Luciobarbus numidiensis, Brahimi & Libois & Henrard & Freyhof, 2018

Brahimi, Amina, Libois, Roland, Henrard, Arnaud & Freyhof, Jörg, 2018, Luciobarbus lanigarensis and L. numidiensis, two new species of barbels from the Mediterranean Sea basin in North Africa (Teostei: Cyprinidae), Zootaxa 4433 (3), pp. 542-560 : 551-555

Luciobarbus numidiensis , new species

( Figs. 6–8 )

Holotype. RMCA 2017-022 -P-0004, 140 mm SL; Algeria: Mila prov.: Oued El-Kébir at Hammam Beni Haroun , 36.6053°N, 6.2783°E.

Paratypes. RMCA 2017-022 -P-0001-0007, 6, 99– 162 mm SL; same data as holotype .— RMCA 2017-022 -P- 0008-0011, 4, 45– 78 mm SL; Algeria: Jijel prov.: Oued Saleh at Borj Bou Akkaz , 36.4915°N, 5.8894°E. — RMCA 2017-022 -P-0012-0018, 5, 73– 150 mm SL; ZFMK ICH-105604-105605 , 2 , 100– 109 mm SL; Algeria: Mila prov.: Oued El-Kébir at Hammam Beni Haroun , 36.6053°N, 6.2783°E.

Material for molecular analyses. RMCA DNA-2017-022 -P-NH1-NH6, same data as holotype (GenBank accession numbers: Cyt b: MH187177 , MH187179 , MH187182 , MH187183 , MH187187 ; D-loop: MH187200 , MH187203 , MH187205 , MH187206 , MH187210 ) .— RMCA DNA-2017-022 -P-NH16-NH27, Algeria: Mila prov.: Beni-Haroun reservoir at Oued El-Kébir, 36.3319, 6.1611 ( GenBank accession numbers: Cyt b: MH187175 , MH187176 , MH187178 , MH187180 , MH187181 , MH187184 , MH187185 , MH187186 , MH187188 ; D-loop: MH187198 , MH187199 , MH187201 , MH187202 , MH187204 , MH187207 , MH187208 , MH187209 , MH187211 ) .

Diagnosis. Luciobarbus numidiensis is distinguished from other Luciobarbus species from the African Mediterranean Sea basin, by a combination of characters, none of them unique. Luciobarbus numidiensis is distributed adjacent to L. callensis in the east and L. setivimensis in the west.

It is distinguished from L. callensis by having a longer anal-fin (19–23% SL vs. 16–19%), a wider anal-fin base (6.5–10% SL vs. 6.5–8) and a longer distance between the pectoral and pelvic-fin origins (27–30% SL vs. 22– 29). The new species is distinguished from L. setivimensis by the having a longer pectoral-fin (74–94% HL vs. 69– 84), a longer pre-dorsal length (49–55% SL vs. 46–52), a wider caudal peduncle depth (12–14% SL vs. 11–13) and a smaller eye diameter (11–22% HL vs. 11–28%).

The new species is distinguished from L. guercifensis by having thin barbels (vs. thick), the rostral-barbel origin placed clearly behind the tip of the snout (vs. rostral-barbel origin at the extreme anterior of the snout). It is distinguished from L. chelifensis , L. mascarensis and L. leptopogon by having 43–47+1–2 lateral line scales (vs. 41–43+ 1–2 in L. chelifensis and L. leptopogon , usually 41+ 1–2 in L. mascarensis ) ( Table 8).

Luciobarbus numidiesis is further distinguished from L. chelifensis and L. rifensis hy having a longer anal fin (19–22% SL vs. 17–19 in L. chelifensis , 16–19 in L. rifensis ). The new species is distinguished from L. leptopogon by having a greater caudal peduncle depth (12–14% SL vs. 10–13) and from L. yahyaouii by having a longer distance between the pelvic and anal-fin origins (23–26% SL vs. 20–24).

It is also distinguished from L. mascarensis , L. lanigarensis and L. yahyaouii by having a shorter pre-dorsal length (48–55% SL vs. 53–58 in L. mascarensis , 54–59 in L. lanigarensis , 53–57 in L. yahyaouii ). The new species is also distinguished from L. lanigarensis by having a smaller pre-pelvic length (49–56% SL vs. 55–60%), a greater post-orbital length (46–52% HL vs. 42–48) and the last unbranched dorsal-fin ray ossified and serrated at 2/3 of its length (vs. last unbranched dorsal-fin ray serrated along almost its entire length).

