Pararasbora moltrechti Regan 1908
Creators: name: Yeh, Ming-Fon
name: Jang-Liaw, Nian-Hong
name: Chang, Shih-Tsang
name: Han, Chiao-Chuan
name: Ho, Lin-Tai
name: Wang, Shen-Chih
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2024
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Chordata
Actinopterygii
Cypriniformes
Cyprinidae
Pararasbora
Pararasbora moltrechti

description: Pararasbora moltrechti Regan, 1908
(Figs 1–6)
Pararasbota moltrechti Regan, 1908: 360 (Lake Candidius—Sun Moon Lake, Taiwan); Chen & Fang, 1999: 82.
Aphyocypris amnis Liao et al., 2011: 658 (Jusheui River basin, Taiwan).
Material examined
Lectotype. BMNH 1909.4.28.24, 54.8 mm SL, coll. A. Moltrecht., Lake Candidius, Taiwan.
NMNSF000273, 7 specimens, 38.6–55.4 mm SL, Dajar River basin, Shinsher County, Taichung, Coll. NH Jang-Liaw, 13 November 2003.
NTOUP-2006-07-245, 10 specimens, 43.6–68.5 mm SL, Wu River basin, Nantou County, Taiwan, N.H. Jang-Liaw et al., July, 2006.
NTOUP-2007-05-303, 14 specimens, 54.3–86.6 mm SL, Jushuei River basin, Nantou County, Taiwan, N.H. Jang-Liaw et al., May, 2007.
Redescription
Dorsal fin 3+7; anal fin 3+7; pectoral fin 1+12–13; pelvic fin 1+7; gill racker modally 8; pharyngeal teeth 4, 4 – 4, 4; lateral fin scales 34–37; scales above lateral line 6–7; scales below lateral line 2; predorsal scale rows 19–20. No distinct difference between river basins.
Body elongate and compressed; a ventral keel extending from point of origin of pelvic fin to anus. All body proportion shown in Table 1. No distinct morphometric differences between the population of Wu—Dajar river basins and population of Jushuei River basins.
Head rather wide and moderately large. Eye very large. Snout rather short. Maxillary rather oblique, extending just beyond vertical of orbit. No barbel. Body with moderate cycloid scales. Dorsal fin origin closer to caudal fin base rather than snout. Dorsal and anal fin origin with larger anterior rays. Caudal fin forked.
Coloration when alive
Body brownish gray dorsally and mainly sliver laterally with some golden tone. Belly silver to white. Body scattered with vertical, small grayish black marks concentrating more densely in front of rear tip of anal fin base. Eye with a grayish region above pupil. Dorsal and anal fins grayish with somewhat pinkish to orange tones. Caudal fin generally grayish with pinkish centrally.
There are no distinct differences in coloration of specimens around these three different river basins in Taiwan.
Distribution
The species can be found in three main basins: The Dajar River basin, Wu River basin, and Jushuei River basin in Taiwan (Chen & Fang, 1999; Chen & Chang, 2005). It is an endemic species of Taiwan. However, some fish populations have been released and introduced into the Lanyang River basin, Ilan county, potentially seriously threatening and causing the degradation of the native population of Aphyocypris kikuchii.
description: Published as part of Yeh, Ming-Fon, Jang-Liaw, Nian-Hong, Chang, Shih-Tsang, Han, Chiao-Chuan, Ho, Lin-Tai & Wang, Shen-Chih, 2024, Pararasbora moltrechti Regan, 1908, a senior synonym of Aphyocypris amnis Liao et al., 2011 (Teleostei: Cyprinidae) in Taiwan with morphological and molecular evidence, pp. 271-277 in Zootaxa 5550 (1) on pages 272-275, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5550.1.27, http://zenodo.org/record/14389110