Luciobarbus mascarensis Brahimi & Freyhof & Henrard & Libois 2017, new species
Creators: name: Brahimi, Amina
name: Freyhof, Jörg
name: Henrard, Arnaud
name: Libois, Roland
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2017
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Chordata
Actinopterygii
Cypriniformes
Cyprinidae
Luciobarbus
Luciobarbus mascarensis

description: Luciobarbus mascarensis, new species
(Figs. 6–8)
Holotype: RMCA 2016-024 -P-0017, 126.1 mm SL; Algeria: Mascara prov.: Oued Taria north of Meftah Sidi Boubekeur, 35.109848°N, 0.0673°E; A. Brahimi, A. El-Najar & M. Kadjame, 1 May 2016.
Paratypes. RMCA 2016-024 -P-0018-0026, 9, 66– 188 mm SL; same data as holotype.— FSJF 3283, 4, 75–121 mm SL; Algeria: Oued el Hammam upriver of Hacine, 35.444265°N 0.035043°E.
Material for molecular analyses. RMCA DNA- 2016-024 -P-M09-M22; Algeria: Mascara prov.: Oued Taria north of Meftah Sidi Boubekeur, 35.109848°N, 0.0673°E (GenBank accession numbers: Cyt b: KY828030, KY828031, KY828032, KY828033, KY828034, KY828035, KY828036, KY828037, KY828038, KY828039, KY828040, KY828041, KY828042, KY828043; D-loop: KY828082, KY828083, KY828084, KY828085, KY828086, KY828087, KY828088, KY828089, KY828090, KY828091, KY828092, KY828093, KY828094, KY828095).
Diagnosis. Luciobarbus mascarensis is distinguished from other Luciobarbus species from the African Mediterranean basin except L. chelifensis and L. leptopogon, by having usually 41+1–2 lateral line scales (vs. 49– 51+ 1–2 in L. biscarensis, 43–47+ 1–2 in L. callensis, 43–45+ 1–3 in L. rifensis and L. setivimensis, 42–45+ 1–2 in L. yahyaouii) (Table 6). Only L. chelifensis and L. leptopogon have regularly 41 lateral-line scales on the flank. Luciobarbus mascarensis is distinguished from L. chelifensis by having a longer anal-fin (19–22% SL vs. 18–19) and the dorsal fin serrated at 2/3 of its length (vs. serrated along almost its entire length) and from L. leptopogon by having a deeper body (body depth at dorsal-fin origin 26–31% SL vs. 20–27) and a wider caudal peduncle (caudal peduncle depth 74–84% caudal peduncle length vs. 60–74). Luciobarbus mascarensis is also distinguished from L. biscarensis by having 7½ scale rows between the lateral line and the dorsal-fin origin (vs. 8½–9½), 4½–5½ scale rows between the lateral line and the pelvic-fin origin (vs. 7½–8½), 4 unbranched dorsal-fin rays (vs. 5), the dorsalfin origin situated in front or above the pelvic-fin origin (vs. behind), a longer anal-fin (19–22% SL vs. 17–20), a short caudal peduncle (caudal peduncle length 15–17% SL vs. 16–19). It is further distinguished from L. callensis and L. rifensis by having a longer anal-fin (19–22% SL vs. 17–19 in L callensis, 16–19 in L. rifensis), a wider analfin base (7–10% SL vs. 6–8 in L. rifensis) and a wider caudal peduncle (caudal peduncle depth 74–84% caudal peduncle length vs. 60–78 in L. rifensis). Luciobarbus mascarensis is also distinguished from L. setivimensis by having a more narrow interorbital distance (36–40% HL vs. 40–44). The new species is also distinguished from L.
yahyaouii by having 4 unbranched dorsal-fin rays (vs. usually 5), a greater distance between the pelvic and anal-fin origins (24–28% SL vs. 21–24) and a shorter caudal peduncle (caudal peduncle length 15–17% SL vs. 16–19.4).
Species N Scales on the lateral line
41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 L. biscarensis 26 8 2 16 L. callensis 34 2 5 16 9 2 L. chelifensis 15 4 9 2
L. leptopogon 18 5 8 5
L.mascarensis 15 14 1
L. rifensis 19 10 6 3
L. setivimensis 30 6 9 5 8 2 L. yahyaouii 19 6 7 4 2
Description. See Figures 6–8 for general appearance. Morphometric data are given in Table 4 and meristic data are given in Table 5 and 6. Middle sized and stout species, with a moderately long head. Dorsal profile with a well-marked discontinuity between head and back. Body deepest at about midline between nape and dorsal-fin origin. Depth decreasing continuously towards caudal-fin base. Greatest body width between pectoral and dorsalfin origins. Caudal peduncle compressed, 1.2–1.3 times longer than its deep. Section of head roundish, flattened on ventral surface. Snout blunt. Mouth inferior. Dorsal-fin origin in front or almost above pelvic-fin origin. Anal-fin origin slightly behind vertical of middle between dorsal and caudal-fin origins. Anal fin reaching to caudal-fin base. Pectoral fin reaching approximately 59–77% of distance between pectoral-fin origin and pelvic-fin origin. Pelvic fin not reaching vertical of tip of last dorsal-fin ray when folded down. Pelvic fin reaching to a short distance in front of anus. Posterior dorsal-fin margin straight or slightly convex. Posterior pectoral-fin margin convex. Posterior anal-fin margin convex. Caudal fin forked with rounded lobes of equal size. Largest known specimen 140 mm SL, but expected to grow much larger.
Species N unbranched dorsal-fin rays N branched dorsal-fin rays branched pelvic-fin rays
3 4 5 7½ 8½ 9½ 7 8
L. biscarensis 26 26 64 5 59 22 42 L. callensis 34 19 4 60 60 60 L. chelifensis 15 15 26 26 2 24 L. leptopogon 18 18 39 39 1 38 L.mascarensis 15 13 29 29 5 24 L. rifensis 19 13 6 19 19 19 L. setivimensis 30 8 22 57 57 4 53 L. yahyaouii 19 1 18 29 27 2 4 25 Dorsal fin with 4 unbranched and 8½ branched rays, last unbranched ray ossified and serrated at 2/3 of its length. Anal fin with 3 unbranched and 5½ branched rays. Pectoral-fin with 13–16 (mode 15) and pelvic fin with 7–8 (mode 8) rays. Lateral line with 41 (n=14) and 43 (n=1) scales on flank and 1–2 scales on caudal-fin base.
Between dorsal-fin origin and lateral line 7½ scale rows and 4½ –5½ (mode 5½) scale rows between pelvic-fin origin and lateral line. Pharyngeal teeth in three rows: 4+3+2.
Coloration. Body yellowish brown in life and preserved individuals without colour pattern. Head plain brown, cheeks and ventral head and body whitish. Fins hyaline, usually with yellowish rays.
Etymology. Luciobarbus mascarensis is named for the Mascara region in western Algeria. A noun in genitive, indeclinable.
Distribution. Luciobarbus mascarensis was found in streams in the Macta River drainage in northwestern Algeria. See Figure 2 (22–24) for the distribution of African Mediterranean Luciobarbus species.
description: Published as part of Brahimi, Amina, Freyhof, Jörg, Henrard, Arnaud & Libois, Roland, 2017, Luciobarbus chelifensis and L. mascarensis, two new species from Algeria (Teleostei: Cyprinidae) in Zootaxa 4277 (1), DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4277.1.3, http://zenodo.org/record/809010