Two new species of shovel-jaw carp Onychostoma (Teleostei: Cyprinidae) from southern Vietnam
Author
Hoang, Huy Duc
Author
Pham, Hung Manh
Author
Tran, Ngan Trong
text
Zootaxa
2015
3962
1
123
138
journal article
10.11646/zootaxa.3962.1.6
56c8905d-2efb-4336-be6f-20a7670e193e
1175-5326
243914
5872B302-2C4E-4102-B6EC-BC679B3645D4
Onychostoma dongnaiensis
sp. nov.
Holotype
:
UNS
00851, adult female,
172 mm
SL; upper Da Teh main stream: middle Dong Nai drainage in montane evergreen forest in Lam Dong Province,
Vietnam
(
11°36’13.80”N
,
107°35’49.60”E
,
172 m
)
11 March 2014
by Pham Manh Hung and Hoang
Duc
Huy (
Fig. 1
).
Paratypes
:
NSMT-P
121249
(adult female,
155 mm
SL),
11 March 2014
, collected at same locality as
holotype
;
UNS
00852 (adult female,
196 mm
SL),
UNS
00853 (adult female,
180 mm
SL),
UNS
00854 (adult female,
166 mm
SL),
ZRC
54625 (adult male,
157 mm
SL),
7 March 2014
, collected at same locality as
holotype
;
ZRC
54626 (adult female,
173 mm
SL),
11 April 2014
, collected at same locality as
holotype
(
11°38’13.79”N
,
107°37’26.14”E
,
195 m
).
Etymology.
Specific epithet is in reference to the
type
locality of middle Dong Nai drainage. Suggested common name: Dongnai srang (English), Cá srang Đồng Nai (Vietnamese). Srang is the vernacular name of this species of
Onychostoma
by the Mạ people in the Da Teh catchment of the middle Dong Nai River, Lam Dong Province.
Diagnosis.
Onychostoma dongnaiensis
is distinguished from its congeners by a combination of (1) mouth wide (width 1.4−1.6 times in HW), (2) predorsal scales 14−15, (3) body depth high (3.1−3.4 times in SL), (4) eye diameter small (4.2−4.9 times in HL), (5) no barbels in adults and juveniles, (6) a strong serrated last simple ray of dorsal fin, and (7) dorsal-fin length high (3.8−4.5 times in SL) (
Figs. 5
a, b, c; 3e, f, g, h).
FIGURE 5.
Lateral view of
Onychostoma dongnaiensis
specimens (a) female holotype UNS00851 in life, (b) female holotype UNS00851 in preservative, (c) male paratype ZRC 54625 in preservative. Scale 10 mm.
Description.
General appearance shown in
Figure 5
; meristic and morphometric data of seven adult
type
specimens given in
Table 2
. Head longer than deep, dorsal profile strongly convex. Snout stout and rounded, longer than eye diameter in adults. Interorbital area slightly convex. Mouth subterminal. Maxillary reaching vertical of anterior margin of orbit. Upper lips thick, upper region covered by rostral fold (rostral cap) completely and exposed at corners. Epidermal tubercles on snout numerous but small to medium-sized and sparse in all
type
specimens except
holotype
, which has no tubercles (
Fig. 3
e). Mouth width about 1.4−1.6 times in maximum HW; no barbels (
Fig. 3
h).
TABLE 2.
Morphometric and meristic characters of
Onychostoma dongnaiensis
sp. nov.
Range and mean include the holotype.
