taxonID	type	description	language	source
039B692C9A3E7E650DA4FF5FFBED1500.taxon	type_taxon	(type species: Oreias dabryi Sauvage, 1874, by monotypy; preoccupied by Oreias Kaup, 1829 in Aves and Oreias Temminck in Temminck & Laugier, 1839 in Aves). Gender feminine.	en	Zhang, Chu-Yi, Luo, Pan, Huang, Feng, Zhang, E. (2024): Revision of the loach genus Claea Kottelat, 2010 (Teleostei: Nemacheilidae) in China, with a description of a new species from the Chang-Jiang basin. Zootaxa 5543 (3): 404-422, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5543.3.6, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5543.3.6
039B692C9A3E7E650DA4FF5FFBED1500.taxon	diagnosis	Diagnosis Claea is distinguished from all other nemacheilid genera by having a combination of the following characters: no sexual dimorphism in breeding tubercles (Figure 4), no nasal barbel; anterior and posterior nostrils set closely (Figure 4 a); no adipose crests along dorsal and ventral midlines of caudal peduncle (Figure 5); a median processus dentiformis on upper jaw (Figure 6); no pelvic axillary lobe (Figure 5); no black vertical bar on caudal-fin base; pelvic fins inserted slightly in front of dorsal fin (Figure 5); and an unscaled body. None of the aforementioned characters is unique to Claea. Pelvic fins inserted anterior to the dorsal-fin origin are shared with Aborichthys Chaudhuri, Draconectes Kottelat, Dzihunia Prokofiev, Lefua, and Turcinoemacheilus Bănărescu & Nalbant, and with some species of Barbatula, Indoreonectes Rita & Bănărescu, Oreonectes Günther, Schistura, Triplophysa and Troglonectes Zhang, Zhao & Tang. Among these genera, Claea shares an unscaled body with Draconectes and Trucinoemacheilulus, and with some species of Oreonectes, Triplophysa, and Troglonectes. It is distinct from Draconectes in having a furrowed (vs. smooth) lips, and lacking dorsal and ventral midline crests on the caudal peduncle (vs. present), pores of the lateral line system on the body and head situated at the tip of small papillae (vs. present), and a row of papillae along each side of the dorsal-fin base (vs. present); from Oreonectes and Troglonectes in possessing anterior and posterior nostrils set closely (vs. set separately), a complete (vs. incomplete or no) lateral line, no nasal barbel (vs. present), a moderately forked (vs. rounded or truncate in Oreonectes) caudal fin, no adipose crest along dorsal and ventral midlines of the caudal peduncle (vs. present in Troglonectes); from Triplophysa in having no sexual dimorphism in breeding tubercles in each side of the head and dorsal surfaces of pectoral fins in males (vs. present), and a median processus dentiformis on the upper jaw (vs. absent), and from Turcinoemacheilus in having a median processus dentiformis on the upper jaw (vs. absent), furrowed (vs. smooth) lips, a complete (vs. incomplete) lateral line, and an anus located closer to the pelvic-fin insertion than to the anal-fin origin (vs. the anal-fin origin than to the pelvic-fin insertion). The data here utilized for Aborichthys are from Singh and Kosygin (2022), Barbatula from Cao and Zhang (2008), Draconectes from Kottelat (2012 b), Dzihunia from Prokofiev (2001), Indoreonectes from Kumkar et al. (2021), Lefua from Hosoya et al. (2018), Oreonectes from Huang et al. (2020), Turcinoemacheilus from Esmaeili et al. (2014), and Troglonectes from Li et al. (2023)	en	Zhang, Chu-Yi, Luo, Pan, Huang, Feng, Zhang, E. (2024): Revision of the loach genus Claea Kottelat, 2010 (Teleostei: Nemacheilidae) in China, with a description of a new species from the Chang-Jiang basin. Zootaxa 5543 (3): 404-422, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5543.3.6, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5543.3.6
