A New Species of Pethia from the Western Ghats, India (Teleostei: Cyprinidae)
Author(s): V. M. Atkore, J. D. Marcus Knight, K. Rema Devi, and J. Krishnaswamy
Source: Copeia, 103(2):290-296.
Published By: The American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1643/OT-12-172
URL: http://www.bioone.org/doi/full/10.1643/OT-12-172
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Copeia 103, No. 2, 2015, 290–296
A New Species of Pethia from the Western Ghats, India
(Teleostei: Cyprinidae)
V. M. Atkore1, J. D. Marcus Knight2, K. Rema Devi3, and J. Krishnaswamy1
Pethia striata, new species, is described from the Tunga River in Kudremukh National Park, in the central part of the
Western Ghats, Karnataka State, India. The new species is distinguished from its congeners by the combination of the
following characters: absence of barbels; stiff and serrated last unbranched dorsal-fin ray; complete lateral line with
20–21 pored scales and a relatively small humeral spot one scale below the fourth lateral-line scale; a large black blotch
covering lateral-line scales 17–19. In addition, the outer edges of body scales are dark, producing a striped pattern
along the sides of the body. Pethia striata, new species, is presently known only from headwater-streams of the Tunga
River basin.
P
ETHIYAGODA et al. (2012) distinguished the genus
Pethia (type species Barbus nigrofasciatus, from Sri
Lanka) from other genera of Cyprinidae by the last
unbranched dorsal-fin ray being stiff and serrated, infraorbital 3 being deep and partially overlapping the preoperculum, the absence of rostral barbels, minute or no maxillary
barbels, an often incomplete lateral line, black blotch on the
caudal peduncle, black blotches, spots, or bars on the side of
the body. The genus, which is restricted to South Asia,
includes 28 valid species (Pethiyagoda et al., 2012; Dishma
and Vishwanath, 2013; Knight, 2013; Katwate et al., 2014a,
2014b; Lalramliana et al., 2014). In this paper, we describe a
new species belonging to the Pethia ‘‘conchonius group’’
(Kullander, 2008), in which the last unbranched dorsal-fin
ray is serrated, maxillary barbels are absent, and the lateral
line incomplete. This group includes the ubiquitous Pethia
ticto. Just as ‘Puntius’ was recognized as a ‘‘catch-all’’ genus
for a diverse group of small tropical Asian cyprinids, the
species ‘P. ticto’ Hamilton (1822), described from Bengal,
remained a ‘‘catch-all’’ for all the small species of barbs with
an osseous and serrated dorsal spine, two black markings on
the body (i.e., a humeral spot and a posterior blotch), a
complete or incomplete lateral line, and lacking maxillary
barbels (Knight et al., 2012). Numerous species conforming
to this description, encountered elsewhere in India, Bangladesh, Myanmar, and Sri Lanka, have been referred to as
Pethia ticto, and thus this species is considered to have a wide
distribution across this region. Day (1865, 1871) described
two species resembling P. ticto as P. punctata and P.
stoliczkana, from Cochin and Darjeeling, respectively.
Though Day (1878) gave a clear description of P. ticto and
distinguished it from the two similar-looking species
described by him, based on the presence of an incomplete
lateral line (vs. a complete lateral line in the other two
species), these species were often placed in the synonymy of
P. ticto by later workers. Hora (1937) and Hora et al. (1939)
treated P. stoliczkana and P. punctata as synonyms of P. ticto,
whereas Silas (1952) considered P. stoliczkana and P. punctata
to be subspecies of P. ticto. Jayaram (1991), in his revision of
the genus Puntius, once again brought Pethia stoliczkana and
P. punctata under the synonymy of P. ticto. Menon et al.
(2000) recognized P. stoliczkana and P. punctata as two
1
distinct, valid species. The species were described in detail
and definitively distinguished by Linthoingambi and Vishwanath (2007). Recent studies on this group of fishes have
led to the descriptions of several new species such as P.