Standard length (mm)
|
Holotype 172
|
Range
15.5–19.6
|
Mean±SD
17.1±1.4
|
N
7
|
Morphometrics
|
% SL
|
Head length |
19.8 |
19.4–21 |
20.3±0.7 |
7 |
Depth of body |
29.2 |
29.2–32.7 |
30.8±1.1 |
7 |
Body width at dorsal-fin origin |
16.0 |
12.7–16 |
14.5±1.3 |
7 |
Predorsal length |
43.7 |
40.8–45.8 |
43.3±1.5 |
7 |
Prepectoral length |
18.7 |
18.7–21.7 |
20.0±1.1 |
7 |
Prepelvic length |
46.9 |
46.9–51.2 |
48.6±1.5 |
7 |
Preanal length |
70.0 |
69.7–73.5 |
70.8±1.3 |
7 |
Distance between pectoral- and pelvic-fin origins |
24.5 |
24.5–28.7 |
26.4±1.8 |
7 |
Distance between pelvic- and anal-fin origins |
19.2 |
17.8–22.4 |
19.2±1.6 |
7 |
Depth of caudal peduncle |
9.3 |
9.2–10 |
9.6±0.3 |
7 |
Length of caudal peduncle |
23.6 |
22–24.3 |
23.2±0.7 |
7 |
Length of dorsal fin |
23.3 |
22.3–26 |
23.5±1.2 |
7 |
Length of dorsal-fin base |
16.3 |
15.6–17.6 |
16.7±0.8 |
7 |
Length of pectoral fin |
18.1 |
17.8–19.4 |
18.3±0.6 |
7 |
Length of pelvic fin |
19.2 |
17.4–19.2 |
18.4±0.6 |
7 |
Length of anal fin |
21.0 |
17.8–21.7 |
20.6±1.3 |
7 |
Length of anal-fin base |
8.7 |
7.7–11.1 |
9.2±1.3 |
7 |
% HL
|
Head depth |
88.2 |
71.4–89.5 |
81.1±6.6 |
7 |
Head depth at eye |
67.6 |
57.1–70.3 |
64.3±5.0 |
7 |
Maximum head width |
67.6 |
57.1–67.6 |
62.3±3.2 |
7 |
Snout length |
35.3 |
33.3–36.8 |
34.7±1.3 |
7 |
Interorbital width |
47.1 |
40.5–55.3 |
47.1±4.6 |
7 |
Eye diameter |
20.6 |
20.3–23.8 |
21.7±1.5 |
7 |
Mouth width |
41.8 |
33.3–44.7 |
40.5±3.6 |
7 |
Counts
|
Lateral-line scales |
47 |
44–47 |
46.1±1.2 |
7 |
Scales between lateral line and origin of dorsal fin |
7 |
7 |
7.0±0.0 |
7 |
Scales between lateral line and origin of pelvic fin |
5 |
5 |
5.0±0.0 |
7 |
Scales between lateral line and origin of anal fin |
5 |
5 |
5.6±0.5 |
7 |
Circumpeduncular scales |
16 |
16–16 |
16.0±0.0 |
7 |
Predorsal scales |
15 |
14–15 |
14.7±0.5 |
7 |
Body high, moderately compressed; caudal peduncle slender, about 2.4−2.6 times longer than deep. Dorsal body profile convex, ventral profile rounded. Lateral line complete, 45−47 scales; 14−15 predorsal scales; 7/1/5 scales in transverse row anterior to pelvic-fin insertion.
Dorsal fin high with 4 simple and 8 branched rays; first simple ray as a tiny process, vestigial in a few specimens; last simple ray strongly serrated; dorsal-fin origin inserted slightly in front of vertical with pelvic-fin origin; distal margin anteriorly concave and posteriorly convex. Pectoral fin pointed with 1 simple and 16 branched rays. Pelvic fin pointed, with 1 simple and 8 branched rays; axillary scale present. Anus immediately in front of anal fin. Anal fin with 3 simple and 5 branched rays; short (17.8% SL) and small in male; long (20.0−21.7% SL) and large in female (
Fig. 5
b, c). Caudal fin deeply forked with 9+8 principal rays, 8+7 being branched.
Colour in life.
Head dark turquoise on back, light turquoise around orbital and on side, white on opercula and lower jaw. Body light turquoise on back, silver white on lateroventral surface, snowy white belly with a longitudinal black stripe running along lateral line. Scales silverly bluish between back and lateral line; lateral-line scales and row of scales just above lateral line in anterior half of body pigmented at center of scale bases. Fins hyaline. Dorsal fin dark turquoise at origin, bold on rays; distal margin concave anteriorly and convex posteriorly; reddish at distal part. Pectoral fin and pelvic fin yellowish green and reddish at first rays and distal parts. Anal fin yellowish green on rays, pinkish distally and hyaline on distal margin. Caudal fin near peduncle dark turquoise, yellowish to red on tips.
Colour in preservative.
Similar to that of fresh condition except as noted below. Upper half of body including head brown. Lower half of body including head pale ivory colour except anterior half of body darker. Pigments at scale bases on almost whole body outstanding. All turquoise, yellowish, silverly bluish, reddish and snowy whitish colors disappeared (
Fig. 5
b, c).
Ecology.
All specimens of the new species were found in the Da Teh catchment of middle Dong Nai drainage in evergreen forest between
140−200 m
(
Fig. 4
d).