039B692C9A3E7E650DA4FF5FFBED1500.taxon	discussion	Remarks Claea is here viewed as a valid genus distinct from Triplophysa despite their closer relationship unveiled in our molecular phylogenetic analysis (Figure 1). The current generic definition of Triplophysa includes around 160 valid species widely distributed in Central Asia, from Afghanistan and Baluchistan through the high Asian region to the Balkhash and Uvs-Nuur lakes, Outer Mongolia and China. It is apparent that a generic reclassification of Triplophysa is urgently needed to align with phylogeny. This is absolutely a great challenge so far confronting ichthyologists around the world, and can not be finished in the near future. Thus, it is provisional to treat Claea as a genus distinct from Triplophysa. Both, as conventionally delineated, mainly differ in the presence or absence of a processus dentiformis on the upper jaw and sexual dimorphism in breeding tubercles on the lateral head and dorsal surfaces of pectoral fins (see the generic diagnosis above). The current generic diagnosis of Triplophysa by Bănărescu and Nalbant (1995) and Prokofiev (2004) is largely grounded on characters related to sexual dimorphism, thus rendering very difficult to determine the generic placement of females, immature and non-breeding males (Deng et al. 2022). It is not surprising to find in this analysis that C. wulongensis was originally misidentified in Triplophysa. Although its specific status was established using an integrative taxonomic approach (Chen et al. 2021), the molecular analysis had limitations in terms of sampling, focusing only on a few species of Triplophysa and lacking representation from other nemacheilid genera such as Claea. Furthermore, the analysis’ reliance on molecular data led to the oversight of critical diagnostic features related to jaw shape and sexual dimorphism. The original description of C. wulongensis failed to mention a processus dentiformis on the upper jaw and mistakenly attributed sexual dimorphism in head and pectoral fins to the breeding season (Chen et al. 2021). Closer examination indicated that C. wulongensis possesses a median dentiform process on the upper jaw (Figure 6 b), and lacks sexual dimorphism in breeding tubercles and pelvic axillary lobes (Figure 7), characteristics that align it more with Claea than Homatula or Schistura. This generic reassignment to Claea was further corroborated by our cyt b gene-based phylogenetic analysis (see Figure 1).	en	Zhang, Chu-Yi, Luo, Pan, Huang, Feng, Zhang, E. (2024): Revision of the loach genus Claea Kottelat, 2010 (Teleostei: Nemacheilidae) in China, with a description of a new species from the Chang-Jiang basin. Zootaxa 5543 (3): 404-422, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5543.3.6, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5543.3.6
039B692C9A307E670DA4FB07FE8416AF.taxon	description	urn: lsid: zoobank. org: pub: 7 CACA 96 F- 36 D 9 - 4715 - 8988 - 1 ED 68 AD 3 D 0 A 8 (Figures 8 – 9)	en	Zhang, Chu-Yi, Luo, Pan, Huang, Feng, Zhang, E. (2024): Revision of the loach genus Claea Kottelat, 2010 (Teleostei: Nemacheilidae) in China, with a description of a new species from the Chang-Jiang basin. Zootaxa 5543 (3): 404-422, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5543.3.6, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5543.3.6
039B692C9A307E670DA4FB07FE8416AF.taxon	materials_examined	Holotype. IHB 202204288316, 63.7 mm SL; South China: Hubei Province: Badong County: Shennong-Xi, a stream on northern blank of upper Chang-Jiang mainstem, at Yanduhe Town (31 ° 17 ’ 4 ’’ N, 110 ° 19 ’ 33 ’’ E); collected by L. Cao, D. M. Guo, X. Gong, and C. Y. Zhang in May 2022. Paratypes. IHB 202204288315, 202204288317 – 18, 3 specimens, 48.8 – 62.2 mm SL; all other data same as holotype. IHB 2017097697 – 99, 3 specimens, 65.4 – 69.9 mm SL; South China: Hubei Province: Jianshi County: Yesan-He, a stream tributary to Qing-Jiang of middle Chang-Jiang basin, at Gaoping Town (30 ° 35 ’ 09 ’’ N, 110 ° 6 ’ 52 ’’ E); collected by L. Cao, D. M. Guo, X. Gong, and M. Wang in November 2021. Non-types. IHB 202204287747 – 49, 3 specimens; South China: Hubei Province: Badong County: Yesan-He, a stream tributary to Qing-Jiang of middle Chang-Jiang basin, at Yesanguan Town (30 ° 35 ′ 34 ″ N, 110 ° 6 ′ 17 ″ E); collected by L. Cao, D. M. Guo, X. Gong, and C. Y. Zhang in May 2022.	