Bioscience Discovery, 8(3): 613-618, July - 2017

© RUT Printer and Publisher

Print & Online, Open Access, Research Journal Available on http://jbsd.in
ISSN: 2229-3469 (Print); ISSN: 2231-024X (Online)
Research Article

Pristolepis pauciradiatus, a new fish species (Perciformes:

Pristolepididae) from Myanmar
Zoobank bank Reg. No.: urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:8B590758-9DEF-40DD-BFC4-05E12C236B32
urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:EDA3FC0F-04B2-4914-8AB5-8CCE65C1A2C2

Mathews Plamoottil1* and Than Win2

1
Baby John Memorial Government College, Chavara, Kerala, India
2
Department of Zoology, Hpa-An University, Kayin State, Myanmar
* mathewsplamoottil@gmail.com

Article Info Abstract

Received: 20-05-2017,
A new Pristolepis species from Myanmar is described and scientifically named.
Revised: 11-07-2017, It differs from its congeners in having XIII dorsal spines, 15 dorsal soft rays, 15-
Accepted: 18-07-2017 16 pectoral fin rays, 5- 6 scales between lateral line and dorsal fin, 12 ½ scales
between lateral line and ventral fin and in possessing a distinct brownish blotch
Keywords:
below pectoral fin. The new species is taxonomically analyzed and compared
Percoid fishes, Taxonomy, with its congeners.
Pristolepis pentacantha,
Pristolepis procerus

INTRODUCTION species in south India. P. rubripinis (Britz et al.

Fishes of the genus Pristolepis Jerdon includes 2012), P. pentacantha (Plamoottil, 2014) and P.
economically important freshwater fishes procerus (Plamoottil, 2017) are the Pristolepis
distributed in the water bodies of India and species described recently from water bodies of
Southeast Asian countries. These are widely used as India. The present fish described from Myanmar
aquarium and food fishes. They are moderately possesses characters of the genus Pristolepis but
sized fishes with laterally compressed body with carries enough features to distinguish it from its
spiny dorsal, ventral and anal fins. They can further congeners. So it is described here as a new species
be recognized among other percoid fishes by their Pristolepis pauciradiatus
greatly enlarged basibranchial tooth plate, studded
with globular teeth that bite against a similar tooth MATERIALS AND METHODS
patch on the parsphenoid. Fishes were collected using cast nets and preserved
Pristolepis is a poorly recognized genus (Britz, in 10% formalin. Methods used are those of
1995) with only 8 species. Jerdon (1849) described Jayaram (2002) and measurements follow standard
Pristolepis marginata from Wayanad hills of practices. Specimens of different species of
Kerala, India. Bleeker (1851) described P. Pristolepis collected by the first author as
fasciatus (Catopra fasciata) from rivers of Borneo; comparative materials are deposited in the museum
it is now considered as a widely distributed species of Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) at Kolkata,
(Kottelat et al., 1993, Kottelat, 2001). Catopra Zoological Survey of India Western Ghats Regional
malabarica described by Guenther (1864) from Centre at Kozhikode (ZSI/WGRC),
Mundakkayam of Kerala is also a widely distributed

http://biosciencediscovery.com 613 ISSN: 2231-024X (Online)

