Puntius ater, I. Linthoingambi & W. Vishwanath, 2007

I. Linthoingambi & W. Vishwanath, 2007, Two new fish species of the genus Puntius Hamilton (Cyprinidae) from Manipur, India, with notes on P. ticto (Hamilton) and P. stoliczkanus (Day)., Zootaxa 1450, pp. 45-56 : 46-48

Puntius ater , new species

(Fig. 1)

Puntius ticto Vishwanath and Juliana, 2004 (reported from Chindwin basin of Manipur valley).

Holotype. MUMF 6101, 50.0 mm SL; India: Manipur State: Iril R. at Bamonkampu; I. Linthoingambi, 25 March 2004.

Paratypes. (all from Chindwin basin of Manipur) MUMF 3030, 1, 47.5 mm SL; Imphal valley, Juliana L, 19 August 1998. MUMF 6102-06, 5, 53.0-58.0 mm SL; same data as holotype. MUMF 6107-11, 5, 52.0- 57.0 mm SL; Imphal R. at Mayang Imphal, I. Linthoingambi, 10 April 2004. MUMF 6208-15, 8, 51.0-55.0 mm SL; Imphal R. at Mayang Imphal, Juliana L., 2 September 2004. Uncat. 20, 33.0-51.0 mm SL; Loktak Lake, at Moirang, same data as MUMF 6107-11, 8 August 2005.

Diagnosis. A species of Puntius with the following combination of characters: dorsal fin edge black, its spine weak, serrated posteriorly with 13-17 serrae, spine length 16.8-23.3% SL; predorsal scales 10 or 11; lateral line incomplete with 5-11 pored scales, 25-29 scales in lateral-line row; transverse scales ½4/1/4½; a black longitudinal stripe covering the upper half of the 1st scale row and lower half of the 2nd scale row above lateral-line row of scales; a black spot extending over 19th and 20th scales of lateral-line row at the level above the posterior end of the anal fin base; intestine long and coiled, its relative gut length 2.0-2.5 TL. Other differentiating characters from nearest congeners are in Table 1.

Description. Table 2 presents morphometric data, and Table 3 presents frequency distributions of meristic characters. Body elongated. Head large. Eyes large. Barbels absent. Lips thin, no lateral fold on snout.

Dorsal fin origin opposite that of pelvic fin, inserted midway between tip of snout and base of caudal fin; 3 simple and 8 branched rays; third simple ray spinous, weak, and serrated posteriorly with 13-17 serrae.

Pectoral fin with 1 simple posteriorly serrated ray and 12 branched rays, almost reaching pelvic fin origin. Pelvic fin with 1 simple and 8 branched rays. Anal fin with 3 simple and 5 branched rays. Caudal fin with 10+9 principal rays and 9+8 branched rays.

Scales large, 25-29 in lateral-line row; lateral line incomplete with 5-11 pored scales; ½4 scales between dorsal fin origin and lateral line row, 4½ scales between lateral line and pelvic fin origin. Predorsal scales 10- 11. Preanal scales 20.

Predorsal bones 5 and predorsal neural spines 5. First pterygiophore inserted between 9th and 10th vertebrae. Number of total vertebrae 4+28-29. The infraorbital 3+4 is much broader and has greatly elevated margins compared to other bones of the infraorbital series. Intestine long and coiled (Fig. 2a), its relative length 2.0-2.5 TL.

Colouration. In formalin, specimens have a black longitudinal stripe covering the upper half of the 1st scale row and lower half of the 2nd scale row above lateral-line row of scales, and a black spot on the 19th and 20th scales of lateral-line row, at the level above the posterior end of the anal fin base. Dorsal fin reddish, edged black. Pectoral, pelvic and anal fins reddish.

Etymology. Named after the black longitudinal stripe on the body, derived from ‘ater’ (Latin), black.

Distribution. India: Manipur: Iril and Imphal rivers, ponds and lakes in Imphal valley (Fig. 3).