en	Zhang, Chu-Yi, Luo, Pan, Huang, Feng, Zhang, E. (2024): Revision of the loach genus Claea Kottelat, 2010 (Teleostei: Nemacheilidae) in China, with a description of a new species from the Chang-Jiang basin. Zootaxa 5543 (3): 404-422, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5543.3.6, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5543.3.6
039B692C9A307E670DA4FB07FE8416AF.taxon	diagnosis	Diagnosis. Claea minibarba is distinguished from two congeneric species by having a deeper body (depth 14.7 – 17.6, mean 15.9, % SL vs. 9.6 – 15.0, mean 12.5, in C. dabryi, and 9.3 – 13.6, mean 12.1, in C. wulongensis; Figure 3 b). It is further distinct from C. dabryi in having shorter outer rostral barbels extending to (vs. beyond) the anterior margin of eye, with its length 22.1 – 28.0 (vs. 30.2 – 47.5) % of HL (Figure 3 c) and shoter maxillary barbels extending to the middle of eye (vs. beyond the posterior margin of eye), with its length 21.5 – 29.6 (vs. 29.8 – 47.4) % of HL (Figure 3 d) and from C. wulongensis in having a higher count of vertebrae (4 + 41 – 43 vs. 4 + 38 – 39), a deeper caudal-peduncle (depth 9.5 – 11.7 % of SL vs. 7.6 – 9.4; Figure 3 e), and a narrower interorbital space (width 30.3 – 36.3 % of SL vs. 38.5 – 43.1; Figure 3 a). The main diagnostic characters for the new species and their congeneric species are provided in Table 4.	en	Zhang, Chu-Yi, Luo, Pan, Huang, Feng, Zhang, E. (2024): Revision of the loach genus Claea Kottelat, 2010 (Teleostei: Nemacheilidae) in China, with a description of a new species from the Chang-Jiang basin. Zootaxa 5543 (3): 404-422, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5543.3.6, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5543.3.6
039B692C9A307E670DA4FB07FE8416AF.taxon	description	Description. Morphometric measurements for type specimens summarized in Table 1. General body appearance illustrated in Figure 8. Body elongated, anteriorly subcylindrical and posteriorly compressed laterally, with maximum depth at dorsal-fin origin and minimum caudal-peduncle depth closer to the posterior end of anal-fin base than to caudal-fin base. Dorsal profile rises evenly from snout tip to dorsal-fin origin, then from there to dorsal origin of percurrent caudal-fin rays slightly concave. Ventral profile of head flattened, and ventral profile of preanal body straight and slightly concave from anal-fin origin to caudal-fin base. Head slightly depressed, wider than deep. Snout blunt in lateral view and slightly pointed in dorsal view, longer than postorbital head. Anterior and posterior nostrils adjacently located; anterior nostrils in short tube, each with its tip elongated to form a short barbel; posterior nostrils not extending to anterior margin of orbit. Eyes small, and dorsolateral in middle of head; interorbital space broad, twice as wide as eye diameter, and slightly convex. Mouth inferior, moderately arched, with mouth opening reaching vertical through anterior nostril. Lips thick, slightly furrowed or smooth, but non-papillose; upper lip with slight median incision, lower lip with median interruption and several folds on each side forming median lobes. Upper jaw with median processus dentiformis (Figure 6 a), and lower jaw scoop-shaped, with sharp cutting edge, slightly exposed outside lower lip. Three pairs of barbels; maxillary pair longer than outer rostral barbel, but