Glyptothorax shapuri, Mousavi-Sabet & Eagderi & Vatandoust & Freyhof, 2021

Mousavi-Sabet, Hamed, Eagderi, Soheil, Vatandoust, Saber & Freyhof, Jörg, 2021, Five new species of the sisorid catfish genus Glyptothorax from Iran (Teleostei: Sisoridae), Zootaxa 5067 (4), pp. 451-484 : 477-481

Glyptothorax shapuri , new species

( Fig. 23–26 )

Holotype. GUIC GTS-H, 64 mm SL; Iran: Fars prov.: Shapur River at Eslamabad , 29.7618 51.5507.

Paratypes. FSJF 4115 , 1 , 57 mm SL; IMNRF-UT- 1230, 3 , 20–59 mm SL; VMFC GTS-P, 1, 33 mm SL; same data as holotype .

Material used in molecular genetic analysis. IMNRF-UT-1230 ; Iran: Fars prov.: Shapur River at Eslamabad , 29.7618 51.5507 (GenBank accession numbers: MZ959031 , MZ959032 ) .

Diagnosis. Glyptothorax shapuri is distinguished from its congeners in the Persian Gulf basin by a combination of characters, none unique to the species. It is distinguished from G. silviae by having a deeper body (body depth 19–20% SL vs. 16–18), shorter barbels (maxillary barbel 81–84% HL vs. 92–110, inner mandibular barbel 18–22% HL vs. 45–48), outer mandibular barbel 42–44% HL vs. 67–74), and a deeper caudal-peduncle (caudal peduncle depth 1.1–1.3 times in its length vs. 1.3–1.6). The new species is distinguished from G. alidaeii by having the thoracic adhesive apparatus strongly elevated (moderately elevated), 1.0–1.2 times longer than wide (vs. 1.3 – 1.6), a blunt and roundish (vs. pointed) head (HL 24–26% SL vs. 21–24), caudal-peduncle depth times in its length 1.1–1.3 (vs. 1.3–1.6), and a deeply forked caudal fin (shortest middle caudal-fin ray 46–49% of the longest ray of the upper caudal-fin lobe vs. 57–65). Glyptothorax shapuri is distinguished from G. galaxias by having the thoracic adhesive apparatus with very few and short anteromedial striae (vs. numerous and long), 1.0–1.2 times longer than wide (vs. 1.3 – 1.5), a blunt and roundish (vs. pointed) head (HL 24–26% SL (vs. 21–23), larger eyes (eye diameter 16–18% HL vs. 10–14), a deeper caudal-peduncle (caudal peduncle depth 1.1–1.3 times in its length vs. 1.6–2.1), a deeply forked caudal fin (shortest middle caudal-fin ray 46–49% of the longest ray of the upper caudal-fin lobe vs. moderately forked, 61–65), pointed caudal fin lobes (vs. rounded), and head, back and flank with few, irregular shaped dark-brown blotches as large as eye diameter or larger, and many, very small dark-brown points, much smaller than eye diameter (vs. many, irregular shaped and set blotches smaller than eye-diameter, no points).

It is distinguished from G. hosseinpanahii by having the thoracic adhesive apparatus strongly elevated (moderately elevated), with very short and few anteromedial striae (vs. long and numerous), the caudal-peduncle depth 1.1–1.3 times in its length (vs. 1.3–1.6), and head, back and flank with few, irregular shaped dark-brown blotches as large as the eye diameter or larger (vs. irregular dark spots or small blotches smaller than eye diameter). Glyptothorax shapuri is distinguished from G. pallens by having a deeper and wider head (head depth 58–61% HL vs. 53–57, maximum head width 86–90% HL vs. 73–80), shorter barbels (maxillary barbel 81–84% HL vs. 90–95, inner mandibular barbel 18–22% HL vs. 38–42, outer mandibular barbel 42–44% HL vs. 52–59), and few, irregular shaped, dark-brown blotches on the head, back and flank (vs. without distinct spot or blotches). The new species is distinguished from G. armeniacus and G. daemon by having the thoracic adhesive apparatus with few, very short anteromedial striae (vs. numerous and well developed), the caudal-peduncle depth 1.1–1.3 times in its length (vs. 1.6–2.1), pointed caudal fin lobes (vs. rounded), and a deeply forked caudal fin (shortest middle caudal-fin ray 46–49% of the longest ray of the upper caudal-fin lobe vs. moderately forked, 62–69 in G. armeniacus , 55–59 in G. daemon ).

Description. Morphometric data in Table 5 . Head depressed; body subcylindrical. Dorsal head and predorsal profile straight: Profile rising from tip of snout to dorsal-fin origin, then almost straight to posterior margin of dorsal fin base, sloping gently dorsally from posterior margin of dorsal fin base to adipose fin origin, almost straight to end of caudal peduncle. Ventral profile straight to end of caudal peduncle. Caudal-peduncle depth 1.1–1.3 times in its length. Anus and urogenital openings located below tip of adpressed pelvic fin. Skin of back and flank with many shallow minute warts on head, body and belly. Lateral line complete and midlateral. Head broad, spade-shaped when viewed laterally. Snout blunt. Anterior and posterior nares large and separated only by base of nasal barbel. Bony elements of dorsal surface of head covered with thick skin, smooth, without tubercles, with many warts. Eye ovoid, horizontal axis longest; located just below dorsal-head profile. Largest individual recorded 64 mm SL.

