Badis limaakumi, a new species of badid fish from Nagaland, Northeast India (Teleostei: Percomorpha: Badidae) Praveenraj, Jayasimhan Zootaxa 2023 2023-09-27 5351 3 371 379 Praveenraj, 2023 Praveenraj 2023 [151,359,1230,1257] Badidae Badis Animalia Perciformes 1 372 Chordata species limaakumi sp. nov.  ( Figures 1, 2, 3, 4A)     Holotype. APRC/ZSI/V/P-2083, male, 67.0 mm SL; India, Nagaland, Mokochung District, Milak River; 26°26.6270’N, 94°29.0880’E; Limaakum,  13 February 2022.    Paratype. APRC/ZSI/V/P-2084, 42.1–56.1 mmSL ( 4 maleand 4 female);  CIARI/FF-92, 1 ex., male, 51.8 mmSL, cleared and stained for osteology, same data as holotype.   Diagnosis.  Badis limaakumibelongs to the  Badis assamensisSGand is thus distinguished from all members of the other species groups by the presence of the opercular blotch, absence of the cleithral botch and a relatively large size.  Badis limaakumiis distinguished from other members of the  B. assamensisSG, i.e. B. assamensisand  B. blosyrus,by the absence of irregular blotches along sides of the body (vs. presence of two rows of irregular blackish blotches on sides) ( Fig. 3), presence of 10 pairs of distinct vertical bars on body (vs. absence of vertical bars), snout rounded in lateral view (vs. pointed) ( Fig. 4) and a shallower body (body depth 23.2–28.0 vs. 29.9–34.9% SL).  Badis limaakumiis additionally distinguished from  B. blosyrusby its larger body size (> 60 mmvs. < 40 mmSL), shorter upper (8.3–10.2 vs. 12.0–13.6% SL) and lower jaw, (11.9–15.0 vs. 16.3–18.5% SL), more lateral-line scales (29–31 vs. 27–28), and absence of a prominent angle at lower jaw articulation (vs. presence of prominent angle). Additional characters distinguishing  Badis limaakumifrom members of the other SGs including  Badis badisSG,  Badis corycaeusSG,  Badis ruberSG,  Badis autumnumSG, and other congeners from Northeast India, the Western Ghats, Bangladesh, Myanmarand Thailandare provided in the discussion.    Description General appearance as in Figs. 1and 2, and morphometric data provided in Table 1. Body elongate, moderately compressed laterally. In males, predorsal profile ascending in a straight line from tip of snout up to vertical through posterior region of eye, gently convex more posteriorly, and almost straight to base of caudal fin. Ventral contour descending gently until below preopercle, almost straight more posteriorly to anal-fin origin, and gently ascending to base of caudal fin. Eye situated midlaterally in anterior half of head. Snout shorter than eye diameter, rounded in lateral view. Jaws almost equal anteriorly, with lower jaw slightly projecting; maxilla reaching vertical through anterior margin of orbit, lower jaw articulation below middle of orbit. Opercular spine slender, with sharp tip. In females, predorsal and ventral profile slightly convex, and maximum size less than 50 mmSL. Adult males are more elongate than females. Gravid females appear plumper with distended abdomen. Dentary pores 4 (d1–d2), anguloarticular pores 2 (aa1–aa2), preopercular pores 6 (p1–p6), nasal pores 2 (n1– n2), supraorbital pores 4 (f1–f4), extrascapular pores 3 (ex1–ex3), posttemporal pores 2 (po1–po2), coronalis pore 1 (cor), lachrymal pores 3 (l1–l3), infraorbital pores 4 (io1–io4), pterotic pores 3 (pt1–pt3).   TABLE 1.Morphometric data of  Badis limaakumi(n=10) type series     Morphometric characters  Holotype  Range (includes holotype and paratypes) (n=10)  mean± SD  Standard length (mm) 67.0 42.1–67.0 49.5   In percent standard length  Head length 27.6 27.0–31.7 26.2±6.7  Snout length 7.1 5.9 –7.4 6.5±0.5  Eye diameter 6.8 6.8–9.3 8.3±0.8  Interorbital width 5.4 5.1–7.2 5.8±0.7  Upper-jaw length Lower-jaw length 8.8 11.9 8.3–10.2 11.9–15.0 9.4±0.5 13.2±1.0  Body depth Pelvic-fin length 26.4 21.1 23.2–28.0 21.1–25.7 25.8±1.6 23.2±1.4  Pelvic to anal-fin distance 35.1 31.5–37.7 34.0±1.9   In percent of head length  Snout length 25.5 20.8–25.5 23.0±1.2  Eye diameter 24.8 24.8–33.4 29.2± 2.9  Interorbital width 19.7 17.2–25.3 20.3± 2.4   FIGURE 2.  