not extending to posterior margin of eye; outer barbels relatively longer, reaching anterior margin of eye, and inner rostral barbels short, not extending to corner of mouth. Fins flexible. Dorsal fin with three unbranched and eight branched rays, last unbranched ray soft and first branched ray longest, but shorter than head; distal margin truncate; origin closer to caudal-fin base than to tip of snout; tip of adpressed fin rays surpassing vertical of vent. Pectoral fin with one unbranched and 10 branched rays, inserted immediately posterior to vertical line through posterior-most margin of opercule, extending beyond midway to pelvic-fin insertion: tip of adpressed fin rays surpassing midway to pelvic-fin insertion. Pelvic fin with one unbranched and six branched rays; inserted anterior to dorsal-fin origin; tips of depressed pelvic fins not or just reaching midpoint between pelvic-fin insertion and anal-fin origin, or far from anus. Anal fin with one unbranched and five branched rays; distal margin truncate; inserted slightly posterior to midpoint between pelvic-fin insertion and caudal-fin base; tip of adpressed fin rays extending slightly beyond halfway to caudal-fin base. Caudal fin with 9 + 9 branched rays, moderately forked, with upper and lower lobes equal in length. Body unscaled; lateral line complete and almost straight, extending from behind extremity of gill opening along mid-lateral body to terminate middle caudal-fin base. Stomach U-shaped; intestine short, zigzag in shape posterior to stomach. Gas bladder bipartite; anterior chamber enclosed in a dumbbell-shaped bony capsule and posterior chamber completely degenerated. Vertebrae 4 + 41 – 43 (seven specimens). Coloration. In freshly collected individuals (Figure 9), ground color of head and body yellowish, and slightly lighter ventrally. Back and lateral head peppered with dark and golden flecks, and ventral head whitish. Eight distinct brown transverse saddles across dorsum, each broader than interspaces; three saddles predorsally, two below dorsal-fin base, and three postdorsally. Indistinct irregular-shaped light brown blotches on flank, predorsally disconnected from saddles, and posteriorly fused to form a continuous piece terminating in a dark brown square marking on caudal-fin base, extending dorsally to connect with saddles on dorsum and ventrally at least to level of pectoral-fin base. One proximal and one median golden band across dorsal fin. One to three brown bands across caudal fin, and arranged regularly. Other fins peppered with black spots. In formalin-preserved specimens (Figure 8), ground color yellowish-white, lighter ventrally. Dorsal head yellowish to grayish brown; except brownish gill cover, lateral and ventral head lighter yellowish. Eight transverse dark brown saddles on back, each wider than interspaces; three saddles pre-dorsally, two below dorsal-fin base, and three post-dorsally. Irregular-shaped brownish blotches on flank, dorsally connected with saddles on back, predorsally closely set and postdorsally arranged irregularly to form a discontinuous pattern ending in a brown, oblong marking on caudal-fin base. Dorsal fin dusty with some spots on distal portion. Two indistinct W-shaped markings across caudal fin. Other fins semitransparent with yellowish basal portion. Sexual dimorphism. No sexual dimorphism was observed in type specimens examined (Figure 4).	en	Zhang, Chu-Yi, Luo, Pan, Huang, Feng, Zhang, E. (2024): Revision of the loach genus Claea Kottelat, 2010 (Teleostei: Nemacheilidae) in China, with a description of a new species from the Chang-Jiang basin. Zootaxa 5543 (3): 404-422, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5543.3.6, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5543.3.6
