A new Myloplus is described from the Tocantins-Araguaia basin. The new species is distinguished from its congeners, except from M. levis, by having a black marking on the distal portion of the anterior anal-fin rays. It differs from M. levis by having 19-21 branched dorsal-fin rays (vs. 23-27). The new species is widely distributed throughout the upper and middle reaches of the Rio Tocantins basin, and also the Rio Araguaia and its tributaries.
Two new Chinese species of Gobiobotia are described from southern China. Both are placed in the species group having an unscaled region of the abdomen adjacent to the ventral midline extending to pelvic-fin insertions. Gobiobotia incarinatus, from the Gan-Jiang in Jiangxi Province, is distinguished from other species of the group by a combination of more vertebrae, more lateral-line pored scales and non-keeled scales on the predorsal body above the lateral line. Gobiobotia bouommatos, from the Liu-Jiang in Guangxi Province and the Yuan-Jiang in Hunan Province, is distinguished from other members of this group with fewer vertebrae, fewer lateral line pored scales and its colour pattern exclusive of G. paucirastella, further from G. paucirastella by keeled scales on the predorsal body above the lateral line. A molecular phylogenetic analysis based on the cytochrome b gene and significant genetic distances with sampled congeneric species support the specific distinctness of the two new species. The specific status of G. intermedia, G. fukiensis and G. yuanjiangensis is also scrutinised based on our examination of type material and molecular evidence.
Limbochromis robertsi is an endangered freshwater cichlid fish species with a distribution limited to the upper tributaries of the Pra River in Eastern Ghana. The land cover in most parts of its range has undergone substantial changes. Deforestation and forest fragmentation in the Eastern Region of Ghana accelerated dramatically in the last 20 years, with the majority of the forest loss along the banks of rivers and creeks due to artisanal small-scale mining (primarily for gold) and agriculture. Field surveys showed a decrease in the total population of L. robertsi by more than 95 % from the early 1990s to 2021. A small population which has been found about 20 years ago in the Western Region of Ghana was not found again. Because of the great decline of the species a stronger conservation and conservation status for it are suggested, as well as breeding programs combining in-situ and ex-situ methods. Potential habitats for re-establishing populations of L. robertsi were also investigated.
A new species of Hypostomus with blunt head is described from the medium and upper portions of the Rio Tocantins basin in Central Brazil. The new species inhabits rocky-bottom, small to large rivers of the Rio Tocantins basin and reaches moderate full size. The new species can be distinguished from all its congeners mainly by having teeth crowns with ellipsoidal medial cusp, deep and moderate body size, large eyes, absence of keels on lateral series of plates, large and faded dark blotches over a clearer body background, and by having a flap-shaped median buccal papilla.
A new species of swamp eel, Ophichthys terricolus, is described from Assam, India. The new species closely resembles the common Ophichthys cuchia but differs from this species by having fewer abdominal vertebrae (79-80 vs. 95-100), a longer preanal and shorter postanal region, and a wider and higher posterior part of the body.
