Huigobio Fang, 1938

Sun, Zhi-Xian, Tang, Wen-Qiao & Zhao, Ya-Hui, 2025, Generic revision on the Biwia – Microphysogobio complex (Cypriniformes, Gobionidae) with descriptions of three new genera, Zoosystematics and Evolution 101 (4), pp. 2013-2037 : 2013-2037

Huigobio Fang, 1938

Fig. 8

Huigobio Fang, 1938: 239. Type species: Huigobio chenhsienensis Fang, 1938.

Diagnosis.

This genus can be distinguished from the other genera within the Pseudogobionini by the combination of the characters: (1) mouth horseshoe-shaped and inferior, forming a sucking-disc structure; (2) central portion of the anterior papillae usually larger than lateral portion of anterior papillae on upper lip, more than one row; (3) lower lip usually forming two lateral lobes and a medial pad, without anterior fold; (4) lateral lobes on lower lip contact with each other posteriorly from medial pad; (5) medial pad on lower lip small, heart-shaped, sometimes segmented and fused with lateral lobes; (6) upper jaw wide, the horny margin width larger than half mouth width; (7) lower jaw exposed; (8) barbel in one pair, short; (9) midventral region of body scaleless or sometimes covered with scales; (10) pharyngeal teeth in one row; (11) anterior chamber of the air bladder enclosed in thick fibrous capsule; (12) posterior chamber relatively small, length smaller than half eye diameter, smaller than anterior chamber length, thin.

Description.

Body elongated, abdomen rounded; caudal peduncle short, compressed laterally. Mouth horseshoe-shaped and inferior; barbel one pair; lips thick, with developed papillae; central portion of the anterior papillae usually larger than lateral portion of anterior papillae on upper lip, at least two rows, papillae on second row small, hidden under papillae on first row, lateral portion of anterior papillae in several rows; lower lip usually forming two lateral lobes and one medial pad, without anterior fold; two lateral lobes on lower lip contact with each other posteriorly from medial pad and laterally connected with upper lip anterior papillae around mouth corners; medial pad on lower lip small, heart-shaped, sometimes segmented and fused with lateral lobes. Upper and lower jaws with horny sheathed edge; upper jaw wide, horny margin width larger than half mouth width; lower jaw exposed (Fig. 3 C ). Body covered with moderately large cycloid scales. Thoracic region scaleless, mid-ventral region covered with scales or scaleless. Anus positioned in anterior one-third of pelvic-fin insertion and anal-fin base. Lateral line complete, almost straight. Lateral-line scales usually 37–40; scales above lateral line 3.5–4.5; scales below lateral line usually 2–2.5; predorsal scales 9–11; circumpeduncular scales 12. Distal margin of expanded dorsal fin slow sloped, straight, with three unbranched and seven branched rays, pectoral fin with one unbranched and 10–12 branched rays, pelvic fin usually with one unbranched and six or seven branched rays, anal fin with three unbranched and five branched rays; caudal fin emarginated, with one simple ray and nine branched rays on upper lobe and eight branched rays and one simple ray on lower lobe, lobes pointed. Pharyngeal teeth “ 5–5 ” in one row. Air bladder small, possessing two chambers; anterior chamber flat rounded, enclosed in a thick fibrous capsule; posterior chamber small, length shorter than anterior chamber length, less than half eye diameter, thin. Intestine very long, coiling.

Distribution.

This genus exhibits a distribution confined to southern China, including the middle and lower Yangtze River Basin, northern tributaries of the Pearl River Basin, the Qiantangjiang River, Cao’ejiang River, Lingjiang River, and Oujiang River basins. This genus is endemic to China (Fig. 5 D ).

Etymology.

The generic name honors Dr. Hsen-Hsu Hu (胡先骕), the director of the Fan Memorial Institute of Biology, in recognition of his leadership in the development of biological science in China ( Fang, 1938). The generic name in Chinese is “ 胡鮈 ” 属, and the Chinese Pinyin name is “ Hú Jū ” Shǔ.

Species included.

Huigobio chenhsienensis Fang, 1938 (type species).

Huigobio exilicauda Jiang & Zhang, 2013 .

Huigobio heterocheilus Sun, Li, Tang & Zhao, 2022 .

Figures

Figure 3. Lip papillae patterns of the type species of seven genera within the Biwia – Microphysogobio complex, with a diagrammatic illustration showing the structures. A. Biwia zezera, KUN-P 040282; B. Microphysogobio hsinglungshanensis, ASIZB 240788; C. Huigobio chenhsienensis, SHOU 20231209015; D. Oriengobio fukiensis, ASIZB 220659; E. Mesophysogobio kachekensis, ASIZB 69768; F. Platysmacheilus exiguus, ASIZB 220879; G. Crossocheilogobio tafangensis, ASIZB 60212; H. diagrammatic illustration based on Microphysogobio chinssuensis. CPAP = central portion of anterior papillae; LPAP = lateral portion of anterior papillae; MP = medial pad; LL = lateral lobe; BB = barbel; UJ = upper jaw; LJ = lower jaw. The photo of Biwia zezera is provided by Seigo Kawase; the other photos and illustration were made by Zhi-Xian Sun.

Figure 5. The distributions of the Biwia – Microphysogobio complex and seven genera. A. The complex; B. Biwia; C. Microphysogobio; D. Huigobio; E. Platysmacheilus; F. Crossocheilogobio gen. nov.; G. Oriengobio gen. nov.; H. Mesophysogobio gen. nov.

Figure 8. The general view of Huigobio chenhsienensis, the type species of the genus Huigobio, SHOU 20231209015, 60.4 mm SL, collected from a tributary of the Chengtanjiang River in the Cao’ejiang River system, Shengzhou City, Zhejiang Province, China. A. lateral view; B. dorsal view; C. ventral view. Scale bar: 10 mm. Photographed by Zhi-Xian Sun.