039B692C9A307E670DA4FB07FE8416AF.taxon	distribution	Distribution and habitat. Known only from the Yesan-He, a stream tributary to the Qing-Jiang of the middle Chang-Jiang basin, in Badong and Jianshi counties, and the Shennong-Xi, a stream on the northern bank of the upper Chang-Jiang mainstream, in Badong County, Hubei Province, southern China (Figure 10). It was previously misidentified as C. dabryi from the Qing-Jiang (Yang 1987) and Wu-Jiang (Zhu 1989; Tang et al. 2001). Claea minibarba was collected in clean rapid-running waters with mixed substrates including boulders, gravels, and pebbles (Figure 11). Coexisting fish species are Rhynchocypris oxycephalus (Sauvage & Dabry de Thiersant) and Vanmanenia maculata Yi, Zhang & Shen.	en	Zhang, Chu-Yi, Luo, Pan, Huang, Feng, Zhang, E. (2024): Revision of the loach genus Claea Kottelat, 2010 (Teleostei: Nemacheilidae) in China, with a description of a new species from the Chang-Jiang basin. Zootaxa 5543 (3): 404-422, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5543.3.6, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5543.3.6
039B692C9A307E670DA4FB07FE8416AF.taxon	etymology	Etymology. The specific epithet, used as a noun, is derived from the Latin word minimus (minute) and barba (beard), alluding short outer rostral and maxillary barbels. “ ñ ḠƜDZ ” is the Chinese common name here suggested for this species.	en	Zhang, Chu-Yi, Luo, Pan, Huang, Feng, Zhang, E. (2024): Revision of the loach genus Claea Kottelat, 2010 (Teleostei: Nemacheilidae) in China, with a description of a new species from the Chang-Jiang basin. Zootaxa 5543 (3): 404-422, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5543.3.6, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5543.3.6
039B692C9A357E610DA4F914FEF71563.taxon	description	(Figure 5)	en	Zhang, Chu-Yi, Luo, Pan, Huang, Feng, Zhang, E. (2024): Revision of the loach genus Claea Kottelat, 2010 (Teleostei: Nemacheilidae) in China, with a description of a new species from the Chang-Jiang basin. Zootaxa 5543 (3): 404-422, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5543.3.6, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5543.3.6
039B692C9A357E610DA4F914FEF71563.taxon	materials_examined	Specimens examined. MNHN 6276, holotype (photograph examined), about 122 mm SL; China: Sichuan Province: Dengchigou, Baoxing County. USNM 130128, holotype (photograph examined) of O. furcatus, about 125 mm SL; China: Sichuan Province: Tsao Po. USNM 94731, holotype (photograph examined) of O. crassipedunculatus, about 80 mm SL; China: Yunnan Province: Chatung. IHB uncatalogued, one topotypic specimen, 40.1 mm SL; China: Sichuan Province: Emeishan City, in Qingyi-Jiang. IHB 0630, one specimen, 58.0 mm SL; China: Sichuan Province, in Jinsha-Jiang. IHB 3512, 3514, 3525, three specimens, 48.0 – 77.7 mm SL; China: Sichuan Province: Ebian County, in Dadu-He. IHB S 1 – 0032 – 0037, six specimens, 37.6 – 54.7 mm SL; China: Sichuan Province: Jinchuan County, in Dadu-He. IHB 0352, 590341,590359 – 62, 590364 – 65, 590367 – 68, 10 specimens, 51.1 – 82.6 mm SL; China: Sichuan Province: Li County, in upper Min-Jiang. IHB 585030, 585039 – 42, 585044 – 46, 580043, 590357, 10 specimens, 48.8 – 88.5 mm SL; China: Sichuan Province: Wenchuan County, in upper Min-Jiang.	en	Zhang, Chu-Yi, Luo, Pan, Huang, Feng, Zhang, E. (2024): Revision of the loach genus Claea Kottelat, 2010 (Teleostei: Nemacheilidae) in China, with a description of a new species from the Chang-Jiang basin. Zootaxa 5543 (3): 404-422, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5543.3.6, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5543.3.6