manipurensis (Menon, Rema Devi, and Vishwanath, 2000),
P. muvattupuzhaensis (Beevi and Ramachandran, 2005),
P. atra (Linthoingambi and Vishwanath, 2007), P. khugae
(Linthoingambi and Vishwanath, 2007), P. pookodensis
(Mercy and Jacob, 2007), P. nigripinna (Knight, Rema Devi,
and Arunachalam, 2012), P. aurea Knight, 2013, P. expletiforis (Dishma and Vishwanath, 2013), P. rutila Lalramliana,
Knight, and Laltlanhlua, 2014, P. longicauda Katwate,
Paingankar, Raghavan, and Dahanukar, 2014 and P. lutea
Katwate, Katwate, Raghavan, Paingankar, and Dahanukar,
2014. Here, we report and describe a new species of Pethia
from the Tunga River in Kudremukh National Park, from the
Western Ghats, India.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
The specimens collected were fixed in 10% formalin, and
subsequently preserved in 70% ethanol. Methods for
making counts and measurements follow Kullander (2008)
except where mentioned otherwise. Measurements were
made with digital calipers to the nearest 0.1 mm. Standard
length (SL), head length (HL), and snout length are taken
from the tip of the snout to the caudal-fin base, posterior
opercular margin, and anterior orbital margin, respectively.
Subunits of body are expressed as percentage of standard
length (SL), and subunits of head are expressed in proportions of both head length and standard length. Numbers in
parentheses after a count denote the frequency of that
count. Predorsal, prepelvic, and preanal lengths are taken
from the tip of the snout to the anterior base origin of each
fin. Body depth is taken at the origin of the dorsal fin.
Dorsal, pectoral, pelvic, and anal fin lengths are taken from
the base of the first ray of the respective fin to the tip of its
longest ray. Caudal-peduncle length is taken from the base
of the last anal-fin ray to the hypural notch (middle of the
base of the caudal fin). Lateral-line scale counts include
scales on the caudal-fin base. Scales in the lateral row equate
to the lateral-line scale count. However, when the lateral
Suri Sehgal Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation, Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment (ATREE), Royal Enclave,
Srirampura, Jakkur post, Bangalore-560064, India; E-mail: (VMA) freshwater.biologist@gmail.com; and (JK) jagdish@atree.org. Send reprint
requests to VMA.
2
Flat ‘L’, Sri Balaji Apartments, 7th Main Road, Dhandeeswaram, Velachery, Chennai, Tamil Nadu 600042, India; E-mail: jdmarcusknight@
yahoo.co.in.
3
No. 16, First Canal Cross Road, Gandhi Nagar, Adyar, Chennai–600 020, Tamil Nadu, India; E-mail: remadevi_zsi@yahoo.com.
Submitted: 18 December 2012. Accepted: 12 December 2014. Associate Editor: D. Buth.
F 2015 by the American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists
DOI: 10.1643/OT-12-172 Published online: May 4, 2015
Atkore et al.—New species of Pethia
Fig. 1. Pethia striata, paratypes, male and female, ZSI/SRC F8729.
line is abbreviated, it includes the lateral-line scales as well
as the posterior scales in the same horizontal row. Prepelvic
scales are counted along the ventral midline from the head
to the base of the pelvic fin, but excluding the 1–2
successively smaller scales between the pelvic-fin bases.
The last single ray in the dorsal and anal fin is not counted
as a separate element. The specimens have been registered in
the collections of the Southern Regional Centre, Zoological
Survey of India, Chennai (ZSI/SRC).
Pethia striata, new species
Kudremukh Barb
Figures 1, 2; Table 1
Holotype.—ZSI/SRC F8728, 30.9 mm SL, India, Karnataka,
Chikmagalur District, Tunga River basin, Balipehalla,
Mudba stream, 13u1892.26740N, 75u7932.4480E, 735 m ASL,
V. Atkore, 3 April 2011.
Paratypes.—ZSI/SRC F8729, 4, 22.2–33.1 mm SL, India,
Karnataka, Chikmagalur District, Tunga River basin, Mele
Siralu, Turad stream, 13u1895.54340N, 75u991.04340E, 800 m
ASL, V. Atkore, 9 March 2011.
Diagnosis.—Pethia striata is distinguished from its congeners
by the combination of the following characters: lateral line
complete, with 20–21 pored scales up to tail fin base; upper
291
half of body dark brown; outer edges of body scales dark,
forming oblique bars, giving a distinct striped pattern along
the side in both sexes; dorsal fin dark with a pale outer
margin; dorsal, pectoral, pelvic, and anal fins tinged with
black; caudal fin hyaline; black humeral spot one scale
below the 4th lateral-line scales, a larger black blotch 3–4
scales high covering the 17th to 19th lateral-line scales, and
only 2 scales between this blotch and the hypural notch.
