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Type: Articles
Published: 2011-07-01
Page range: 51–58
Abstract views: 50
PDF downloaded: 3

Monopterus ichthyophoides, a new species of scaled swamp eel (Teleostei: Synbranchiformes: Synbranchidae) from Mizoram, India

Department of Zoology, Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London, SW7 5BD, UK
Department of Zoology, Mizoram University, Aizawl-Mizoram, India 796004
Department of Zoology, Mizoram University, Aizawl-Mizoram, India 796004
Department of Zoology, Pachhunga University College, Aizawl-Mizoram, India 796001
Fish taxonomy freshwater fishes Indo-Burma biodiversity hotspot

Abstract

Monopterus ichthyophoides is described from specimens collected from the Sawleng River and a public well at Luangmual, both in the Barak River drainage in Mizoram, India. The new species differs from all other synbranchids in having only two, instead of five or six branchiostegal rays. It belongs to the Amphipnous species group characterized by possession of scales on the body and can be readily distinguished from all other species of this group by the lower number of vertebrae (114–117 vs 126–188).

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