039B692C9A357E610DA4F914FEF71563.taxon	diagnosis	Diagnosis. Claea dabryi is distinguished from two congeneric species by having longer outer rostral barbels extending beyond (vs. away from) the anterior margin of eye and longer maxillary barbels extending beyond (vs. away from) the posterior margin of eye. It is further distinct from C. minibarba in possessing a shallower body (depth 9.6 – 15.0 %, mean 12.5, of SL vs. 14.7 – 17.6, mean 15.9; Figure 3 b), a shallower caudal peduncle (depth 5.5 – 10.3, mean 8.3, % of SL vs. 9.5 – 11.7, mean 10.6; Figure 3 e), and from C. wulongensis in having a narrower interorbital space (width 20.0 – 33.8 % of HL vs. 38.5 – 43.1; Figure 3 a).	en	Zhang, Chu-Yi, Luo, Pan, Huang, Feng, Zhang, E. (2024): Revision of the loach genus Claea Kottelat, 2010 (Teleostei: Nemacheilidae) in China, with a description of a new species from the Chang-Jiang basin. Zootaxa 5543 (3): 404-422, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5543.3.6, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5543.3.6
039B692C9A357E610DA4F914FEF71563.taxon	distribution	Distribution. So far known from the Jinsha-Jiang, Jialing-Jiang, and Min-Jiang of the upper Chang-Jiang basin (Figure 10). Claea dabryi was ever recorded from the Wu-Jiang (Zhu 1989; Tang et al. 2001; Yang et al. 2022), and the Qing-Jiang (Yang 1987; Tang et al. 2001). Specimens from the two rivers don’t conform to this species, but to C. minibarba.	en	Zhang, Chu-Yi, Luo, Pan, Huang, Feng, Zhang, E. (2024): Revision of the loach genus Claea Kottelat, 2010 (Teleostei: Nemacheilidae) in China, with a description of a new species from the Chang-Jiang basin. Zootaxa 5543 (3): 404-422, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5543.3.6, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5543.3.6
039B692C9A347E620DA4FBAEFA8016A0.taxon	description	(Figure 7)	en	Zhang, Chu-Yi, Luo, Pan, Huang, Feng, Zhang, E. (2024): Revision of the loach genus Claea Kottelat, 2010 (Teleostei: Nemacheilidae) in China, with a description of a new species from the Chang-Jiang basin. Zootaxa 5543 (3): 404-422, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5543.3.6, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5543.3.6
039B692C9A347E620DA4FBAEFA8016A0.taxon	materials_examined	Specimens examined. SWU 2019051309, holotype, 64.0 mm SL; China: Chongqing City: Wulong County: subterranean pool in Furong Cave. SWU 2019051301 – 2019051308, eight paratypes specimens, 49.0 – 67.2 mm SL; other data same as holotype.	en	Zhang, Chu-Yi, Luo, Pan, Huang, Feng, Zhang, E. (2024): Revision of the loach genus Claea Kottelat, 2010 (Teleostei: Nemacheilidae) in China, with a description of a new species from the Chang-Jiang basin. Zootaxa 5543 (3): 404-422, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5543.3.6, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5543.3.6
039B692C9A347E620DA4FBAEFA8016A0.taxon	diagnosis	Diagnosis. Claea wulongensis is distinguished from two generic species by the presence of a wider interorbital space (width 38.5 – 43.1 % of HL vs. 20.0 – 33.8 in C. dabryi, and 30.3 – 36.3 in C. minibarba; Figure 3 a). It, along with C. minibarba, is distinct from C. dabryi in having shorter outer rostral barbels extending away from (vs. beyond) the anterior margin of eye and shorter maxillary barbels extending to the anterior margin of eye (vs. beyond the posterior edge of eye). This species is further distinct from C. minibarba in having a lower count of vertebrae (4 + 38 – 39 vs. 4 + 41 – 43), a shallower body (depth 9.3 – 13.6 % of SLvs. 14.7 – 17.6; Figure 3 b), and a shallower caudal peduncle (depth 7.6 – 9.4 % of SL vs. 9.5 – 11.7; Figure 3 e).	en	Zhang, Chu-Yi, Luo, Pan, Huang, Feng, Zhang, E. (2024): Revision of the loach genus Claea Kottelat, 2010 (Teleostei: Nemacheilidae) in China, with a description of a new species from the Chang-Jiang basin. Zootaxa 5543 (3): 404-422, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5543.3.6, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5543.3.6
