Luciobarbus chelifensis 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 chelifensis

description: Luciobarbus chelifensis, new species
(Figs. 3–5)
Holotype. RMCA 2016-024 -P-0010, 128 mm SL; Algeria: Chelif prov.: Oued Sly west of Ouled Ben Abdelkader village, 36.026609°N 1.266014°E; A. Brahimi, 23 Jun 2016.
Paratypes. RMCA 2016-024 -P-0011-0016, 6, 10 2 –152 mm SL; same data as holotype.
Material for molecular analyses. RMCA DNA- 2016-024 -P-Ch81, RMCA DNA-2016-024-P-Ch82, RMCA DNA-2016-024- P-Ch83, Algeria: Relizane prov.: Oued Rhiou at Sidi Abed village, 36.009889°N 0.992520°E (GenBank accession numbers: Cyt b: KY828044, KY828045, KY828046; D-loop: KY828098, KY828099, KY828100).— RMCA DNA- 2016-024 -P-Ch85, RMCA DNA-2016-024- P-Ch90, Algeria: Relizane prov.: Gagar Dam at Ouled Taieb village, 35.908391°N 1.008624°E (GenBank accession numbers: Cyt b: KY828047, KY828051; D-loop: KY828101, KY828097).— RMCA DNA- 2016-024 -P-Ch87, RMCA DNA-2016-024- P-Ch88, Algeria: Chelif prov.: Oued Sly west of Ouled Ben Abdelkader village, 36.026609°N 1.266014°E (GenBank accession numbers: Cyt b: KY828049, KY828050; D-loop: KY828103, KY828096).— RMCA DNA- 2016-024 - P- Ch 86, Algeria: Ain Defla prov.: Ghrib reservoir at Oued Chorffa, 36.140553°N 2.563226°E (GenBank accession numbers: Cyt b: KY828048; D-loop: KY828102).
Diagnosis. Luciobarbus chelifensis is distinguished from other Luciobarbus species from the African Mediterranean basins by a combination of characters, none of them unique. It is distinguished from all other species, except L. leptopogon, by having 41–43+1–2 lateral line scales (vs. 49–51+ 1–2 in L. biscarensis, 43–47+ 1– 2 in L. callensis, 43 to 45+ 1–3 in L. rifensis and L. setivimensis, 42–45+ 1–2 in L. yahyaouii). The new species also has a very short anal fin (anal-fin length 18–19% SL vs. 19–22 in L. leptopogon and L. setivimensis, 19–21 in L. yahyaouii). Luciobarbus chelifensis is also distinguished from L. leptopogon by having a smaller eye (14–16% HL vs. 16–20), a greater body depth at the dorsal-fin origin (25–31% SL vs. 20–27), a shorter pelvic-fin length (14– 16% SL vs. 16–20) and the last unbranched dorsal-fin ray being serrated along almost its entire length (vs. last unbranched dorsal-fin ray serrated along 2/3 of its length). It is further distinguished from L. biscarensis by having 4 unbranched dorsal-fin rays (vs. 5), 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) and the dorsal-fin origin being situated above the pelvic-fin origin (vs. behind). Luciobarbus chelifensis is further distinguished from L. callensis and L. rifensis by having a wider anal-fin base (8–10% SL vs. 5–8 in L. callensis and L. rifensis) and from L. setivimensis by the last unbranched ray being serrated along almost its entire length (vs. last unbranched ray serrated along 2/3 of its length) and having a narrower interorbital distance (36–40% HL vs. 40–44). The new species is also distinguished from L. yahyaouii by having always 4 unbranched dorsal-fin rays (vs. usually 5), the last unbranched dorsal-fin ray being serrated along almost its entire length (vs. serrated along 2/3 of its length) and having a shorter pelvic-fin length (14–16% SL vs. 16–19).
Description. See Figures 3–5 for general appearance. Morphometric data are given in Table 3 and meristic data are given in Table 5 and 6. A medium-sized species with a moderately long head. Body deepest at dorsal-fin origin or about midline between nape and dorsal-fin origin. Depth decreasing continuously towards caudal-fin base. Greatest body width in front of dorsal-fin base. Caudal peduncle compressed, 1.2–1.5 times longer than deep. Section of head roundish, flattened on ventral surface. Snout rounded. Mouth inferior. Dorsal-fin origin situated above pelvic-fin origin. Anal-fin origin slightly behind vertical of middle between dorsal and caudal-fin origins. Anal fin not reaching caudal-fin base. Pectoral fin reaching approximately 60–75% of distance from pectoral-fin origin to pelvic-fin origin. Pelvic fin 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 and anal-fin margins convex. Caudal fin forked with rounded lobes of equal length. Largest known specimen 152 mm SL, but expected to grow much larger.
Dorsal fin with 4 unbranched and 8½ branched rays, last unbranched ray serrated along almost its entire length. Anal fin with 3 unbranched and 5½ branched rays. Pectoral-fin with 15–18 rays (mode 16) and pelvic fin with 7–8 (mode 8) rays. Lateral line with 41–43 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 4½) scale rows between pelvic-fin origin and lateral line. Pharyngeal teeth in three rows: 4+3+2.
Coloration. Whitish golden on belly, golden to greenish-grey on flank and back. A wide and indistinct bronze stripe along lateral line. Paired fins and anal fin yellowish or orange. Dorsal and caudal fins grey.
Etymology. Luciobarbus chelifensis is named for the Chelif River. A noun in genitive, indeclinable.
Distribution. Luciobarbus chelifensis was found in the Chelif River drainage in northwestern Algeria. See Figure 2 (18–21) 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