A New Species of the Genus Garra from Nujiang River Basin, Yunnan, China (Teleostei: Cyprinidae)

A new species of the subfamily Labeoninae, Garra nujiangensis Chen and Yang, sp. nov. is recognized from a secondary branch of Nujiang River (upper Salween) in Zhenkang county, Yunnan province, China. It can be distinguished from other beardless Garra species by the following combination of characters: 12 -14 circumpeduncle scales; 48-50 lateral- line scales; a pair of rudimentary rostral barbels present in little individuals; 8 -9 branched dorsal-fin rays; 5 -6 scales between dorsal-fin origin and lateral line and 3 -4 scales between pelvic-fin origin and lateral line; caudal peduncle relatively stouter; length between snout tip to posterior margin of eye longer than body depth at anal fin origin; head length longer than body depth at dorsal fin origin; prepelvic length 50.0%-53.7% of standard length; pre-anus length 58.9-63.9% of standard length; body width 16.7%- 19.6% of standard length; body depth at dorsal fin 19.2%-22.6% of standard length. The present study also verified that the presence of tiny barbells is a juvenile character in some beardless Garra species, such as G. nujiangensis and G. alticorpora.