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Issue: Vol. 4353 No. 1: 22 Nov. 2017
Type: Article
Published: 2017-11-22
DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4353.1.5
Page range: 89–100
Abstract views: 92
PDF downloaded: 1

Schistura larketensis, a new cavernicolous fish (Teleostei: Nemacheilidae) from Meghalaya, Northeast India

Department of Zoology, Gauhati University, Guwahati, Assam—781014, India.
Department of Zoology, Lady Keane College, Shillong, Meghalaya—793001, India
Department of Zoology, Gauhati University, Guwahati, Assam—781014, India.
Department of Zoology, Lady Keane College, Shillong, Meghalaya—793001, India
Department of Zoology, Gauhati University, Guwahati, Assam—781014, India.
Pisces cavefish new species Krem Khung Krem Synrang Pamiang

Abstract

Schistura larketensis, a new species of cavernicolous loach, is described from Khung, a limestone cave in Meghalaya, India. The species differs from Schistura papulifera, its only troglomorphic congener from northeast India, in having a smooth ventral surface of the head, the presence of a small cylindrical axillary pelvic lobe, and the presence of three pores in the supratemporal canal of the cephalic lateral-line system. Apart from these differences, the species can be immediately distinguished from all other species of Schistura from the Brahmaputra River and neighboring basins by the complete absence (or only vestigial presence) of eyes.

 

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