Pethia striata is distinguished from P. conchonius by the
presence (vs. absence) of a humeral spot. It differs from
Pethia aurea, P. ticto, P. bizonatus, P. phutunio, P. nigripinna,
P. pookodensis, P. manipurensis, and P. longicauda in the
presence of a complete (vs. incomplete) lateral line. It can be
further distinguished from Pethia ticto, P. punctata, P.
stoliczkana, P. manipurensis P. muvattupuzhaensis, P. rutila,
P. longicauda, P. expletiforis, and P. aurea by its scales in the
lateral series (20–21, vs. 22–26 in P. ticto, 23–24 in P.
punctata, 21–24 in P. stoliczkana, P. manipurensis, and
P. muvattupuzhaensis, 21–22 in P. rutila, 22–24 in P. longicauda, 21–23 in P. expletiforis, and 26–27 in P. aurea). Pethia
striata can also be distinguished from P. ticto, P. stoliczkana,
P. pookodensis, P. manipurensis, P. rutila, P. aurea, P. lutea, and
P. expletiforis by its fewer transverse scales, 3 scales between
lateral-line scale row and ventral fin (vs. 5K in P. ticto and
P. stoliczkana, K5/1/3–3K in P. aurea; and 3K in P.
manipurensis, P. pookodensis, P. rutila, P. aurea, P. lutea, P.
expletiforis, and P. longicauda).
The location of the humeral spot on the body also
distinguishes P. striata from superficially similar congeners.
The humeral spot is present on the scale below the 4th
lateral-line scale, vs. 4th–5th scale below the lateral line in P.
punctata and P. muvattupuzhaensis, whereas the humeral spot
is present on the scale below the 3rd and 4th lateral-line scales
in P. rutila. In the case of P. lutea, a humeral band covers the
3rd and 4th lateral-line scales. In P. longicauda, a fairly dark
black humeral spot covers the 3rd and 4th lateral-line scales
and extends to one scale above the lateral-line. The larger
posterior blotch, covering lateral-line scales 17–19 is more in
the shape of a band, surrounded by a golden ring around the
caudal peduncle and the base of the caudal fin, compared
with a clear spot, not forming a band, in P. ticto, P.
stoliczkana, P. manipurensis, P. pookodensis, P. rutila, and P.
expletiforis. In addition, the new species possesses eight
predorsal scales, compared to seven in P. setnai, nine in P.
stoliczkana P. manipurensis, P. aurea, P. expletiforis, and P.
longicauda, eight or nine in P. rutila, and 9–10 in P. ticto.
The pigmentation of P. striata differs from that of P. setnai:
the former species possesses a smaller humeral spot,
restricted to a single scale (vs. 2–3 scales wide and 3–4 scales
Fig. 2. Pethia striata, new species, holotype, ZSI/SRC F8728, 30.9 mm SL, India, Karnataka, Chikmagalur Districts, Tunga River basin.
292
Copeia 103, No. 2, 2015
Table 1. Morphometric data for the holotype and four paratypes of Pethia striata, new species.
Character
Standard length (mm)
% SL
Head length
Head depth
Post orbital distance
Predorsal distance
Dorsal to hypural distance
Body depth
Caudal peduncle length
Caudal peduncle depth
Snout length
Eye diameter
Interorbital width
Internarial width
% HL
Snout length
Eye diameter
Interorbital distance
Internarial distance
Holotype
Range
30.9
22.2–33.1
26.8
23.9
12.6
62.1
49.8
46.6.
18.1
20.0
7.7
11.3
11.3
7.1
26.8–30.6
23.2–26.1
10.5–14.4
56.7–62.1
47.3–55.4
40.0–46.6
15.4–18.1
19.3–21.0
6.6–10.0
11.1–15.7
10.3–12.1
6.3–7.1
28.561.4
24.561.0
12.661.5
58.762.2
50.463.1
44.262.6
16.761.2
20.160.6
8.761.4
12.6–1.8
11.060.7
6.760.3
28.9
28.9
42.1
26.5
23.2–34.5
23.2–34.5
33.8–42.4
22.0–26.5
30.664.6
30.664.6
38.963.9
23.761.8
high in P. setnai) and lacking a gray patch below the dorsal
fin (prominent in the latter). Pethia striata differs from two
similar northeast Indian fishes viz. Puntius phutunio and
Puntius bizonatus, in the presence of two spots, a humeral
spot and a caudal-peduncle blotch, vs. four spots on the
body in P. phutunio (Vishwanath and Laisram, 2004), the
humeral spot replaced by a transverse bar on the 3rd and 4th
scales in P. bizonatus (Vishwanath and Laisram, 2004).