Onychostoma dongnaiensis
lives in clear water but some specimens were collected in silty water. Water conditions of 26.4−28.1°C,
pH
7.02−7.6, DO 82.7−91.4%, conductivity 12−25 µS.cm -1 and flow velocity
0.12−0.77 m
/s were recorded. The species occurred in swift currents over bedrock, large boulders and cobble substrates covered with periphyton (
Fig. 4
d). This is similar to the habitat of
O
. krongnoensis
. When feeding,
O
. dongnaiensis
flips rocks and scrapes algae from them.
Onychostoma dongnaiensis
is found with
Mystacoleucus obtusirostris
, the bonylip barb
Osteochilus vittatus
,
Poropuntius deauratus
,
Channa gachua
,
Yasuhikotakia morleti
, and
Acantopsis dialuzona
.
Conservation status.
The conservation status of this new species requires particular attention. It has been long recognized by the local Mạ minority people. It is likely to be restricted to relatively small stretches of low-elevation forest streams of the middle Dong Nai drainage and hence particularly vulnerable to threatening processes such as siltation and overfishing. Siltation (from road construction, deforestation, agriculture etc.) which covers rocks and stones is a particular threat to this species as it covers the algae growing on the stones (
Fig. 4
d). This species feeds on the algae and animals living in the algae. Anthropogenic modification of stream morphology, logging, deforestation, agriculture and overfishing frequently occur in the Da Teh catchment. These activities impact the aquatic environment of this species so its populations are potentially threatened. Given the available information, we suggest the species should be considered Data Deficient following IUCN’s Red List categories (IUCN 2014, version 11).
Comparisons.
In general,
O
.
dongnaiensis
most closely resembles
O
.
leptura
and
O
.
gerlachi
when compared with congeners in the Mekong basin and Red river basin. From detailed measurements and comparisons of specimens of both species,
O
.
dongnaiensis
differs from
O
. leptura
in having scales in transverse row 7/1/5 vs. 7/1/ 4, predorsal scales 14−15 vs. 12−13, eye small with diameter 20.3−23.8 vs. 22.9−30.3% HL and serrated last simple dorsal ray vs. smooth last simple dorsal ray.
Onychostoma dongnaiensis
differs from
O
.
gerlachi
by having predorsal scales 14−15 vs. 12−15, caudal peduncle 23.2 vs. 21.2% SL, prepectoral length 18.7 −21.7 vs. 21.4−26.5% SL, eye small with diameter 20.3−23.8% vs. 27.4−35% HL.
Onychostoma dongnaiensis
differs from
O
. meridionale
in having mouth 1.4−1.6 vs. 2.2−2.3 times in maximum HW (
Fig. 3
h, k), the last simple dorsal ray strongly serrated vs. not serrated posteriorly, eye diameter 4.2−4.9 vs. 3.7−4.5 times in HL, and scales in transverse row 7/1/5 vs. 6.5/1/6.5.
Onychostoma dongnaiensis
differs from
O
. fusiforme
in having mouth 1.4−1.6 vs. 2.0−2.2 times in maximum HW, caudal peduncle 2.2−2.6 vs. 3.0−3.6 times longer than deep, eye diameter 4.2−4.9 vs. 3.7−4.4 times in HL, and scales in transverse row 7/1/5 vs. 6.5/1/4−4.5.
Mai
et al
. (1992)
described one specimen as the name
Scaphidonichthys
sp. from Phu Lap, Tan Phu, Dong Nai province near the Dong Nai River at elevation (
11°27’17.23” N
,
107°29’4.40” E
,
155 m
). We consider this species conspecific with
O
.
dongnaiensis
based on examination of its morphometrics (
Mai
et al
. 1992
) similar to our
O
.
dongnaiensis
specimen (UNS00856) collected at the same locality.
Morphological data.
Predorsal scales and eye diameter are considered reliable taxonomic characters, and to our knowledge, the short eye diameter (4.2−5.6 times in HL) in the two new species is extreme among all
Onychostoma
species from southeast Asia (
Taki 1975
,
Kottelat 1998
,
Lothongkham & Musikasinthorn 2005
).
Onychostoma krongnoensis
is most similar to
O
.
dongnaiensis
, but differs most dramatically in colour in life.
Onychostoma krongnoensis
is dark turquoise on the back and yellow to pinkish orange on lateroventral surface (
Fig. 2
), and
O
. dongnaiensis
is light turquoise on the back, and bluish silver-white on the lateroventral surface (
Fig. 5
).