Barbels in four pairs. Maxillary barbel broad and thick, extending to, slightly in front of pectoral-fin base, velum at proximal part of babel attached to head closer to posterior nare than to eye, small minute warts on outer base of velum, velum smooth. Nasal barbel broad, extending almost to anterior orbital margin. Inner mandibular-barbel extending to isthmus. Outer mandibular barbel extending to end of gill cover, not reaching pectoral-fin origin. Mouth inferior, premaxillary tooth band partially exposed when mouth is closed. Oral teeth small and villiform, in irregular rows on all tooth-bearing surfaces. Premaxillary teeth appearing in single broad semilunate band. Dentary teeth in a single crescentic band, consisting of two separate halves tightly bound at midline.

Thoracic adhesive apparatus consisting of striae in an elongate oblong field extending from isthmus to base of the third branched pectoral-fin ray ( Fig. 25 ); anterolateral edges of adhesive apparatus strongly convex; its width 1.0–1.2 times in its length; completely situated on a horse-shoe shaped swelling, without warts at its lateral and posterior edge. Anteromedial striae present and well developed. Narrow, triangle shaped medial pit on posterior half of thoracic adhesive apparatus. Dorsal fin located above anterior third of body, with 6 branched rays; fin margin straight; spine short and straight, smooth on anterior and posterior margin; distal 1/3 poorly ossified and soft. Adipose fin with anterior margin straight or slightly concave and posterior margin roundish; its origin at vertical in front of anal-fin origin. Caudal fin deeply forked, with pointed lobes, and i,15,i principal rays. Anal-fin base vertically opposite adipose-fin base. Anal fin with slightly convex anterior margin and straight posterior margin; with 8 branched rays. Pelvic-fin origin slightly in front of or behind tip of adpressed dorsal fin. Pelvic fin with convex anterior margin and I,5 rays; tip of adpressed fin reaching anal-fin origin. Pectoral fin with I,7 rays; posterior fin margin straight or slightly concave; anterior spine margin smooth, with many unculi and a honey-comp pattern on lower surface, inner margin with 9–11 serrae. Back anterior to adipose fin flat or slightly rounded, with a shallow keep in some individuals, expanded distal tips of neural spines not forming a series of bumps.

Coloration. In 70% ethanol: background colour greyish- or yellowish-brown, fading to cream or beige on ventral surfaces of head and anterior belly and on pectoral and pelvic-fin bases. Head, back and flank with few or many, irregular shaped dark-brown blotches as large as eye or larger, and many, very small dark-brown points, much smaller than eye diameter. Latero-sensory pores appear as a dark line on lateral view, clearly darker than background coloration. A beige blotch at dorsal and adipose fins origin. Adipose fin dark-brown, with a cream to hyaline posterior margin. Dorsal fin with a median, dark brown or blackish band, reduced in some individuals. Caudal and dorsal fins with dark-brown to blackish base, other fins with a pale-brown or beige base, a median, dark-brown band, and a hyaline margin; appearing as whitish fins with a dark-grey or blackish band in middle (with exception of caudal fin). Whitish margin in caudal fin reduced to a small blotch on each lobe in some individuals. Maxillary and nasal barbels grey or pale-brown dorsally, beige ventrally and velum beige or hyaline. Mandibular barbels beige or cream. In long-time formaldehyde-preserved individuals (as paratypes), colour pattern almost lost due.

In life: Head, back and flank pale-brown to golden, fading to beige or whitish on ventral surfaces, with few, irregular shaped, pale or dark-brown blotches as large as eye or larger, many small, silvery-beige blotches and spots as large as eye or smaller, and many, very small dark-brown points, much smaller than eye diameter.

Etymology. The species name shapuri , is in honour of the “Shapur I”, the second Sasanian King of Iran, who ruled from 240 to 270. A noun in genitive, indeclinable.

Distribution. Headwater streams in the Helleh drainage.

Remarks. The description of G. shapuri is potentially based on juvenile individuals, as these are quite small compared to other species, and the morphometric and colour pattern characters might be different in adults. But we cannot exclude that this is a real dwarf species

Figures

FIGURE 23. Glyptothorax shapuri, GUIC GTS-H, holotype, 64 mm SL; Iran: Shapur.

FIGURE 24. Glyptothorax shapuri, paratypes, from top: IMNRF-UT-1230, 59 mm SL; FSJF 4115, 57 mm SL; VMFC GTS-P, 33 mm SL; Iran: Shapur.

FIGURE 25. Glyptothorax shapuri, paratypes, thoracic adhesive apparatus, from left: IMNRF-UT-1230, 59 mm SL; FSJF 4115, 57 mm SL; VMFC GTS-P, 33 mm SL; Iran: Shapur.

FIGURE 26. Glyptothorax shapuri, GUIC GTS-H, holotype, 64 mm SL; Iran: Shapur.