Puntius bizonatus was described from Lokchao in Moreh
River from the state of Manipur, India but it was omitted by
Pethiyagoda et al. (2012). Pethia striata can further be
distinguished from P. phutunio in having eight predorsal
scales, vs. nine predorsal scales, and from P. bizonatus in
having 2+3–4 gill rakers on the first gill arch, vs. 5+15–18 in
the latter (Vishwanath and Laisram, 2004).
The other small barbs from northeastern India that can be
compared to P. striata are P. shalynius, P. atra, and P. khugae.
However, all three species are readily distinguished by the
absence of a humeral spot vs. presence in P. striata. Pethia
striata can further be distinguished from P. shalynius by the
presence of a single blotch on the caudal peduncle vs. two
and eight predorsal scales vs. 9–10 in the latter. Pethia striata
can also be distinguished from P. atra and P. khugae by the
lesser number of lateral-line scales (20–21 vs. 25–29 and 28–
30 in P. atra and P. khugae, respectively) and by possessing
three scales between the lateral line and the ventral-fin
origin vs. 5K scales in P. atra and P. khugae (Linthoingambi
and Vishwanath, 2007). The characteristic dark longitudinal
band present in both P. atra and P. khugae (Linthoingambi
and Vishwanath, 2007) is absent in P. striata.
Similarly, Pethia striata can be distinguished from its Sri
Lankan congeners, P. cumingii and P. reval, in having K4+1+3
transverse scales vs. K3+1+3K in the latter two species.
Moreover, P. striata differs from P. cumingii and P. reval in
having a small humeral spot covering only one scale
compared to the wider bar-like humeral mark being three
scales wide in P. cumingii and P. reval. Further, the dorsal fin of
male P. striata is black, while the dorsal fins in P. cumingii and
P. reval are either yellow or red (Meegaskumbura et al., 2008).
Mean±SD
Description.—Morphometric data are presented in Table 1.
General appearance is shown in Figures 1 and 2. Body deep,
laterally compressed, dorsal contour ascending anteriorly,
with a low indentation at nape, slightly convex, anterior to
dorsal-fin origin, tapering gradually posterior to dorsal-fin
base; ventral profile of body equally convex anterior to
pelvic-fin origin, curving gently up to anal-fin origin, then
sloping upward toward caudal peduncle; caudal peduncle
deep, its least depth a little less than its length, concave in
both dorsal and ventral profiles; Head small and snout
rounded; mouth subterminal, lateral fold on snout present;
barbels absent; lips thick and U-shaped; eye large, placed in
the upper half of head; eye diameter about 30% HL; dorsal
fin with 1 simple and with 8 branched rays, the simple ray
strongly serrated posteriorly; dorsal-fin origin slightly
behind pelvic-fin origin, midway between tip of snout and
base of caudal fin; pelvic fin with 1 simple and 8 branched
rays; anal fin with 3 simple and 5 branched rays; pectoral fin
with 1 simple and 11(1), 12(3), or 13(1) branched rays;
pectoral and pelvic fins short, not reaching pelvic and analfin origins, respectively; caudal fin with 19 principal rays
(1+9+8+1), deeply forked; lateral line complete with 20(3) or
21(2) scales including those on the caudal-fin base;
transverse scales from dorsal-fin origin to ventral-fin origin
K4+1+3(5); predorsal scales 8(5); prepelvic scales 9(5); 18(5)
circumferential scales; 10(4) or 11(1) circumpeduncular
scales; pelvic axillary scale present, its length less than half
length of pelvic fin; gill rakers 2+3–4 on first gill arch; gill
rakers simple.
Coloration in life.—Adult male specimens reddish with
melanophores on posterior edges of scales, forming eight
to nine oblique bars about a half-scale wide, giving a distinct
striped appearance on sides of body, fading toward abdomen
(Fig. 1). Dorsal fin pigmented black with yellow posterior
margin. Pectoral and pelvic fins red, caudal fin pale yellow.