 Mathews Plamoottil and Than Win
Zoological Survey of India, North Eastern Regional of lateral line starts ½ 2 ½ scales below upper part
Centre, Shillong (ZSI/NERC) and Zoological of lateral line. 3- 4 scales overlap between upper
Survey of India Andaman & Nicobar Regional and lower branches of lateral line. Many distinct
Centre, Port Blair (ZSI/ANRC). Specimens of the broken longitudinal lines present above and below
new fishes are now deposited in Govt. Museum of lateral line. Scales present all over the head except
Freshwater Biology Regional Centre, Zoological pre orbital. Bases of soft dorsal, soft anal and
Survey of India at Hyderabad (FBRC/ZSI). caudal fin scaly.
Habitat: Specimens of P. pauciradiatus were
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION collected from the freshwater stream (Fig 3 & 4)
Pristolepis pauciradiatus, sp. nov Hlaing Chaung, Hpa-An, Kayin State, 16°57' 08,1"
(Fig. 1& 2; Table 1 & 2) N, 97° 44' 44.9" E. At the time of collection the
Type specimens: Holotype: ZSI/FBRC/F/2397, stream was a little turbid and slow-flowing It was
136.0 mm SL, a freshwater stream, Kayin, 20 m wide and 3 m deep and bottom of this stream
Myanmar, coll. Than Win, 29. 03. 2017; Paratypes: was muddy. The stream was surrounded on all
ZSI/FBRC/F/2398, 2, 98.0- 117.5 mm SL, same sides by paddy fields. Riparian vegetation was
data as Holotype moderate. Notopterus notopterus, Gymnostomus
Diagnosis: Pristolepis pauciradiatus can be horai., Systomus rubripinnis, Puntius
distinguished from all its congeners in having XIII burmanicus.,Osteobrama belangeri,
dorsal spines, 15 dorsal fin soft rays, 5-6 scales Amblypharyngodon mola, Mystus falcarius,
between lateral line and dorsal fin and 12½ scales Hemibagrus microphthalmus, Ompok bimaculatus,
between lateral line and ventral fin. The new Wallago attu, Parambassis ranga. etc are the co-
species can further be distinguished from its relative occurring fish species.
species in having a distinct brown spot on the base Etymology. The species name pauciradiatus is
of pectoral fin. taken from Latin, meaning ‘having few rays’, with
Description: For general appearance see figures 1 reference to the fewer dorsal spines than other
& 2. Meristic counts presented in Table 1 and members of genus. The common name ‘lesser
morphometric data provided in Table 2. Body spined catopra’ is suggested.
strongly laterally compressed; depth 42.5- 46.3 % Comparison: Britz et al., (2012) recognized only
SL. Dorsal contour rising gradually from snout four Pristolepis species namely P. marginata, P.
towards the occiput, ventral profile almost straight; fasciata, P. grootii and P. rubripinnis. They
head 35.7- 38.8 % SL, pointed towards the snout; considered P. malabarica as a synonym of P.
orbits inserted on the anterior half of head. Anterior marginata and followed the view of of Talwar &
nostrils are in tubes and posterior ones are round Jhingran (1991) and Jayaram (2010). Jerdon (1849)
openings. Mouth slightly upturned; lower jaw a described Pristolepis marginata from Wayanad of
little longer than the upper one. Pre orbital with 8- Kerala as one with 4 anal spines, 15 dorsal spines
10 strong serrations; 13- 18 strong spines present on and dorsal fin and caudal fin margins with orange
at the angle of pre opercle; opercle with two sharp red color. But all the scientists after Jerdon (1849)
spines; outer rows of teeth in jaws enlarged and could not find a species with characters as
externally visible. Dorsal spines originate above mentioned by Jerdon. They considered a
and posterior to pectoral fin base. 6-7 dorsal spines Pristolepis with 3 anal spines and 14 dorsal spines
are longer than remaining ones, last spine attached and fin margin without an orange color as Jerdon’s
with fist dorsal soft ray. Inter spinous membrane Pristolepis. Recently Plamoottil (2013)
deeply emarginated. Soft dorsal fin located rediscovered the original Pristolepis with the same
considerably in front of soft anal fin; tip of the character stated by Jerdon (1849). Plamoottil &
former reach behind middle of caudal fin. Pectoral Abraham (2013) collected many specimens of
fin inserted in front of first dorsal spine and its tip Pristolepis malabarica from its type locality and
extends as far as backwards as the ventral tip. resurrected it from its synonymy with P. marginata.
Ventral fin tip never reach anal opening. Second A five anal spined Pristolepis namely P.
and third anal spines equal in length and longer than pentacantha was also been discovered (Plamoottil,
the first. Third anal spine found attached to first soft 2014, 2015) from near the type locality of P.
anal ray. Lateral line passes through 21- 22 scales marginata and P. malabarica.
and then ceases below 8th soft dorsal ray; lower part

http://jbsd.in 614 ISSN: 2229-3469 (Print)

