A revision of the Paracanthocobitis zonalternans (Cypriniformes: Nemacheilidae) species complex with descriptions of three new species Author Page, Lawrence M. text Zootaxa 2017 2017-09-26 4324 1 85 107 journal article 31989 10.11646/zootaxa.4324.1.5 e664781d-4584-44b8-b5fa-e0ea029fdc0d 1175-5326 997067 101B3Cb2-7D7E-4232-A4E4-Fca46D90Fdbe Paracanthocobitis triangula , new species Wedged Zipper Loach Fig. 10 Holotype . UMMZ 250272 , 28.6 mm SL, female, Bangladesh , Meghna drainage, 25.183N , 89.983E , 21 February 1978 . Paratypes . Bangladesh : Meghna drainage: CAS 235899 , 1 , 23.4 mm SL, Sylhet , Nur Nody Stream , upstream from Lubha River at Nihalpur Village , 25.036N , 92.306E , 24 January 1998 ; UMMZ 208784 , 13 (10 ex.), 25.8– 29.2 mm SL, same locality and date as holotype ; UMMZ 208629 , 1 , 24.6 mm SL, Sylhet , Dauki / Piyain Gang River , 25.101N , 91.753E , 19 February 1978 ; UF 188249, 3, 26.1–28.4 mm SL, same locality and date as holotype . Diagnosis. Paracanthocobitis triangula is distinguished from all other species of Paracanthocobitis by combination of incomplete lateral line ending near dorsal-fin insertion; 9½–10½ branched dorsal-fin rays; axillary pelvic lobe present; series of black blotches, sometimes overlain with faint dusky stripe along side of body not obscuring lateral blotches, ending just beyond dorsal-fin insertion; small black triangular blotch in ocellus on upper margin of caudal-fin base; black pigment of the midlateral stripe not extending onto pectoral-fin base; no marmorated pattern between dorsal saddles and lateral blotches; dorsal saddles usually extending ventrally just past faint lateral stripe, usually connecting to lateral blotches; 8 branched upper caudal-fin rays. Description. Meristic and morphometric data are in Tables 4 and 5 . Body deepest just anterior to dorsal-fin origin; slightly compressed before dorsal fin, strongly compressed postdorsally. Head depressed, snout gently rounded to slightly pointed when viewed dorsally or laterally. Dorsal-fin origin far in front of pelvic-fin origin; distal margin convex. Pectoral fin not reaching pelvic fin; pelvic fin not reaching anal fin; caudal fin emarginate. Lateral line incomplete, reaching at most to just past dorsal-fin insertion with 20–37 pores. Axillary pelvic lobe present. Mouth arched with heavily papillated lips; upper lip with 3–5 rows of papillae, continuous with large pads on lower lip. Three pairs of barbels; inner rostral barbel extends to or slightly past base of maxillary barbel, maxillary barbel and outer rostral barbel extend to or slightly past eye. Body covered with scales; 9½ ( 1 specimens )–10½ ( 10 specimens ) branched dorsal-fin rays; 9–10, usually 9, pectoral-fin rays; 6 pelvic-fin rays; 5½ branched anal-fin rays; 8 branched upper caudal-fin rays; 8 branched lower caudal-fin rays. Suborbital flap in male. Maximum SL 29.2 mm female. Body yellow-brown with 10–12 dark brown to black blotches along lateral line sometimes overlain with faint dusky stripe not obscuring lateral blotches, ending just beyond dorsal-fin insertion; 12–14 small dark brown dorsal saddles uniform, equal to or wider than interspaces, usually extending ventrally just past lateral stripe and connecting to lateral blotches. Dark spots and blotches on head; uninterrupted black bar from eye to tip of snout. Ocellus with small black triangular blotch in center, near upper margin of caudal peduncle; 3–6 concentric rows of dark spots in dorsal fin, 2–3 rows of dark spots in anal fin, 4–6 dark bands on caudal fin. Black lateral stripe not extending onto pectoral-fin base. FIGURE 10. Type specimens of Paracanthocobitis triangula . (A) Dorsal and lateral views of holotype, UMMZ 250272, Meghna drainage, Bangladesh, 28.6 mm SL; (B) Dorsal and lateral views of paratype, CAS 235899, Meghna drainage, Bangladesh, 23.4 mm SL. Comparisons. Paracanthocobitis triangula differs from all other species of Paracanthocobitis except P. zonalternans , P. phuketensis , P. nigrolineata , and P. marmorata in having an incomplete lateral line ending near the dorsal-fin insertion (vs. lateral line to the end of the caudal peduncle) and 9½–10½ (vs.>10½) branched dorsal-fin rays. Paracanthocobitis triangula differs from P. zonalternans , P. phuketensis , P. nigrolineata , and P. marmorata in having a small black triangular (vs. circular or teardrop-shaped) blotch on the upper margin of the caudal-fin base. Paracanthocobitis triangula further differs from P. zonalternans in lacking black pigment extending from the lateral stripe onto the pectoral-fin base, from P. phuketensis in having an axillary pelvic lobe (vs. usually absent, occasionally rudimentary), and from P. nigrolineata in not having a black stripe along the side of the body with black pigment from the stripe extending onto the pectoral-fin base. Paracanthocobitis triangula further differs from P. marmorata in having an axillary pelvic lobe and in not having a marmorated pattern between the dorsal saddles and lateral blotches. Distribution. Paracanthocobitis triangula is known from the Brahmaputra (Jamuna) and Meghna drainages of Bangladesh ( Fig. 5 ). Etymology. The epithet triangula refers to the usual presence of a small black triangular blotch in the ocellus on the upper margin of the caudal peduncle.