039B692C9A347E620DA4FBAEFA8016A0.taxon	distribution	Distribution. Known only from a pool in Furong Cave, connected to the Wu-Jiang near Wulong.	en	Zhang, Chu-Yi, Luo, Pan, Huang, Feng, Zhang, E. (2024): Revision of the loach genus Claea Kottelat, 2010 (Teleostei: Nemacheilidae) in China, with a description of a new species from the Chang-Jiang basin. Zootaxa 5543 (3): 404-422, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5543.3.6, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5543.3.6
039B692C9A347E620DA4FBAEFA8016A0.taxon	discussion	Discussion. Despite the generic recognition of Claea in the Nemacheilidae (Kottelat 2012 a; Tan & Armbruster 2018), its phylogenetic position within this family remains undetermined. Oreias (so far replaced by Claea) was rendered synonymous to Schistura (Zhu 1989); however, this synonymization was refuted as its type species possesses has no pelvic axillary lobe, a character diagnostic for Schistura (Prokofiev 2009). In the revision of loaches of the world by Bănărescu and Nalbant (1995), Oreias was considered to bear a closer relationship with Homatula, Longischistura McClelland, Nun Bănărescu & Nalbant, Paracobitis Bleeker, Physoschistura Bănărescu & Nalbant, Schistura, and Sectoria Kottelat for having a similar body color pattern, a processus dentiformis on the upper jaw, and no sexual dimorphism in breeding tubercles. Moreover, Liu et al. ’ s (2012) molecular phylogenetic analysis of the Nemacheilidae revealed that the type species of Claea (under the name of Schistura) was clustered with analysed species of Triplophysa. The same finding was also repeated in Chen et al. ’ s (2019) molecular phylogenetic analysis. However, their species identification of Claea was not free from question. Therefore, their molecular evidence for the closer relationship of this genus with Triplophysa was not conclusive (see elobration below). Our molecular phylogenetic analysis unveiled that Claea was more closely allied to Triplophysa than Homatula or Schistura in the cyt b gene-based BI tree (Figure 1). In Liu et al. ’ s (2012) phylogenetic analysis based on concatenated mitochondrial and nuclear sequences, Triplophysa gundriseri was demonstrated to be closely related to Schistura dabryi from the Tuo-Jiang of the upper Chang-Jiang basin. The recognition of their samples under the name of S. dabryi was unlikely under molecular scrutiny of our analysis due to no use of the cyt b gene as markers of their phylogenetic inference. The species, identified by Liu et al. (2012) as S. dabryi, may be a misidentified member of Triplophysa, given its closer relationship with T. gundriseri. Currently, T. gundriseri is confined to the Tesiin River and Lake Sangiin-Nurr of Mongolia and the Uvs-Nuur Lake basin of Tuva Republic of Russia (Kottelat 2006). It is here posited to be more closely allied to species of Sbuclade 2 than Subclade 1. Despite the only use of the cyt b gene, more species of Triplophysa were sampled in our molecular analysis than in two studies aforementioned. Further research will confirm that the result of our analysis is reliable. It is worth mentioning that sampled species of Triplophysa, detected to nest with species of Claea in our molecular phylogenetic analysis (Figure 1), are troglobitic and found in Southwest China (primarily Yunnan, Guangxi and Guizhou Provinces), with the largest continuous distribution of karst landforms in China, or even in the world. Habitats of these species are quite distinct from those of epigean congeneric species. Whether or not these subterranean species represent a distinct genus from Triplophysa require further in-depth research. The type locality of C. dabryi is Dengchigou, Baoxing County, Sichuan Province, in the Qingyi-Jiang flowing into the Min-Jiang of the upper Chang-Jiang basin (Kottelat 2012 a). The holotype (MNHN 6276, photograph examined) is broken or in bad condition, and