A new cave nemacheiline loach, Triplophysa boduensis (Cypriniformes: Nemacheilidae), from Sichuan, China

Abstract

Triplophysa boduensis is described herein as a new hypogean species from a subterranean tributary of the upper Yangtze River in Gong County, Yibin City, Sichuan Province, China. It represents the first cave‐dwelling Triplophysa species recorded from Sichuan. The new species is distinguished from its congeners by a combination of the following morphological characters: body scaleless and lacking pigmentation; eye reduced, diameter 4.3%–6.5% head length (HL); posterior chamber of air bladder well developed; intestine unlooped and short; lips thick with shallow furrows, lower jaw spoon‐shaped and not covered by lower lip; caudal peduncle laterally compressed, depth uniform with weak adipose crests; pelvic fin tips not reaching the anus; caudal fin tips pointed; branched rays 9, 11, 6, 6 and 17–18 in dorsal fin, pectoral fin, pelvic fin, anal fin and caudal fin, respectively. Molecular phylogenetic analysis further supports the validity of the species and reveals a close relationship with T. xuanweiensis .