 Bioscience Discovery, 8(3): 613-618, July - 2017
Pristolepis pauciradiatus is a percoid fish with (vs. 9) scales below lateral line. The new species
distinct differences from its congeners. It differs differs from P. malabarica Gunther in having XIII
from its relative species in many reliable taxonomic (vs. XIV) dorsal spines, 15 (vs. 11- 12) dorsal soft
characters. Its humeral blotch, lesser number of rays, 15- 16 (vs. 12- 14) pectoral fin rays, 5- 6 (vs.
dorsal spines, greater number of pectoral and soft 3½) scales between lateral line and dorsal fin and
dorsal rays is helpful in demarcating this species 12½ (vs.8½ -10½) scales between lateral line and
from its congeners. The new species differs from P. ventral fin. P. pauciradiatus differs from P.
fasciatus (Bleeker, 1851) in having a plain body marginata in having III (vs. IV) anal spines, 15- 16
(vs. with distinct vertical bands), XIII (vs. XIV) (vs. 13- 14) pectoral fin rays, 15 (vs. 12) dorsal soft
dorsal spines and 5- 6 (vs. 4) scales between lateral rays, XIII (vs. XV) dorsal spines and 5- 6 (vs. 4½)
line and dorsal fin. Pristolepis pauciradiatus can be scales above lateral line. The new species differs
distinguished from P. grooti (Bleeker, 1852) in from Pristolepis
having 5- 6 (vs. 3) scales above lateral line and 12½

Fig. 1. Freshly collected Pristolepis pauciradiatus, Holotype; Fig. 2. P. pauciradiatus, preserved,

Paratype.

Fig. 3. Type locality of P. pauciradiatus; Fig. 4. Map showing type locality

http://biosciencediscovery.com 615 ISSN: 2231-024X (Online)

 Mathews Plamoottil and Than Win
Table 1. Meristic counts of Pristolepis pauciradiatus

SL. CHARACTERS HOLOTYPE RANGE

NO.
1 Dorsal fin spines XIII XIII
2 Dorsal fin soft rays 15 15
3 Pectoral fin rays 15 15- 16
4 Ventral fin spines I I
5 Ventral fin rays 5 5
6 Anal fin spines III III
7 Anal fin soft rays 9 8-9
8 Caudal fin rays i, 12, i i, 12, i
9 Lateral line scales 21/8 21- 22/ 8
10 Pre dorsal scales 16 16
11 Scales between lateral line and dorsal fin 5 5-6
12 Scales between lateral line and ventral fin 12½ 12½
13 Scales between anal fin and lateral line 9½ 9½- 10½
14 Overlapping scales 3 3-4

pentacantha Plamoottil in having 15- 16 (vs. 14) SL, Mundakkayam, Manimala River, Kerala,
pectoral fin rays, 15 (vs.11) dorsal fin rays, XIII (vs. collected by Mathews Plamoottil, 14.10.2012.
XV- XVI) dorsal spines, III (vs. V) anal spines, 8- 9 Pristolepis marginata: ZSI FF 4935, 8 exs, 82.0
(vs. 7) anal soft rays and 5- 6 (vs. 4) scales above mm- 103.0 mm SL, Valloorkkavu, Mananthavady
lateral line. The new species further differs from the River, Wayanad, Kerala, collected by Mathews
five anal spined Pristolepis in having longer (35.7- Plamoottil, 20.03.2013.
38.8 vs. 33.3- 35.4) head, deeper body (42.5- 46.3 Pristolepis pentacantha: Holotype: ZSI FF 5191,
vs. 40.0- 41.3) and greater base of spined dorsal fin 94.5 mm SL, India: Kerala, Bavali, Kabani River,
(42.8-45.6 vs. 47.1- 49.7). P. pauciradiatus diifers Wayanad, coll. Mathews Plamoottil, 10 January
from P. rubripinnis Britz et al., in having XIII 2012. Paratype: ZSI FF 5192, 70.0 mm SL India:
(vs.XIV) dorsal spines, 15 (vs. 14) dorsal soft rays Kerala, 11 January 2012, same data as holotype.
and 15- 16 (vs. 14) pectoral fin rays. The new Pristolepis rubripinnis: STC/DOZ/55, 4 exs, 100-
species further differs from P. rubripinnis in having 136 mm SL, Edathua, Pampa River, Kerala,
hyaline (vs. orange red) fins. P. pauciradiatus collected by Mathews Plamoottil, 10.01.2013.
differs from P. procerus Plamootil in having XIII Pristolepis procerus: Holotype: ZSI/NERC//4057,
(vs. XIV) dorsal spines, 15 (vs. 13) dorsal rays, 15- 85.0 mm SL, 10 December, 2013, Chaliyar,
16 (vs. 13-14) pectoral fin rays, 21-22 / 8 (vs. 19- Kozhikode District, Kerala, India; coll.Mathews
21/10) lateral line scales, 3- 4 (vs. 2) overlapping Plamoottil. Paratypes: ZSI/ANRC/16619, 72 mm
scales, 5- 6 (vs. 4½) scales above lateral line and SL, same information as in the Holotype.
12½ (vs. 9½) scales between lateral line and ventral Pristolepis fasciata and P. grooti: Data taken from
fin. As Pristolepis tetracantha (Gunther, 1862) is a original description and from Britz et al (2012).
subjective synonym of P. marginata (Britz et al., CONCLUSION
2012 & Plamoottil, 2013) no comparison is Pristolepis pauciradiatus is a percoid fish with
included here. distinctive differences from its congeners. Its fin
Comparative Material; Pristolepis malabarica: ray counts and scale counts are very peculiar and
ZSI/WGRC/IR/2373, 10 exs, 63-88 mm SL, unseen in other Pristolepis species. Many
Mundakkayam, Manimala River, Kerala, collected researchers reported Pristolepis fasciatus from
by Mathews Plamoottil, 8.10.2011, 9.12.2011 and Myanmar. But these authors doubt its presence in
9.12.2012; ZSI FF 4937, 2 exs, 65.0-69.0 mm SL, Myanmar; it may be a misidentification of the new
Mundakkayam, Manimala River, Kerala, collected species. It is expected that more taxonomic works
by Mathews Plamoottil, 14.10.2012; may be conducted on Pristolepis species of
UOK/AQB/F/112 and 113, 2 exs, 60.0-65.0 mm Southeast Asian countries in near future.