Badis limaakumi,in life, holotype, APRC/ZSI/V/P-2083, 66.8 mm SL. Scales ctenoid on sides, cycloid on top of head. Predorsal scales anterior to coronalis pore 3 (7) or 4* (3), posteriorly 7* (7) or 8 (3). Cheek and opercular scales ctenoid, cheek scales extending posteriorly from termination of gape. Scales rows on cheek 4 (1), 5 (6) or 6* (3), opercle with 3 rows of scales, 1 row each on preopercle, subopercle and interopercle. Scales in lateral row 30 (6) or 31* (4). Lateral-line canal on body in pored-scales, arranged into two segments. Upper lateral-line canal starting above operculum with 24 (1), 25 (3) and 26* (6) pored scales, lower lateral-line canal starting at one scale anterior to vertical through posterior base of anal fin with 4 (1), 5* (8) and 6 (1) pored scales. Circumpeduncular scales 20, with 9 (10) scales above, 9 (10) below lateral line. Dorsal-fin scale cover 2–4 scales wide; anal-fin scales cover 3 scales wide. Vertical scale rows 2 (2), 2½ (2), 3 (4), 3½* (2) above, and 7 (3), 7½ (4), 8(2), 8½*(1) below lateral line. Dorsal fin with 17* (8) or 18 (2) spines and 9 (10) soft rays, its origin vertically above pectoral-fin origin, and ending at two scales beyond vertical through base of last anal-fin ray. Dorsal- and anal-fin lappets with rounded tips. Posterior tips of dorsal fin reaching to anterior third of caudal fin when adpressed. Anal fin with 3* (10) spines and 6* (6) or 7 (4) soft rays, reaching base of caudal fin when adpressed. Caudal fin rounded, with 14 principal rays. Pectoral fin rounded, with 13 (5), 14 (1) or 15 *(4) rays, extending to about 1/4 of distance to anal-fin origin when adpressed. Pelvic fin pointed with 1 spine and 5 (10) rays. Gill rakers on first gill arch 7 (3). Branchiostegal rays 6 (10). Vertebrae 30 intotal, with 17 abdominal and 13 caudal. Dorsal fin with 1 stpterygiophore inserted between neural spines of 2 ndand 3 rdvertebrae. Anal fin 1 stpterygiophore inserted between haemal spines of 17 thand 18 thvertebrae. Both jaws with tiny unicuspid teeth arranged in wide band of about four rows anteriorly in each jaw and two rows posteriorly. Anterior-most teeth larger than others. Vomer, adjacent palatine, parasphenoid, and hypobranchial 3 toothed; basihyal not toothed.  Colouration in ethanol.Body pale grey, becoming darker towards dorsal-fin base and scaled portion of finrays, interradial fin membranes grey with tinges of black. Bars on body faint. Anal fin dark-grey. Caudal fin greyish, scaled portion dark grey. Caudal blotch black. Pectoral and pelvic fin pale grey. Preorbital and post orbital stripe greyish. Cheek greyish, preopercle and opercle dark grey. Opercular blotch black. Lower jaw greyish.  Colouration in life.Ground color of body brownish-red, head olive-green or greyish, with black scales on nape. Preorbital stripe dark-grey, continuing to posterior region of lower jaw. Postorbital stripe with black or bluish scales. No supraorbital or suborbital stripe. Opercle with bluish iridescent blotch at base of opercular spine, two scales high and three scales wide. Cleithral blotch absent. Body with 10 pairs of distinct black vertical bars: 6 pairs between head and anal-fin origin, 2 pairs between anal-fin origin and posterior insertion of it, and remaining 2 between posterior of anal-fin origin and caudal fin. Bars 1–5, 9 and 10, broad and straight; bars 6–8 slightly curved. Bar 10 on caudal peduncle composed of a medial bluish caudal spot, which usually elongate and extending across last scale of side and base of caudal fin. Bars becoming darker towards dorsal-fin base, and continuing onto scaled portion of dorsal fin. Dorsal fin anterior portion begins with broad, brownish submargin, and narrow, orange and pale-blue dorsal margin continued up to spinous portion only; posterior soft end of dorsal fin hyaline, its dorsal margin bluish. Anal fin hyaline, spines greyish with white margins. Pectoral fin hyaline. Pelvic fin hyaline, interradial membranes and basal margin greyish. Caudal fin hyaline, yellowish at scaled portion, posterodorsal and posteroventral margins pale-blue.   Distribution and habitat.  Badis limaakumiis presently known only from the Milak River in Mokokchung district, Nagaland, Northeast India. The typelocality during January 2022had a depth of 0.5 m, with substrate comprising numerous boulders and rocks ( Fig. 5). Co-occurring species include  Esomus danrica,  Amblyceps apangi,  Garra sp., and  Psilorhynchus sp..   Etymology.The species name honours Limaakum, Assistant Professor at the Fazl Ali College, Nagaland, who discovered this new species. 4418745301 2022-02-13 APRC, V Limaakum India Mokochung District 26.443783 Milak River 1 94.4848 Milak River 1 372 APRC/ZSI/V/P-2083 1 Nagaland holotype 4418745303 [199,1002,1410,1437] 2022-02-13 APRC Limaakum India Mokochung District 26.443783 Limaakum 1 94.4848 Milak River 1 372 APRC/ZSI/V/P-2084, CIARI/FF-92 9 4 4 Nagaland paratype 4418745302 2022-02-13 APRC Limaakum India Mokochung District 26.443783 Limaakum 1 94.4848 Milak River 1 372 APRC/ZSI/V/P-2084, CIARI/FF-92 9 4 4 Nagaland paratype