Conspectus cobitidum - Raffles Museum of Biodiversity Research

Fig. 1. Barbucca diabolica, ZRC 47747, 29.0 mm SL. Mouth.
lj, lower jaw; llp, barbel-like projection of lower lip; ml, median
lobe. (Photograph by Tan Heok Hui, retouched by author).
Additional data from: Bănărescu & Nalbant, 1995; Prokofiev,
2005; Du et al., 2008; Kottelat, 1990b.
Barbuccidae, new family
Type genus. — Barbucca Roberts, 1989: 100.
Diagnosis. — Barbuccidae includes the single genus Barbucca,
with one named and several unnamed species. The
most obvious characters distinguishing Barbuccidae from the
other families of Cobitoidea are in the structure of the mouth
(Fig. 1) and the gas-bladder capsule. Upper lip, fleshy,
smooth, with or without a median notch. Lower lip continuous
with upper lip, fleshy, interrupted medially, with a thick,
fleshy barbel-like projection along its posterior edge, near
lateral extremity. Skin of throat between median extremities
of lower lip forming a fleshy, triangular lobe, with a soft,
thin, compressed projection orientated perpendicular to body.
Two pairs of rostral barbels, one pair of maxillary barbels.
All barbels with rings of small projections. Lower jaw exposed.
The shape of the gas-bladder capsule distinguishes Barbuccidae
from all other lineages of Cobitoidea. The capsule
appears as a single globulous structure in Cobitidae, incompletely
formed in Botiidae and Vaillantellidae (Sawada,
1982). In Nemacheilidae, Balitoridae, Gastromyzontidae
(Sawada, 1982), Serpenticobitidae (Nalbant, 2001) and Ellopostomatidae
(Kevin Conway, pers. comm., 2011) the capsule
is made of two more or less spherical structures (formed
by the horizontal and the descending processes of centrum 2
and the inner and outer arms of the os suspensorium) connected
posteriorly to each other to form a canal (called ‘manubrium’
by, e.g., Bănărescu & Nalbant, 1995) around the duct
connecting the left and right halves of the anterior chamber
of the gas bladder. The manubrium is not a complete tube in
Ellopostoma but a thin lamina of bone that rims the ventral
part of the connecting duct. In Barbuccidae, the ‘manubrium’
is missing, the two capsule are posteriorly independent
and the duct is exposed (Fig. 2). The coracoid has a large
posterior process, not reported in other families. Posterior
edge of basipterygium of pelvic girdle with elongate poster-
Kottelat: Conspectus cobitidum
lj
ml
llp
140
pcp
d
gbc
gbp
Fig. 2. Barbucca diabolica, UMMZ 240150, 24.4 mm SL. Ventral
view of pectoral girdle. d, duct; gbc, gas-bladder capsule;
gbp, gas-bladder posterior chamber; pcp, posterior coracoid process.
(Photograph by Kevin Conway).
odorsal process, which articulates with 2 nd last rib close to
its base. (Based on photographs and information provided
by Kevin Conway).
Barbuccidae are further distinguished by having: body short,
compact, with a barred colour pattern. Head small, with a
blunt snout, with large, oval eyes orientated dorso-laterally.
Anterior nostril at tip of a short tube; posterior nostril in
contact with base of tube and adjacent to eye orbit. Caudal
fin emarginate. Dorsal-fin origin slightly in advance of pelvic-fin
origin. Pectoral and pelvic fins directed laterally, each
with a single simple ray. Large tubercles disposed irregularly
on lower half of flank above anal fin (number and exact
distribution variable and depending of species).
Serpenticobitidae, new family
Type genus. — Serpenticobitis Roberts, 1997: 109.
Diagnosis. — Serpenticobitidae includes the single genus
Serpenticobitis, with three named species. It is distinguished
from the other families of Cobitoidea in having: body short,
cylindrical, with a barred colour pattern. Head small, snout
rounded and conspicuously overhanging. A large bifid spine
present immediately below eye. Caudal fin slightly forked.
Dorsal-fin origin in advance of pelvic-fin origin. Pectoral
fins directed laterally. Pectoral and pelvic fins with a single
simple ray. Mouth small, arched. Upper and lower lips fleshy
and continuous. Lower lip with a few folds and a median
interruption but no mental lobes. Two pairs of rostral barbels,
one pair of maxillary barbels. Lower jaw partly exposed.
Anterior nostril pierced at front side of a flap-like
tube. All fins with conspicuous rows of spots. A large and
conspicuous black spot at midheight of caudal-fin base. Gasbladder
capsule in two parts connected by a ‘manubrium’
(Nalbant, 2001: 10).
Remarks. — I follow here the molecular phylogeny of Šlech-