http://jbsd.in 616 ISSN: 2229-3469 (Print)

 Bioscience Discovery, 8(3): 613-618, July - 2017

Table 2. Morphometric Characters of Pristolepis pauciradiatus, sp. nov

SL. Characters Holotype Range Mean

No
1 Total Length (mm) 173.0 129.5- 173.0 151.0
2 Standard Length (mm) 136.0 98.0- 136.0 117.2
3 Head Length (mm) 51.0 38.0 - 51.0 43.7
% SL
4 Head length 37.5 35.7- 38.8 37.3
5 Head depth 37.5 36.7-40.0 38.1
6 Head width 20.6 20.4-20.6 20.5
7 Body depth at dorsal fin 46.3 42.5- 46.3 44.2
8 Body depth at anal fin 49.3 42.8- 49.3 45.5
9 Body width at dorsal fin 19.8 18.7- 20.4 19.6
10 Body width at anal fin 13.2 10.2- 13.2 11.9
11 Predorsal distance 41.2 40.8- 42.7 41.6
12 Post dorsal distance 69.8 68.4- 70.6 69.6
13 Pre pectoral distance 37.5 34.0- 38.8 36.8
14 Pre pelvic distance 43.4 39.1- 44.4 42.3
15 Pre anal distance 75.7 68.1-75.7 72.4
16 Length of soft dorsal fin 22.1 18.7-22.4 21.1
17 Length of spinous dorsal fin 14.7 14.3- 15.3 14.8
18 Length of pectoral fin 27.2 25.5- 28.1 26.9
19 Length of pelvic fin 22.8 22.8- 24.5 23.4
20 Length of soft anal fin 22.1 15.3-22.1 18.9
21 Length of spinous anal fin 12.5 12.5- 15.3 13.7
22 Length of base of spinous dorsal 45.6 42.8-45.6 44.0
23 Length of base of soft dorsal fin 20.6 20.6-22.5 21.8
24 Length of base of anal fin 22.8 22.4-23.8 23.0
25 Distance from pelvic to anal fin 30.9 30.6-30.9 30.7
26 Distance from anal to caudal fin 31.6 31.6-34.5 32.6
27 Length of caudal fin 27.2 27.2-32.1 29.1
28 Length of caudal peduncle 7.4 7.4- 15.3 11.0
29 Depth of caudal peduncle 18.4 17.0- 18.4 17.8
30 Width of caudal peduncle 3.7 3.7- 4.2 4.0
31 Distance from ventral to vent 25 22.9-25.5 24.5
32 Distance from anal to vent 5.1 5.1- 6.1 5.7
% HL
33 Head depth 100.0 94.7- 111.9 102.2
34 Head width 55.0 52.6-57.1 54.9
35 Eye diameter 25.5 25.5-28.9 27.7
36 Inter orbital width 19.6 17.6-26.2 21.1
37 Inter narial width 25.1 23.7- 25.1 24.2
38 Snout length 27.4 26.2- 27.4 26.6
39 Width of mouth gape 31.4 28.6- 31.4 29.6