Description. See Figures 6–8 for general appearance. Morphometric data are given in Table 3 and meristic data in Table 7 and 8. A large-sized species with a moderately long head. Body deepest at dorsal-fin origin or about midline between nape and dorsal-fin origin. Depth decreasing continuously towards caudal-fin base. Greatest body width in front of dorsal-fin origin. Caudal peduncle compressed, 1.2–1.5 times longer than deep. Section of head roundish, flattened on ventral surface. Snout rounded. Mouth inferior. Dorsal-fin origin situated above pelvic-fin origin. Anal-fin origin slightly behind vertical of middle between dorsal and caudal-fin origins. Anal-fin origin slightly behind vertical of middle of distance between dorsal and caudal-fin origins. Anal fin reaching to caudal-fin base. Pectoral fin reaching 60–80% of distance between pectoral- and pelvic-fin origin. Pelvic fin not reaching vertical of tip of last dorsal-fin ray when folded down. Pelvic fin reaching to 60–90% of distance between pelvic and anal-fin origins. Posterior dorsal-fin margin straight or slightly concave. Posterior pectoral and anal-fin margins convex. Caudal fin forked with rounded lobes of equal length. Largest known specimen 430 mm SL.

Dorsal fin with 4 or 5 unbranched and 8½ branched rays, last unbranched ray serrated along almost its entire length. Anal fin with 3 unbranched and 5½ branched rays. Pectoral-fin with 13–18 rays (mode 17) and pelvic fin with 8 rays. Lateral line with 43–47 scales on flank and 1–2 scales on caudal-fin base. Between dorsal-fin origin and lateral line 8½–9½ (mode 9½) scale rows and 5½–6½ (mode 5½) scale rows between pelvic-fin origin and lateral line. Pharyngeal teeth in three rows: 4+3+2. On first gill arch, 3-4 gill rakers on upperand 8-10 on lower limb.

Coloration. In life, whitish-golden on belly, silvery-grey on flank and dark-grey on back. Head golden-grey and cheeks greenish-golden. All fins grey. Pectoral fin with a golden distal edge.

Etymology. Luciobarbus numidiensis is named for Numidia, an ancient Berber kingdom, located in Algeria. The capital of Numidia was Cirta, the present city of Constantine. The El-Kebir River, the habitat of L. numidiensis , flows through Constantine. An adjective.

Distribution. Luciobarbus numidiensis was found in the El-Kébir River and in the Beni Haroun reservoir, both belonging to the El-Kébir River drainage in northestern Algeria. See Figure 2 ( L. numidiensis are Nr. 10–12) for the distribution of Luciobarbus species in the African Mediterranean Sea basin.

Remarks. Luciobarbus numidiensis occurs north of the range of L. biscarensis , which is found in the rivers of the Algerian Sahara. It is distinguished from this species by having 43–47+1–2 lateral line scales (vs. 49–51+1–2), 5½–6½ scale rows between the lateral line and the pelvic-fin origin (vs. 7½–8½), 4 at 5 unbranched dorsal-fin rays (vs. 5), the dorsal-fin origin situated above the pelvic-fin origin (vs. behind), a longer anal fin (19–22% SL vs. 17– 19) and a more wider interorbital distance (37–43% HL vs. 31–39).

Luciobarbus numidiensis is quite variable in the serration of the last unbranched dorsal-fin ray. Specimens collected from the Beni-Haroun reservoir have the last unbranched dorsal-fin ray serrated along 2/3 of its length with sparsely set denticulations while fish collected from the El-Kébir River have the last unbranched dorsal-fin ray serrated along almost its entire length with densely set denticulations.

Figures

FIGURE 2. Records of Luciobarbus species examined in this study. Numbers correspond to materials examined.

FIGURE 6. Luciobarbus numidiensis, RMCA 2017-022-P-0004, holotype, 140 mm SL; Algeria: Oued El-Kébir.

FIGURE 7. Luciobarbus numidiensis, 1, RMCA 2017-022-P-0004, holotype, 140 mm SL; 2, RMCA 2017-022-P-0002, paratype, 162 mm SL; 3, RMCA 2017-022-P-0006, paratype, 148 mm SL; 4, RMCA 2017-022-P-0007, paratype, 121 mm SL; Algeria: Oued El-Kébir. Scale bars = 30 mm.

FIGURE 8. Luciobarbus numidiensis, 1+5, RMCA 2017-022-P-0004, holotype, 140 mm SL; 2+6, RMCA 2017-022-P-0002, paratype, 162 mm SL; 3+7, RMCA 2017-022-P-0006, paratype, 148 mm SL; 4+8, RMCA 2017-022-P-0007, paratype, 121 mm SL; Algeria: Oued El-Kébir. Scale bars: 1–4 = 30 mm; 5–8 = 10 mm.