In contrast, adult female specimens grayish with the oblique
bars not as prominent as in males (Fig. 1). A black humeral
spot one scale below the 4th lateral-line scale. Larger black
Atkore et al.—New species of Pethia
blotch, 3–4 scales high, covering 17th to 19th lateral-line
scales, falling on line behind the 4th branched anal-fin ray,
with a golden ring around it, more prominent on the
anterior and ventral sides of the blotch. Live coloration of
both sexes shown in Figure 1.
Coloration in preservative.—Ground color of adult specimen
is yellowish white with dark brown dorsum and sides with
13–14 rows of prominent oblique bars along the anterior
two thirds of the body, which fade toward the ventral side
with a few pigments along the oblique rows. Snout grayish.
Lower part of head yellowish white. Dorsal fin in male is
smoky with faint blackish spots and a dark distal margin.
Dorsal fin strongly pigmented in females. Distal surface of
anal fin slightly smoky to blackish. Caudal, pectoral, and
pelvic fins hyaline to light gray. Humeral marking prominent. A dark brown blotch on the caudal peduncle vertical
from posterior end of anal-fin base, generally oval in shape
as it continues as a faint band toward the dorsum. The
stripes just anterior to the caudal peduncle blotch are light
grayish as are those posterior to the blotch. Caudal peduncle
blotch covers 2 or 3 scales (usually scales 16–19 along the
lateral row) and parts of scales above and below.
Etymology.—The species name is an adjective, striata (Latin)
5 striped, a reference to the unique pattern of this fish.
Distribution and habitat.—This species is currently known
from the upper reaches of Tunga River basin, in two
headwater streams, namely the Mudba (3rd stream order)
and Turad (4th stream order) on 1:50,000 scale on the Survey
of India toposheet (4–6 km apart) situated in the Kudremukh National Park of Karnataka State in the Western Ghats
(Fig. 3). This region is typically dominated by wet evergreen
and semi-evergreen forest with montane grasslands and
receives up to 6000 mm of annual rainfall (Krishnaswamy et
al., 2006). Pethia striata was observed in small groups of
three or four individuals in shallow pools beneath dense
riparian canopy. They were often observed with other
cyprinid species such as Puntius sahyadriensis and Dawkinsia
arulius. A few juveniles were also observed with Pethia setnai
in shallow pools.
The type locality was a pool-riffle sequence in a small
gently flowing clear water stream with a pH of 6.1 and water
temperature of 25.5uC. The width and depth of the stream at
the type locality were 7 m and 0.6 m, respectively. The
approximate flow velocity of the run-riffle sequence just
below the type locality was 0.2 m/s. Pethia striata was
collected in an altitude range between 660–910 m ASL. Land
vegetation was dominated by Ochlandra sp., Ficus sp., and
Elaeocarpus tuberculatus, providing 80% shade (Fig. 4). The
substrate consisted of leaf litter mostly with Lagenandra sp.,
bamboo leaves, and clay. Some of the species encountered
commonly at the type locality were Devario malabaricus,
Salmophasia boopis, Garra mullya, Barilius canarensis, Barbodes
wynaadensis, Tor khudree, Dawkinsia arulius, Puntius sahyadriensis, Osteochilus nashii (Cyprinidae), Batasio sharavatiensis
(Bagridae), and Nemacheilus denisoni (Nemacheilidae).
DISCUSSION
Many species of Puntius sensu lato are harvested for the
ornamental-fish trade due to their striking coloration and
small size (Collins et al., 2012). Currently some 220 nominal
and 120 valid species have been included in the genus
293
(Pethiyagoda et al., 2012). Pethiyagoda et al. (2012) revised
the South Asian members of the genus Puntius based on a
combination of external morphology, osteology, and molecular studies and showed that they represent at least five
lineages recognizable as distinct genera, including two
existing genera, viz. Puntius and Systomus, and three new
genera, viz., Pethia, Dawkinsia, and Dravidia (a homonym in
Diptera, for which Pethiyagoda (2013) provided the replacement name Haludaria), of which Pethia represents 28 species.
The genus Pethia is characterized by small size (usually less
than 50 mm SL); its stiff and serrated last unbranched
dorsal-fin ray; absent rostral barbels; maxillary barbels
minute; black blotch on the caudal peduncle partially in
front of the posterior anal-fin base (here referred to as the
posterior blotch); and black blotches, bars, or spots on the
sides of the body that clearly distinguish it from Puntius
sensu stricto which has the last unbranched dorsal-fin ray
weak or strong and smooth; lateral line complete, with 22–
28 pored scales.
