Conspectus cobitidum - Raffles Museum of Biodiversity Research

anus is a real difference but partly linked to the elongated
body. The shape of the caudal fin is the only clear-cut character.
On the other hand, the hypothesis that A. pavonaceus
(A. longipinnis) might be a lineage distinct from the other
species placed in Acanthocobitis is not unreasonable, but
the hypothesis should be addressed by a proper study, based
on examination of specimens of all concerned species. To
distinguish lineages (subgenera) assumes a phylogenetic analysis,
which is missing. There is no benefit to use a name
created for no taxonomically justifiable reason.
Further, the identity of A. longipinnis (type species of
Acanthocobitis) must be clarified.
Incertae sedis
10.2.1 Acanthocobitis longipinnis Peters, 1861
Acanthocobitis longipinnis Peters, 1861: 712 (type locality:
India: Ganges; holotype: ZMB 4795, Grant, 2007c: fig. 1;
noun in apposition, indeclinable)
Taxonomic notes. Grant (2007c) considered A. longipinnis
Peters, 1861 to be a synonym of A. pavonaceus. This was
apparently based on examination of the literature, one living
specimen and photographs of syntypes of Cobitis pavonacea
(one figured, SMF 68, about 100 mm SL) and of the
poorly preserved holotype of A. longipinnis (ZMB 4795,
156 mm SL). I have not examined the mentioned specimens,
but the photographs of the types published by Grant do not
allow me to accept the synonymy without a demonstration.
They show specimens differing in the shape of the body (body
depth 19 % SL in the holotype of A. longipinnis, vs. 12 in
the figured syntype of C. pavonacea), the length of the dorsal
fin base (27 % SL, vs. 32; 1.6 times in the distance between
the origins of the anal and pelvic fins, vs. 1.3) and the
shape of the caudal peduncle (depth 2.1 times in its length,
vs. 1.13). Some of these values may depend from ability to
determine the position of the base of the first and last rays of
the dorsal and anal fins from the photograph of A. longipinnis,
but the proportions of the caudal peduncle do not suffer
these reservations since they depend of bony structures (the
vertebral column for the length and the hypural complex for
the depth). The examination of a large series of specimens
(including juveniles and adults) from a single locality is needed
to understand morphological variability; the examination
of several series from various localities is needed to understand
geographic variability. The presented data suggest that
two species might be involved, of which the identity of
A. longipinnis is unclear.
10.2.2 Acanthocobitis botia (Hamilton, 1822)
Cobitis botia Hamilton, 1822: 350, 394 (type locality: India:
"northeastern parts of Bengal" [Brahmaputra River
at Goalpara; Hora, 1929: 318, 1935a: 49]; types: NT;
Hamilton's unpublished figure reproduced in M'Clelland,
1839: pl. 51 fig. 4; noun in apposition, indeclinable)
Cobitis turio Hamilton, 1822: 358, 395 (type locality: India:
Brahmaputra River [at Goalpara; Hora, 1935a: 49]; types:
NT; Hamilton's unpublished figure reproduced in
M'Clelland, 1839: pl. 52 fig. 7; simultaneous subjective
synonym of Cobitis botia Hamilton, 1822: 350; first reviser
[Hora, 1935a: 52] gave precedence to C. botia; noun
THE RAFFLES BULLETIN OF ZOOLOGY 2012
75
in apposition, indeclinable)
Cobitis bilturio Hamilton, 1822: 358, 395 (type locality:
India: "along with the 10th species" [=C. turio; Brahmaputra
at Goalpara; Hora, 1935a: 49]; types: NT; Hamilton's
unpublished figure reproduced in M'Clelland, 1839:
pl. 51 fig. 6; simultaneous subjective synonym of Cobitis
botia Hamilton, 1822: 350; first reviser [apparently
Günther, 1868: 349] gave precedence to C. botia; simultaneous
subjective synonym of Cobitis turio Hamilton,
1822: 358; as first reviser, I give precedence to C. turio;
noun in apposition, indeclinable)
Cobitis bimucronata M'Clelland, 1839: 304, 435, pl. 51 fig. 4
(unnecessary replacement name for Cobitis botia Hamilton,
1822: 350; adjective, -us, -a, -um)
Cobitis ocellata M'Clelland, 1839: 304, 436, pl. 51 fig. 6
(unnecessary replacement name for Cobitis bilturio
Hamilton, 1822: 358; adjective, -us, -a, -um)
Cobitis gibbosa M'Clelland, 1839: 304, 436, pl. 52 fig. 7
(unnecessary replacement name for Cobitis turio Hamilton,
1822: 358; adjective, -us, -a, -um)
Cobitis monocera M'Clelland, 1839: 305, 438, pl. 52 fig. 2
(type locality: India: Assam; types: LU; noun in apposition,
indeclinable)
Cobites argentata Swainson, 1839: 310 (available by indication
to Hamilton, 1822: 358, No. 10 [which is Cobitis
turio]; type locality: India: Brahmaputra River [at Goalpara;
Hora, 1935a: 49]; types: NT; Hamilton's unpublished
figure reproduced in M'Clelland, 1839: pl. 52
fig. 7; adjective, -us, -a, -um)
Canthophrys unispina Swainson, 1839: 311 (available by
indication to Hamilton, 1822: 350, No. 1 [which is Cobitis
botia]; type locality: India: "northeastern parts of Bengal"
[Brahmaputra River at Goalpara; Hora, 1929: 318,
1935: 49]; types: NT; Hamilton's unpublished figure reproduced
in M'Clelland, 1839: pl. 51 fig. 4; compound
noun, indeclinable)
Cobitis arenata Valenciennes, in Jacquemont, 1839: pl. 15
fig. 1 (type locality: India; holotype: MNHN 3811, Fang,
1943: 404, Daget, 1984: 512; adjective, -us, -a, -um)
Nemachilus mackenziei Chaudhuri, 1910b: 183 (type locality:
India: Uttar Pradesh: Cheriyadang near Kathgodam /
Jaulasal in Naini Tal District / Bengal: Jharai and Jamwari
Nadi near Siripur, Saran / Jhil at Purnahia, P. O.
Ghorasan, Champaran District; syntypes [total 12]: ZSI
F 2017/1 [1], F 4170/1–4171/1 [2], F 4172/1–4173/1 [2],
Menon & Yazdani, 1968: 123; noun in genitive, indeclinable)
10.2.3 Acanthocobitis mandalayensis (Rendahl, 1948)
Nemacheilus rubidipinnis mandalayensis Rendahl, 1948: 21,
fig. 7 A, B (type locality: Burma: Mandalay; holotype:
NRM 13179 [ex MAL/1935139.3179], Kottelat, 1990a:
30]; adjective, -is, -is, -e)
Taxonomic notes. I earlier treated A. mandalayensis as a
synonym of A . botia (Kottelat, 1990a: 29), on the basis of
the material then available. I have since examined a number
of samples and photographs of A. botia from the Brahmaputra,
Ganges and Indus drainages. Acanthocobitis mandalayensis
is distinguished from both A. botia and A. rubidipinnis
by a unique colour pattern (Kottelat, 2012a: 50, fig. 5).