Garra nambashiensis, Devi & Abonmai & Singh & Shangningam, 2025

Garra nambashiensis , sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:

( Fig. 1 View FIGURE 1 )

Holotype: ZSI FF 10803, 141.9 mm SL; India: Manipur, Kamjong District, Taretlok River at Nambashi Valley , Kasom Khullen ( Chindwin River System ), 24 o 35.559′ N & 94 o 19.360′ E; 958.94 m above sea level; Babyrani & Shyamchandra, 20 February 2024. GoogleMaps

Paratypes: DMUMF-GRKB 08–012, 5, 90.3–109.0 mm SL; same data as holotype GoogleMaps .

Diagnosis. Garra nambashiensis , a member of the ‘proboscis species group’, is distinguished from other members of this group by the following combination of characters: a unilobed, quadrate-shaped proboscis with a row of seven or eight medium- to large-sized conical acanthoid tubercles on anterolateral margin, and two to five conical acanthoid tubercles on anteroventral marginal aspect; lateral surface of snout swollen, with 8–13 small tubercles; a prominent transverse lobe bearing 21−23 medium-to large-sized conical acanthoid tubercles; a black spot on each side of opercle, immediately anterior to upper angle of gill opening; lateral line complete with 34–35 scales; dorsal fin last branched ray extending beyond anal-fin origin, 8–11 scales on dorsal-fin base; five or six scales on anal-fin base; anus situated posteriorly (distance from anus to anal fin 24–29% of pelvic-anal distance); and six distinct narrow black stripes extending to posterior margin of hypural plate.

Description. Measurements and counts of the holotype and five paratypes in Table 1. Body elongated, cylindrical and laterally compressed, more compressed towards caudal peduncle. Dorsal body profile from head to base of dorsal-fin origin uniformly convex, from dorsal- to caudal-fin origin gradually sloping, nearly straight. Ventral profile from pectoral to pelvic-fin origin straight, and pelvic- to caudal-fin origin slightly convex. Head moderately large and depressed, with slightly convex interorbital region; its length and width greater than height. Eyes moderately large, dorsolaterally positioned in posterior half of head.

Snout broadly rounded with prominent transverse lobe covered with 21–23 medium-to large-sized conical acanthoid tubercles, demarcated posteriorly by deep transverse groove ( Fig. 2 View FIGURE 2 ). Unilobed, quadrate-shaped proboscis; lateral surface of snout swollen with 8–13 small, conical acanthoid tubercles. Proboscis protruding forward, moderately elevated upwards, anteriorly projected up to transverse groove, sharply delineated from depressed rostral surface by deep, narrow, transverse groove; its width smaller than internarial distance. Anterolateral margin with a row of seven or eight medium-to large-sized conical acanthoid tubercles, and anteroventral marginal aspect with two to five small to medium-sized conical acanthoid tubercles. Depressed rostral surface with two or three transverse ridges. Sublachrymal groove shallow, not connected to rostral cap groove ( Fig. 3 View FIGURE 3 ).

Barbels two pairs; rostral barbel anterolaterally positioned, shorter than eye diameter; maxillary barbel positioned at corner of mouth, shorter than rostral barbel; rostral cap well-developed, highly fimbriated; papillate ventral surface moderately wide; upper lip present, appearing as thin band of weakly-developed papillae arranged in single row. Upper jaw fully covered by the rostral cap. Gular disc elliptical, wider than long; its width 57–65% HL, and length 50–60% HL); narrower than head width at maxillary barbel base, medially positioned, its posterior margin not reaching pectoral-fin origin; torus slightly arched, its lateral extension reaching beyond imaginary vertical line through lateral margin of pulvinus; pulvinus wider than long (width 38–46% HL, length 29–37% HL), its anterior and posterior halves equally rounded, width 1.3−1.4 times its length; labellum present, convex-shaped with upper marginal region partially covered by rostral cap; posteriormost margin of labrum extending vertically beyond to level of posterior margin of orbit; toral groove moderately deep; papillae on torus fleshy and elongated; papillae on rostral cap, torus, labellum, and labrum rounded and evenly arranged, and papillae on inner half of entire length of labrum unevenly distributed.