thus of very limited taxonomic use for its identification. In light of Sauvage’s (1874) original description, C. dabryi has small eyes located in the middle of head, a flat interorbital space, with its width nearly twice the diameter of eye; pelvic fins inserted slightly in front of the dorsal-fin orgin; anal-fin origin almost equidistant from the ventral fin and caudal-fin base; and upper portion of body yellowish, mottled with dark green blotches. These characters are shared with a specimen reported and figured by Guo et al. (2021) as C. dabryi from the Dachuan-He (a part of the Qingyi-Jiang) in Lushan County, about 20 km from Baoxing County (the type locality of the species) of Sichuan Province, and can thus be considered as topotypical; two pictures (Figure 150 – 1 and 150 – 2 on Page 505) of the specimen exhibit that C. dabryi has pelvic fins inserted slightly in front of the dorsal fin, no pelvic axillary lobe, no nasal barbels, and no sexual dimorphism in breeding tubercles, and (anterior and posterior) nostrils set closely. A median processus dentiformis on the upper jaw is illustrated in the other picture (Figure 150 – 7 on Page 507) for this species. Guo et al. ’ s (2021) description, predicated on 20 specimens (including those collected from Baoxing County, the type locality of the species) of the upper Chang-Jiang basin, recorded this species with a depressed head (depth 44.4 – 55.6 % of HL), a shallow body (depth 13.2 – 16.7 % of SL), long maxillary barbels (length 30.4 – 35.0 % of HL), long outer rostral barbels (length 32.6 – 35.0 % of HL), and 4 + 38 - 42 vertebrae. Despite no accessibility to topotypical specimens, primary diagnostic characters provided in this study for C. dabryi largely agree with its original description, and also the data given by Guo et al. (2021) for this species. Schistura niulanjiangensis, a species originally described from the Niulan-Jiang discharging into the Jinsha-Jiang of the upper Chang-Jiang basin (Chen et al. 2006), is excluded from Claea in this study. It was transferred to this genus, but without detailed explanation (Kottelat 2012 a). Our photographic examination on the holotype (Figure 12, upper) indicated that this species, as stated in its original description, possesses no processus dentiformis on the upper jaw, pelvic axillary lobes present, and pelvic fins inserted slightly behind the dorsal-fin origin, three characters not placing it in Claea. Schistura niulanjiangensis is indeed a species of Triplophysa in terms of unpublished molecular data (Feng Lin, personal communication). One paratype (Figure 12, lower) of S. niulanjiangensis has pelvic fins inserted slightly in front of the dorsal-fin orgin as found in Claea, but not conforming to its original description. It can not be assigned to this genus due to no processus dentiformis on the upper jaw, and the presence of pelvic anxillary lobes. The generic classification and specific status of this paratype need to be determined in the future when more specimens are available. Claea has its representative in the Niulan-Jiang. Three specimens, collected by Chun-Yun Lei (Yunnan Fisheries Science Research Institute) from the type locality of S. niulanjiangensis, were initially recognized as this species. Our careful examination affirmed that these three specimens indeed represent an unidentified species of Claea. The formal description of this unidentified species, however, is hindered by the paucity of available specimens.	en	Zhang, Chu-Yi, Luo, Pan, Huang, Feng, Zhang, E. (2024): Revision of the loach genus Claea Kottelat, 2010 (Teleostei: Nemacheilidae) in China, with a description of a new species from the Chang-Jiang basin. Zootaxa 5543 (3): 404-422, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5543.3.6, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5543.3.6