Acknowledgement REFERENCES
The first author acknowledges Principal, Baby John Britz R, 1995. Zur phylogenetischen Systematik der
Memorial Government College Chavara, Kerala for Anabantoidei (Teleostei, Percomorpha) unter
providing the necessary facilities. Both authors are Berücksichtigung der Stellung des Genus
grateful to anonymous reviewers for comments that Luciocephalus. Morphologische und ethologische
helped to improve the manuscript. Untersuchungen. PhD Thesis, Universität Tübingen,
Germany.

http://biosciencediscovery.com 617 ISSN: 2231-024X (Online)

 Mathews Plamoottil and Than Win
Britz R, Kumar K. and Baby F, 2012. Pristolepis Kottelat M, Whitten AJ, Kartikasari SN and
rubripinnis, a new species of fish from Southern Wirjoatmodjo S, 1993. Freshwater fishes of
India (Teleostei: Percomorpha: Pristolepididae), Western Indonesia and Sulawesi.Periplus Editions,
Zootaxa, 3345:59- 68. Hong Kong, xxxviii + 259 pp, 84 pls.
Jerdon TC, 1849. On the freshwater fishes of Kottelat M, 2001. Fishes of Laos. WHT
Southern India. Madras J. Lit. Sci., 15:141. Publications (Pte) Ltd., Colombo, 198 pp, 48 pls.
Bleeker P, 1851. Derde bijdrage tot de kennis der Plamoottil M, 2013. Rediscovery of Pristolepis
ichthyologische fauna van Borneo, met beschrijving marginata Jerdon (Teleostei: Percomorpha:
van eenige nieuwe soorten van zoetwatervisschen. Pristolepididae) after one and a half century.
Natuurkundig Tijdschrift voor Nederlandsch Indië, Research Journal of Animal Vetenary and Fisheries
2, 57–70. Science, 1 (7): 16- 20.
Bleeker P, 1852. Bijdrage tot de kennis der Plamoottil M and Abraham NP, 2013..
ichthyologische fauna van Blitong (Billiton), met Rediscovery of Pristolepis malabarica after oneand
beschrijving van eenige nieuwe soorten van half century. Journal of Advanced Zoology, 34 (1):
zoetwatervisschen. Natuurkundig Tijdschrift voor 28- 35.
Nederlandsch Indië, 3, 87–100 . Plamoottil M, 2014. Pristolepis pentacantha, a
Günther A, 1862. Descriptions of new species of new fish species (Perciformes: Pristolepidae) from
reptiles and fishes in the collection of the British Kerala, International Journal of Scientific
Museum. Proceedings of the General Meetings for Research, 3 (5): 552- 554.India
Scientific Business of the Zoological Society of Plamoottil M, 2017. Pristolepis procerus
London, 188–194. (Perciformes: Pristolepididae), a new fish species
Günther A, 1864. Descriptions of three new from Kerala, India. European Journal of Zoological
species of fishes in the collection of the British Research, 2017, 5 (1):40-44.
Museum, The Annals and Magazine of Natural Plamoottil M, 2015. Validation of Pristolepis
History, 3rd Series, 14: 374–376 pentacantha Plamoottil. International Journal of
Jayaram KC, 2002. Fundamentals of fish Pure and Applied Zoology, 3(2): 142-143.
taxonomy. Narendra publishing House, Delhi, 53-65 Talwar PK and Jhingran A, 1991. Inland fishes of
Jayaram KC, 2010. The freshwater fishes of the India and adjacent countries. Oxford and IBH
Indian region, 2nd Edition. Narendra Publications, publishing Co., New Delhi, 250- 286.
Delhi, 459

How to Cite this Article:

Mathews Plamoottil and Than Win, 2017. Pristolepis pauciradiatus, a new fish species (Perciformes:
Pristolepididae) from Myanmar. Bioscience Discovery, 8(3):613-618.

http://jbsd.in 618 ISSN: 2229-3469 (Print)