Dorsal fin with 2(6) simple and 8½ (6) branched rays; last ray simple, shorter than head length; distal margin concave; origin closer to snout tip than to caudal-fin base, inserted anterior to vertical through pelvic-fin origin; first branched ray longest, last branched ray extending vertically beyond anal-fin origin. Pectoral fin with 1(6) simple and 13(6) branched rays, reaching beyond midway to pelvic-fin origin; length slightly shorter than head length; margin subacuminate; fifth branched ray longest, not extending to pelvic-fin base. Pelvic fin with 1(6) simple and 7½ (6) branched rays, reaching beyond midway to anal-fin origin; second branched ray surpassing anus; insertion of pelvic-fin below base of third branched dorsal-fin ray; distal margin slightly convex. Anal fin short, with 2 (6) simple and 5½ (6) branched rays; first branched ray longest and extending to caudal-fin base; distal posterior margin slightly concave; origin closer to caudal-fin base than to pelvic-fin origin. Anus posteriorly positioned (distance from anus to anal fin 24–29% of pelvic-anal distance). Caudal fin forked; tips of lobes moderately pointed; lower lobe slightly longer; 10+9 principal rays.

Lateral line complete, with 31–32 +3 i.e., 34 (2) or 35*(4) scales. Transverse scale rows above lateral line 4 ½ (6); scales between lateral line and pelvic-fin origin 2½ (6) scales; scales between lateral line and anal-fin origin 3*(3) or 3½ (3). Circumpeduncular scale rows 12(6). Predorsal scales 10(6); scales regularly arranged, same size as flank scales. Chest and belly scaled; scales on chest smaller than on belly. One long axillary scale at base of pelvic fin, its tip slightly extending beyond posterior end of pelvic-fin base. Dorsal-fin base scales 8(2), 9(2) or 11*(2), of which last five to seven scales connected to base of dorsal fin. Anal-fin base scales 5(3) or 6*(3), of which last two or three scales connected to anal-fin base. Preanal scales 5(6).

Osteology. Total vertebrae: 33, comprising 18 abdominal + 15 caudal vertebrae. Predorsal vertebrae 9 ( Fig. 4 View FIGURE 4 ).

Coloration. In 10% formalin, head, dorsum and lateral sides dark gray or dark brown. Ventral portion of mouth, chest, and abdomen yellowish. Dorsal, pectoral, pelvic and anal fins dark greyish. Distal dorsal marginal region of pectoral-fin light brown. Pelvic-fin margin light brown. Caudal fin greyish, with distal margins of lobes faint black. A distinct black stripe along the middle of the caudal fin, extending onto first to third rays of upper lobe and first to fourth rays of lower lobe. A series of distinct black spots at base of second to sixth branched dorsal-fin rays ( Fig. 5 View FIGURE 5 ). Six distinct narrow black stripes extending to the posterior margin of the hypural plate. A black spot on opercle immediately anterior to upper angle of gill opening.

Distribution and habitat. Garra nambashiensis is presently known only from the Taretlok River at Nambashi Valley, Kasom Khullen, Kamjong District of Manipur, India ( Fig. 6 View FIGURE 6 ). The new species was collected from swiftflowing riffles with algae-covered gravel beds, and a mixed substrate comprising cobbles, boulders, pebbles, sand, fine silt, and coarse sediments ( Fig. 7 View FIGURE 7 ). Co-occurring species include Glyptothorax lairamkhullensis, Mastacembelus armatus, Psilorhynchus ngathanu, Schistura reticulata, Garra hexagonarostris , and Neolissochilus stracheyi .

Etymology. The specific epithet is a noun in apposition, referring to the name of the village, Nambashi Valley in Kasom Khullen, Kamjong District, Manipur, India – the type locality of the species.