Menon et al. (2000), while describing Puntius manipurensis,
showed that there are a number of species that resemble P.
ticto with two spots on the body, including P. punctata (Day,
1865) and P. stoliczkana (Day, 1871). More recently, species
such as P. muvattupuzhaensis (Beevi and Ramachandran,
2005), P. pookodensis (Mercy and Jacob, 2007), P. atra
(Linthoingambi and Vishwanath, 2007), P. khugae (Linthoingambi and Vishwanath, 2007), P. nigripinna (Knight, Rema
Devi, and Arunachalam, 2012), P. aurea Knight, 2013, Pethia
expletiforis (Dishma and Vishwanath 2013), Pethia rutila
(Lalramliana et al., 2014), Pethia lutea (Katwate et al.,
2014a), and Pethia longicauda (Katwate et al., 2014b) and
were added to this species group (Knight et al., 2012).
Pethia striata is currently known only from the Kudremukh National Park, located in the central part of the
Western Ghats, India. The drainages in the central Western
Ghats are relatively less-well explored and are believed to
harbor undescribed species (Dahanukar et al., 2011).
Recently, Glyptothorax kudremukhensis was described in the
upper reaches of Mudba stream of the Tunga River basin
(Gopi, 2007). Our description of Pethia striata suggests that
this basin may hold many more undescribed fish species and
therefore deserves increased survey efforts, especially in the
headwaters.
MATERIAL EXAMINED
The material for the present study represents recent
collections from the Western Ghats by V. A. Pethia striata
were sexed based on coloration: live males were reddish;
females were yellowish gray.
Pethia conchonius: ZSI/SRC F4827, 2, 35–42 mm SL, Brahmaputra River, Assam, Lal Mohan.
Pethia manipurensis: ZSI/SRC F8550, 4, 54.0–62.0 mm SL,
Loktak Lake, Manipur, W. Vishwanath, April 1995.
Pethia muvattupuzhaensis: ZSI/SRC F8465, 5, 39.0–45.0 mm
SL, Muvattupuzha River, Kerala, Zeena, 8 September 2010.
Pethia nigripinna: ZSI/SRC F6628, holotype, 45.0 mm SL,
Kalinadhi stream of river Kabini, Wayanad, Kerala, India, M.
Arunachalam, 21 September 2002; ZSI/SRC F6629, paratypes, 3, 33.0–38.0 mm SL, Kalinadhi stream of river Kabini,
Wayanaad, Kerala, India, M. Arunachalam, 21 September
2002; ZSI/SRC F6578, 2, 34.0–39.0 mm SL, elevation 1000 m,
294
Copeia 103, No. 2, 2015
Fig. 3. Distribution of Pethia striata in the Kudremukh National Park, central Western Ghats, India.
Kakkanhalla, Moyar River, Tamil Nadu, India, G. Thirumalai, 15 February 1992.
Pethia phutunio: PCJDMK 045, 20, 14.0–19.0 mm SL, Ponds
in Udayrampur Village, P. S. Bishnupur, south 24 Parganas
District, West Bengal, Andrew Rao, February 2011.
Pethia pookodensis: Paratypes, ZSI/SRC F7636, 21, 26.0–42.0 mm
SL, Pookode Lake, Kerala, Eapen Jacob, November 2004.
Pethia punctata: ZSI/SRC F8272, 3, 38.0–40.0 mm SL, Mangai
Malai, Kulasekaram, Kanyakumari WLS, Aengals, 21 December 2008; ZSI/SRC F8545, 2, 40.0–42.0 mm SL, Pookode
Lake, Kerala, Anna Mercy; ZSI/SRC F4339, 13, 29.0–37.0 mm
SL, Mathalamparai, Tirunelveli District, Ravichandran, 17
March 1995.
Pethia setnai: ZSI/SRC F6127, 10, 18.0-40.0 mm SL, Kukke
Subramanya, Karnataka, G. Thirumalai, 15 April 1999; ZSI/
SRC F8544, 3, 36.0–41.0 mm SL, Stream in Agumbe, P. K.
Pramod, January 2008; ZSI/SRC F6113, 1, 39.0 mm SL,
Sowparnika River, G. Thirumalai, 13 April 1999.
