
  • M Arunachalam

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.11609/JoTT.o3014.2409-16

Abstract

Puntius ticto, a widely distributed barb, was long believed to have many variants. Recent research has shown that what was earlier known as P. ticto in different regions of India comprised of many similar looking species such as P. manipurensis, P. muvattupuzhaensis, P. pookodensis, among others. As yet another addition to this complex, we describe Puntius nigripinnis sp. nov. from the Nilgiris and Wyanad area of the southern Western Ghats. Puntius nigripinnis, sp. nov., is distinguished from all other congeners by lacking barbels and having the last unbranched dorsal ray serrated; 20-21 lateral line scales; lateral line incomplete, piercing 3-5 scales; dorsal, anal, pelvic and pectoral fins black in adult males; body pattern consisting of a humeral mark on the 3rd or 4th lateral-line scale and a second larger, band-like spot on the 18th and 19th scale, forming a ring around the caudal peduncle, and only two scales between the second spot and the root of the caudal fin.

Author Biographies

J.D Marcus Knight

J.D. Marcus Knight is a naturalist based in Chennai. Amongst others, his interest is in exploring the freshwater habitats and is currently documenting the diversity of freshwater fish in Tamil Nadu.

K Rema Devi

K. Rema Devi is a retired senior scientist from the Southern Regional Centre of the Zoological Survey of India and an ichthyologist who has published over hundred papers including descriptions of several new species.

T.J Indra

T.J. Indra is a retired senior scientist from the Southern Regional Centre of the Zoological Survey of India and an ichthyologist and also a specialist on scorpions. She has published several papers including descriptions of new species.

M Arunachalam

M. Arunachalam is a Professor and Head at Sri Paramakalyani Centre for Environmental Sciences, Manonmaniam Sundaranar University, Alwarkurichi, Tamil Nadu. He is a leading ichthyologist working on taxonomy and ecology of hill stream fishes of Western Ghats and conservation and management of wetlands.

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Published

26-03-2012

Issue

Vol 4, No 3 (2012)

Section

Communications

License

Copyright (c) 2012 J.D Marcus Knight, K Rema Devi, T.J Indra, M Arunachalam

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

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