Beaufortia pingi
Creators: name: Chen, Jing-Chen
name: Li, Jia-Jia
name: Tang, Wen-Qiao
name: Pu, Xin-Rui
name: Lei, Hao-Tian
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2024
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Chordata
Cypriniformes
Balitoridae
Beaufortia
Beaufortia pingi

description: Beaufortia pingi (Fang 1930)
Fig. 14
Gastromyzon pingi Fang, 1930: 31–34 (original description: former Lingyun County, near the border of Yunnan and Guangxi; Damaoping Village, Lingyun County, Guangxi). Nichols (1943): 231.
Beaufortia pingi: Hora (1932): 319.
Gastromyzon pingi: Nichols (1943): 231.
Beaufortia pingi: Chen (1980): 113–114 (Xi River, Guangxi).
Comparative materials.
23 specimens from type locality, SHOU 20240102201-217, SHOU 20240126201-206, 27.64–56.89 mm SL, were collected by Qian-Yu Liang and Jing-Chen Chen from December 2022 to January 2024; 15 specimens from Youjiang District, Baise City, Guangxi Province, China, SHOU 20240110201-204, SHOU 20240127201-211, 43.53–56.28 mm SL, were collected by Qian-Yu Liang and Jing-Chen Chen from December 2021 to January 2024; 12 specimens from Debao County, Baise City, Guangxi Province, China, SHOU 20240112201-202, SHOU 20240103201-210, 44.53–58.12 mm SL, were collected by Qian-Yu Liang from April 2023 to January 2024.
Diagnosis.
B. pingi shares the typical characteristics with members of the B. pingi species group, with distinct vertical stripes on the flank and a pinnate-type lower lip (vs. lacking prominent vertical stripes and having a dicot-type lower lip in other congeneric species apart from this group) (see Figs 6 A, 7, Table 2). B. pingi can be clearly distinguished from B. granulopinna sp. nov. by absent or inconspicuous tubercles on pectoral fin rays (vs. well-developed tubercles present on anterior 6–9 rays of pectoral fins); paired fins with more branched rays, with 21–24 (mean 22.19 ± 0.78) in pectoral fins and 17–21 (mean 18.64 ± 0.97) in pelvic fins (vs. 18.5–22 (mean 20.11 ± 0.77) and 15–18 (mean 16.51 ± 0.86)). B. pingi can be clearly distinguished from B. viridis sp. nov. by vertical stripes uneven in length and width and a significant proportion (94.00 %) of adults displaying blurred or vanished stripes on the mid-section flank (vs. the stable presence of uniform vertical stripes in length, width, and inter-spacing at all growth stages). B. pingi differs from B. zebroida by having a larger proportion of adults with blurred or vanished mid-section vertical stripes (vs. stable presence of vertical stripes) and body dark brown to green in dorsal profile (vs. brown yellow to golden).
Redescription.
Dorsal iii- 7–8 (7.08 ± 0.27), anal ii- 3–4 (3.98 ± 0.14); pectoral i- 21–24 (22.19 ± 0.78); pelvic i- 17–21 (18.64 ± 0.97). Lateral-line canal pores and scales: 68–92 (75.28 ± 4.01).
Morphometric measurements for the specimens examined are given in Table 3. See Fig. 14 for lateral, dorsal, and ventral views of the body.
Body closely resembles B. viridis sp. nov. in general shape and structure but significantly different in stripes pattern and coloration. Tubercles on rays absent or poor developed, only faintly visible in large males.
Coloration in preservation.
Preserved specimens from sub-adult to adult stage, body dark brown to grey, white ventrally. Head with black spots or vermiculation dorsally, 2–5 larger black blotches along mid-dorsal body anterior to dorsal fin. Sides of body with 4–15 vertical dark stripes, length and width of stripes uneven. In smaller individuals, stripes clear and distinguishable, in larger individuals, a significant proportion possesses a blur region before caudal peduncle, extending to dorsal fin origin at maximum, caudal peduncle with 2–5 distinct vertical stripes. Paired fin margins hyaline or pale white, inner edges with continuous or dotted black arc. Dorsal fin hyaline, with black stripes, one black spot on the root before the first branched ray.
Coloration in live.
In life, dorsal body dark brown to green. Mature individuals with metallic green longitudinal band along lateral line, area below lateral line behind pelvic fins and base of paired fins sometimes light orange, fin membranes pale green.
Sexual dimorphism.
In fully mature individuals, males slightly larger than females, with well-developed nuptial tubercles (see Fig. 8 C, D).
Geographic variation.
Compared to type locality, Lingyun County, Guangxi, population in Debao County, Guangxi with more compressed body, and more elongated tail (see Fig. 14 B, Table 4).
Individual variation.
Among 50 specimens, four (SHOU 20240102213, SHOU 20240102215, SHOU 20240126205, and SHOU 20240127211) with eight dorsal fin-branched rays; one (SHOU 20240127204) with three anal fin-branched rays.
Ethology.
Inhabits shallow streams with rapid currents and smooth pebble substrates that adhere to crevices between stones. Feeds on algae and small invertebrates and consumes mucus from fresh fish carcasses. Exhibits territorial behavior and aggression; adults may head-butt and extend dorsal fins to drive away rivals.
Distribution.
Found exclusively in the small tributaries of the Chengbi River and Jian River to the You River basin, upper reaches of the Pearl River system, Western Guangxi, China (see Fig. 9).
description: Published as part of Chen, Jing-Chen, Li, Jia-Jia, Tang, Wen-Qiao, Pu, Xin-Rui & Lei, Hao-Tian, 2024, Taxonomic resolution of the hillstream suck-loach Beaufortia pingi species group (Cypriniformes, Gastromyzontidae) and two new species from Southwest China – Beaufortia granulopinna and Beaufortia viridis, pp. 941-963 in Zoosystematics and Evolution 100 (3) on pages 941-963, DOI: 10.3897/zse.100.124370