Scientists from the Institute of Plateau Biology of the Xizang Autonomous Region, the Xizang Museum of Natural Science, Zaozhuang University, and the Institute of Hydrobiology under the Chinese Academy of Sciences announced on Saturday the discovery of a new catfish species in Zayul County, southwestern China’s Xizang Autonomous Region.
Named Glaridoglanis verruciloba sp. nov., this glyptosternine catfish stands out with its enlarged lower lip bearing four to seven verruciform lobes along the central-posterior margin. Specimens were first collected in April this year from the Zayul River but were initially misidentified as their congener G. andersonii.
Through detailed morphological comparisons and molecular phylogenetic analyses, the research team confirmed that these specimens represent a distinct species. Reported in the international journal ZooKeys on Wednesday, G. verruciloba becomes the third valid species recognized within the genus Glaridoglanis.
This discovery enriches our understanding of freshwater biodiversity along the southeastern margin of the Himalayas. It also highlights the power of combining fieldwork with genetic research to uncover hidden species, even in regions that have been surveyed before.
Future studies of Glaridoglanis verruciloba will shed light on the origin, diversification and adaptive evolution of Himalayan freshwater fishes—critical insights for conservation in a changing climate.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