Onychostoma krongnoensis
also has a slightly deeper body (3.5−4.3 vs. 3.1−3.4 times in SL) and a slightly shorter caudal-peduncle (3.8−4.2 vs. 4.1−4.5 times in SL). The number of epidermal tubercles on the snout also may vary in the two species with more on
O
.
krongnoensis
, although seasonal and ontogenetic variation has not been studied.
Molecular data.
The newly collected specimens from the Krong No and Dong Nai rivers are embedded within a clade containing all Mekong
Onychostoma
species (
Fig. 6
). This clade receives 100% bootstrap support.
Onychostoma meridionale
was also embedded within this clade.
FIGURE 6.
Maximum-likelihood tree based on 16S ribosomal RNA mitochondrial gene sequences for species of
Onychostoma
(Wang
et al
. 2012)
and for the outgroup
Percocypris pingi
. Numbers on branches are ML bootstrap values (values ≥ 45% shown).
Our molecular phylogeny suggests that the Krong No and Dong Nai river specimens are most closely related to
O
. gerlachi
, differing by 2.0% and 2.1%, respectively, to
O
.
gerlachi
, and>2.0% to all
Onychostoma
in the analysis. The Krong No and Dong Nai specimens are closely related to each other and differ by 0.2% sequence divergence, which is larger than the difference between
O
.
angustistomata
and
O
.
rarum
by 0.1% (Table 3).
Onychostoma meridionale
appears most closely related to
O
.
gerlachi
, but differs by 2.1% from this species and>2.0% from all other
Onychostoma
specimens in the analysis.
Table 3.
Samples used in the phylogenetic analysis of
Onychostoma
with the outgroup
Percocypris pingi
and genetic distances between species.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
8 9 10
11 12 13
14
.
O
. alticorpus
Taiwan
KC791686
.
O
. angustistomata
China
0.045
HQ235714
.
O
. barbatulum
Taiwan
0.063 0.052
KC896762
.
O
. dongnaiensis
sp. nov.
0.063 0.066 0.070
KJ754099
.
O
. elongatum
China
: Rong’an, Guangxi Zhuang 0.072 0.068 0.065 0.084 Auto, Region
GQ406254
.
O
. gerlachi
China
: Jinghong, Yunnan Prov. 0.067 0.064 0.076 0.021 0.089
DQ845862
.
O
. krongnoensis
sp. nov.
0.062 0.064 0.067 0.002 0.083 0.020
KJ754097
.
O
. leptura
China
: Xilin, Guangxi Zhuang 0.060 0.058 0.063 0.030 0.080 0.033 0.028 Auto, Region
GQ406257
.
O
. lini
China
: Youyang, Chongqing 0.048 0.044 0.041 0.052 0.065 0.059 0.050 0.046
JQ343982
10.
O
. macrolepis
China
: Taian, Shandong Prov. 0.054 0.050 0.051 0.057 0.073 0.060 0.055 0.053 0.019
GQ406258
11.
O
. meridionale
0.074 0.067 0.082 0.018 0.092 0.021 0.020 0.037 0.064 0.065 12.
O
. ovale
China
: Tian’e, Guangxi Prov. 0.035 0.014 0.029 0.047 0.050 0.049 0.047 0.039 0.029 0.051 0.056
JX074089
13.
O
. rarum
China
0.044 0.001 0.051 0.064 0.068 0.063 0.063 0.056 0.043 0.050 0.066 0.012
HQ235715
14.
O
. simum
China
: Hejiang, Sichuan Prov. 0.024 0.044 0.050 0.056 0.066 0.062 0.055 0.054 0.041 0.047 0.066 0.033 0.042
DQ845861
15.
Percocypris pingi
China
: Hejiang, Sichuan Prov. 0.073 0.067 0.074 0.089 0.085 0.089 0.087 0.076 0.070 0.072 0.095 0.052 0.066 0.070
GQ406259
Discussion
With two new species described here, a total of 22 species of
Onychostoma
are now recognised, with five species occurring in the Mekong drainage.
Onychostoma krongnoensis
inhabits the Ea Krong No river drainage of the Langbiang Plateau. These mountain rivers are perennial, shallow water bodies characterized by low temperature, high turbulent current, and rocky substratum.
As
adaptions to strong water currents,
O
. krongnoensis
has dense epidermal tubercles on the snout tip, a slender, streamlined body with an increased number of predorsal scales (mostly 17 scales), and a longer caudal peduncle compared to other species of
Onychostoma
.