Pethia shalynius: ZSI/SRC F7150, 1, 40 mm SL, Ri-bhoi
district, Meghalaya-Asssam border, S. K. Das, 2002.
Pethia ticto: ZSI/SRC F8546, 3, 16.0–18.0 mm SL, Barjuri Dhan
Shree River, D. K. Gupta, 23 November 1994; ZSI/SRC F6630, 5,
24.0–33.0 mm SL, Kulsi River, Lal Mohan, 4 November 1994;
ZSI/SRC F6579, 3, 47.0–60 mm SL, Megna River; ZSI/SRC
F8547, 5, 27.0–36.0 mm SL, D. K. Gupta, 14 November 1994;
ZSI/SRC F8548, 2, 46.0–48.0 mm SL, Dibrugarh ox bow lake, D.
K. Gupta, 24 November 1994; ZSI/SRC F8549, 1, 37.0 mm SL,
Atkore et al.—New species of Pethia
295
Fig. 4. Balipehalla, type locality of Pethia striata in the Mudba stream of Tunga River basin.
Nimati Ghat, Majuli, Brahmaputra River, West Bengal, D. K.
Gupta, 22 November 1994.
8a.
4K–5K scales between lateral-line scale row and
ventral fin
P. ticto
3K scales between lateral-line scale row and
9
ventral fin
13–14 rakers on the first ceratobranchial
P. longicauda
5–6 rakers on the first ceratobranchial
P. pookodensis
_____________________________________________________________________
8b.
__________________________________________________________________________________
KEY TO THE SPECIES OF PETHIA IN THE WESTERN GHATS
1a.
1b.
2a.
2b.
3a.
3b.
4a.
2
Humeral spot present
P. conchonius
Humeral spot absent
3
Lateral line complete
7
Lateral line incomplete
4
Humeral spot on lateral line
5
Humeral spot small, one scale below lateral line
Caudal peduncle blotch covering 16th to 18th
lateral-line scales
P. setnai
Caudal peduncle blotch covering 17th to 19th
lateral-line scales
P. lutea
P. punctata
Dorsal fin with rows of spots
6
Dorsal fin without spots
Caudal peduncle blotch between 17th–19th lateralline scale and 20–21 lateral-line pored scales
P. striata, new species
Caudal peduncle blotch between 19–21st lateralline scale and 24–25 lateral-line pored scales
P. muvattupuzhaensis
P. nigripinna
Lateral line with 21 scales or less
8
Lateral line with 22 or more scales
________________________________________________________
______________________________________________
_____
_____________________
______________________________________________________
__________
__________________________________________________________
6b.
__________
___________________________________________________________
7a.
7b.
9b.
__
____________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
5a.
5b.
6a.
__________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
__________________________________
_____________________________________________________
4b.
9a.
___________
_________________________________
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
This work forms a part of VA’s doctoral dissertation at the
Academy of Conservation Science and Sustainability Studies
at Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment (ATREE), Manipal University, Karnataka State. We
sincerely thank Director of ATREE for his support and
encouragement, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests &
Wildlife, Bangalore and Dy. Conservator of Forests Kudremukh National Park, Karnataka Forest Department for
granting research collection permit (Letter No. D.WL.CR148/2009-10 and Letter No. A3/CR/38/Research/2010-11
dated 21 September 2010 and Letter No. D/WL/CR-148/
2012-13 dated 14 May 2013) to carry out this study. VA
thank R. Ranjit Daniels, Managing trustee of Care Earth
Chennai, for imparting an informal training on the Fish
Systematics in the beginning of this study, S. Agarwal who
helped with the map, K. Shanker and H. Shridhar, Indian
296
Institute of Sciences (IISc), Bangalore for their rigorous
review and constructive suggestions on an earlier version of
this manuscript. VA thank Range Forest Officers of Kerekette
and Kudremukh, Hariprasad, Jaynarayanan, Chandre Gowda,
Appasab, Seshappa, Laxman, Dharanappa, Nagraj, Manjunath, Pramod, Kantaraj, and other forest staff for their help
during the fieldwork. VA greatly acknowledges Kudremukh
Iron Ore Company Limited and its staff at Kudremukh
township for its logistic support. This work was supported by
Ravi Sankaran Fellowship of Inlaks Foundation, Mumbai,
Idea Wild, USA, International Foundation for Science (Grant
No: A/5209-1), Sweden and Suri Sehgal Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation of ATREE, Bangalore.
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