taxonID	type	description	language	source
0830374A286A5598AECA85D41730F51E.taxon	etymology	Etymology. The specific name mentibarbatus is derived from the Latin words mentum (chin) and barbatus (bearded or barbels), in reference to the unique short barbel on the mentum in female (Fig. 1 D). Gender: Masculine. We suggest the Chinese vernacular name “ 颏须云南鳅 ” and the English vernacular name “ mentum barbel Yunnan loach. ”	en	Chen, Zhuo-Ni, Du, Li-Na, Liang, Yan (2025): Yunnanilus mentibarbatus, a new species of loach from Yunnan, China (Cypriniformes, Nemacheilidae). Zoosystematics and Evolution 101 (4): 1911-1919, DOI: 10.3897/zse.101.162354
0830374A286A5598AECA85D41730F51E.taxon	diagnosis	Diagnosis. Comparative data between Yunnanilus mentibarbatus sp. nov. and all known species within the genus Yunnanilus are provided in Table 2. The new species can be distinguished from congeneric species of Yunnanilus by the unique character, a pair of short barbels on the mentum in female. In addition, the new species can be further distinguished from other species of Yunnanilus by the following characters: whole body covered by scales; lateral line incomplete, with 16 – 21 pores; processus dentiformis present (Fig. 1 C); eye diameter shorter than interorbital width; 10 – 11 branched pectoral-fin rays; six branched pelvic-fin rays; six branched anal-fin rays; 16 branched caudal-fin rays; 11 inner gill rakers on first gill arch.	en	Chen, Zhuo-Ni, Du, Li-Na, Liang, Yan (2025): Yunnanilus mentibarbatus, a new species of loach from Yunnan, China (Cypriniformes, Nemacheilidae). Zoosystematics and Evolution 101 (4): 1911-1919, DOI: 10.3897/zse.101.162354
0830374A286A5598AECA85D41730F51E.taxon	description	Description. All morphometric and meristic data are given in Table 3. Body covered by dense scale; deepest body depth 15.6 – 20.5 % of SL located anterior to dorsal fin origin, decreasing from dorsal-fin origin to caudal-fin base (Fig. 2). Head length greater than its depth, head length 23.7 – 26.5 % of SL. Snout slightly blunt, shorter than postorbital length of head. Processus dentiformis present. Mouth inferior, middle of lower lip with notch, both lips have tangible wrinkles. Eyes normal, eye diameter 16.3 – 23.2 % of head length (HL), smaller than interorbital width. Anterior and posterior nostrils separated by a short distance, posterior nostril closer to anterior margin of eye than to tip of snout, base of anterior nostril tube-shaped, without barbel-like tip, anterior nostril length 8.1 – 12.1 % of eye diameter. Possessing a pair of short barbels on the mentum in female. Three pairs of barbels, two rostral pairs and one maxillary pair; inner rostral barbel length 25.1 – 33.6 % of HL; outer rostral barbel length 29.9 – 38.8 % of HL, reaching posterior nostril; maxillary barbel length 31.8 – 41.7 % of HL, reaching posterior margin of opercula. Dorsal fin with four unbranched and eight branched rays; dorsal-fin origin anterior to pelvic-fin origin; pectoral fin with one unbranched and 10 – 11 branched rays, inserted immediately anterior to vertical through posterior point of operculum; pelvic fin with one unbranched and six branched rays, tips of pelvic fin not reaching anus; anal fin with three unbranched and six branched rays, length between tip of anal fin and anus origin 52.7 – 95.1 % of eye diameter; caudal fin emarginate, with 16 branched rays. Lateral line incomplete, with 16 – 21 pores, reaching tip of pectoral fin and anterior to dorsal fin origin; 11 inner gill rakers on first gill arch (in three specimens). Cephalic lateral system with 11 – 13 + 4 – 5 infraorbital canal pores, 7 – 8 supraorbital canal pores, 6 supratemporal canal pores, and 11 preoperculomandibular canal pores. Stomach U-shaped (Fig. 1 A), intestine long and straight. Swim bladder divided into two chambers and connected by a slender tube, tube length about 1 / 2 of posterior chamber length; anterior chamber covered by dumbbell-shaped bony capsule, posterior chamber developed (Fig. 1 B).	en	Chen, Zhuo-Ni, Du, Li-Na, Liang, Yan (2025): Yunnanilus mentibarbatus, a new species of loach from Yunnan, China (Cypriniformes, Nemacheilidae). Zoosystematics and Evolution 101 (4): 1911-1919, DOI: 10.3897/zse.101.162354
0830374A286A5598AECA85D41730F51E.taxon	distribution	Distribution and habitat. Yunnanilus mentibarbatus sp. nov. is currently known only from a stream of the Nanpanjiang River in Jiuxiang Village, Yiliang County, Kunming City, Yunnan Province, China (Fig. 3 A). The species inhabits deep pools in caves and streams outside caves at depths ranging from 0.5 to 3 meters (Fig. 3 A). New species distribution spans both within the cave and the adjacent surface streams outside the cave. The stream’s flow is slow, and there are water plants in the stream outside the cave. Females are in reproductive season, gonadal stage 2 – 3, with small spawns in the abdominal cavity. Absence of fleshy projections at the genitalia of females, the fact that only females are harvested, and associated decrease in the number of males during the reproductive season. Other species present in the streamlet include Pseudorasbora parva, Rhinogobius giurinus, Rhodeus ocellatus, and Schistura fasciolata.	en	Chen, Zhuo-Ni, Du, Li-Na, Liang, Yan (2025): Yunnanilus mentibarbatus, a new species of loach from Yunnan, China (Cypriniformes, Nemacheilidae). Zoosystematics and Evolution 101 (4): 1911-1919, DOI: 10.3897/zse.101.162354