Tubercles of cyprinids exhibit sexual dimorphism and ontogenetic variation in the size, shape and distribution (
Wiley & Collette, 1970
). In contrast to other species of
Onychostoma
, in
O
.
krongnoensis
the epidermis of the snout possesses 2−3 irregular transverse rows of 13−43 tubercles in juveniles and adults of both sexes (
Fig. 3
b). Variation in the surface of the snout in hill-stream fishes has been suggested to be an adaptation to life in torrential streams (
Hoshiyar
et al
. 2013
). The snout epidermis of
O
.
krongnoensis
is subject to frictional stress as it comes into contact with water current, thus supporting this hypothesis. In contrast, species that inhabit low elevation streams with slower velocity, such as
O
.
dongnaiensis
,
O
.
leptura
, and
O
.
uniforme
, have fewer smaller tubercles on the snout (Hoang
et al
. pers.obs.). Breeding tubercles also occur on the anal-fin rays of males of
O
.
krongnoensis
and other stream cyprinids (
Witkowski & Rogowska 1991
;
Poncin
et al
. 2011
).
Body shape affects movement in stream fishes (
Chuang
et al
. 2006
) and may be a useful tool for predicting habitat preferences (
Stolbunov
et al
. 2011
). For
O
.
krongnoensis
, the slender, streamlined body with a large number of predorsal scales (15−17) and long caudal peduncle may provide greater swimming ability and allow it to inhabit rapid rivers and streams at high elevations such as those in the Ea Krong No drainage. In contrast,
O
.
dongnaiensis
and
O
.
leptura
have a deeper body, fewer predorsal scales (12−15) and a short caudal peduncle, which may be more suitable features for slow, low elevation streams such as the middle of the Dong Nai and Red river drainages (Hoang
et al
. pers.obs.). Further studies on the capabilities and physiological mechanisms of
O
.
krongnoensis
that allow the species to live in such rapid streams would be interesting.
Pronounced sexual dimorphism in the anal-fin size has been observed for several species of
Onychostoma
(Hoang
et al
. pers. obs.), but has not been reported. This morphological character highlights the importance of making intraspecific comparisons separately for each sex. The functional role of the sexual dimorphism in
O
. krongnoensis
and
O
. dongnaiensis
is unknown.
Species diversity of
Onychostoma
in Mekong basin.
Onychostoma krongnoensis
and
O
.
dongnaiensis
are very similar to
O
.
gerlachi
,
O
.
fusiforme
and
O
.
meridionale
, and have probably been misidentified due to the similarities in their adult overall morphology and geographic distributions.
Shan
et al
. (2000)
, Kottelat (2001, 2009),
Lothongkham & Musikasinthorn (2005)
and
Kano
et al
. (2013)
described
O
.
gerlachi
as a widespread species from the Pearl River, upper Red River to the Langcang River, Nam Ou, Se Banghiang River-Mekong basin, and the Nan River-Chao Phraya basin.
Kottelat (1998)
,
Xin
et al
. (2009)
and
Kano
et al
. (2013)
recorded
O
.
fusiforme
as occurring from the Langcang River (Yunnan,
China
), Ing River, Kok River (
Thailand
) to Nam Theun River (
Laos
).
Kottelat (1998
, 2007, 2011),
Kano
et al
. (2013)
and our survey (2013) described and recorded
O
.
meridionale
from the Se Bangfai River, Sekong River (
Laos
), Sesan River (
Cambodia
), Sa Thay River-tributary of the Sesan River partly in the
Vietnam
Central Highlands to the Tonle Sap River (
Cambodia
). Even amongst geographically close river basins such as the Sekong River, Sesan River and Sre Pok River in the middle Mekong basin, there are distinct species of
Onychostoma
present:
O
.
krongnoensis
in the Srepok River,
O
.
meridionale
in the Sekong and Sesan rivers.
Onychostoma krongnoensis
and
O
.
dongnaiensis
are the first records of the genus in the upper Srepok River and middle Dong Nai River on the Langbiang Plateau, southern
Vietnam
. Among species of the Mekong group,
O
. gerlachi
occurs the furthest north. This species could be the ancestral lineage of the Mekong clade. Despite the lack of
O
.
fusiforme
in our molecular data, phylogenetic analysis and geographical distribution suggest that this lineage may have migrated towards the southern Mekong basin. The geological event that separated the Dong Nai dranage from the Mekong drainage would have isolated
O
.
dongnaiensis
from
O
.
krongnoensis
. Detailed and comprehensive surveys to gain a better understanding of geographical distributions, and molecular phylogenetic analysis for
Onychostoma
in the Mekong basin are essential.