ISSN No: Print: 2231 –6280; Online: 2231- 6299 Journal of Research in Biology An International Scientific Research Journal Original Research Macrognathus siangensis, a new spiny eel from Brahmaputra basin, Journal of Research in Biology Arunachal Pradesh, Northeast India (Teleostei: Synbranchiformes) Authors: Arunkumar L Institution: Department of Zoology, Mayai Lambi College, Yumnam Huidrom – 09, Manipur. ABSTRACT: Macrognathus siangensis, e spe ies, fro the Sia g Ri er, Brah aputra drai age, ortheast I dia, is disi guished fro all other o ge ers y the follo i g o i aio of hara ters: la k of rostral tooth plates, dorsal-i spi es - 9, dark spots like i perfe t o elli alo g the ase of dorsal sot ra hed i rays - , dark lot hes at the id-lateral sides of ody - , dorsal i rays ith t o ro s of parallel greyish streaks, audal i rays ith - striated greyish streaks a d ody idth 9. - . % of its depth. A key to Macrognathus spe ies of ortheast I dia i ludi g the e ly des ri ed o e is pro ided. Corresponding author: Arunkumar L Key ords: Macrognathus siangensis sp. o ., Sia g ri er, Masta e Northeast I dia. Email Id: Ari le Citaio : Aru ku ar L Macrognathus siangensis, a e spi y eel fro Brah aputra asi , Aru a hal Pradesh, Northeast I dia Teleostei: Sy ra hifor es Jour al of Resear h i Biology : - Web Address: Dates: Re ei ed: http://jresearchbiology.com/ documents/RA0576.pdf De e er A epted: Fe ruary elid di ersity, Pu lished: May This article is governed by the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/ licenses/by/4.0), which gives permission for unrestricted use, non-commercial, distribution and reproduction in all medium, provided the original work is properly cited. Journal of Research in Biology An International Scientific Research Journal 2003-2012 | JRB | 2016 | Vol 6 | No 3 www.jresearchbiology.com Arunkumar, 2016 2007), Vishwanath et al. (2007), and Yazdani (1985, INTRODUCTION Fish of the genus Macrognathus Lacepede are 1990) mainly reported about the ichthyofaunal distributed throughout the tropical Asia (Taki, 1975), distribution from northeast India. Presently, seven most of the Indian subcontinent and continental portions species of Macrognathus viz., M. albus (Plamoottil and of Southeast Asia (Roberts, 1980) and restricted to the Abraham, 2014b), M. aral (Bloch and Schneider, 1801), freshwaters of Africa and Asia (Roberts, 1986). This M. mastacembelid fishes come under the order Perciformes M. guentheri (Day, 1889), M. lineatomaculatus (Britz, (Menon, 1974; Jayaram, 1981; Talwar and Jhingran, 2010); M. morehensis Arunkumar and Singh, 2000 and 1991; Yang and Zhou, 2011), Mastacembeliformes M. pancalus Hamilton-Buchanan, 1822, and three (Sen, 1985; Yazdani, 1990) and Synbranchiformes species (Travers, 1984a,b; Jayaram, 1999; Khachonpisitsak Boulenger, 1893 M. armatus (Lacepede, 1800) and et al., 2008; Britz, 2009, 2010; Vreven, 2005b and M. malabaricus Jerdon, 1849 had been reported from Vreven and Stiassny, 2009) respectively. Sufi (1956), Indian waters already (Arunkumar and Singh, 1998 and Roberts (1980, 1986) and Vreven (2005b) revised the 2000; Britz, 2009; Jayaram, 1999; Plamoottil and mastacembelid fishes of Asian and African continents Abraham, 2013 and 2014a, b). fasciatus of (Plamoottil Mastacembelus and Abraham, viz., M. 2014a), alboguttatus respectively. Arunkumar and Singh (1998), Britz (2009 During an ichthyological survey (the 15th and 2010), Kottelat and Widjanarti (2005), Pethiyagoda December 2008) in East Siang district, Arunachal et al. (2008), Roberts (1980 and 1986), and Plamoottil Pradesh the author collected five specimens of the genus and Abraham (2013 and 2014, a,b) reported and Macrognathus from Siang River at Pasight. On detailed described new mastacembelid fishes of the genus study, the specimens were found to be distinct from all Macrognathus. As many as 24 species of Macrognathus known were currently recorded (www.fishbase se/identification/ Macrognathus siangensis sp nov. species. The species described here is species, downloaded on 05/11/2015). Britz, (2010) reported that 11 species of Macrognathus M. aureus MATERIALS AND METHODS from upper Ayeyarwaddy river drainage, Myanmar were Standard practices of Talwar and Jhingran distinguished and described. The systematic position of (1991), Jayaram (1999), Arunkumar and Singh (2000), Macrognathus and Britz (2009 and 2010), and Plamoottil and Abraham retransferred to Mastacembelus (Britz, 2009). Later (2014a, b) were followed while taking meristic and Macrognathus morphometric measurements. Measurements of Head caudiocellatus taeniagaster was was reviewed synonymised to M. semiocellatus (Vidhayanon, 2012). Length (HL) and body parts are expressed as proportions Northeast India is an important part of the Indo- of Standard Length (SL) and the subunits of head as Myanmar (Indo-Burma) biodiversity hot spot, one of the proportions of head length. The specimens were 34 global biodiversity hotspots. It is drained by the three deposited in the Manipur University Central Museum river systems viz., the Brahmaputra, the Chindwin and (MUCM), Canchipur. Registration numbers are given the Kaladan. below. Various worker viz., Arunkumar and Singh (1998, 2000), Bagra and Das (2010), Bagra et al. (2009), RESULT Hora (1921), Kar and Sen (2007), Nath and Dey (2000), Macrognathus siangensis sp. nov. (Figure. 1.) Sen (1985), Tamang et al. (2007), Vishwanath (2002, Common name: Arunachal’s Spiny Eel. Jour al of Resear h i Biology : - Arunkumar, 2016 Local name: Bami (by Adi people of Arunachal ventral side, more or less same as the interorbital Pradesh, India). distance. Scales are minute. Lateral line distinct and lies Manipuri name: Nagril macha/Chinglak ngaril one by third above the body depth. Spinous dorsal-fin is Holotype originating far behind the end of the pectoral fin. Anus is 43/NH/MUM 115.2 mm SL; Siang river at nearer to the base of caudal fin than to the snout. Anal Pasighat, East Siang district, Brahmaputra river drainage/ fin spines are covered and concealed by thick skin, basin, Arunachal Pradesh, India, 28º05'17" N and second 95º19'54" E; about 150m above mean sea level, 15.xii. separate from the dorsal and the anal fins. Proportional 2008, Coll. G.S. Sharma. measurements are given in Table 1. Paratypes Colour 4 specimens, 97-120.9mm SL; data same as for spine longest. Caudal-fin rounded, distinctly Dorsal dark grey, ventral yellowish pale white. A holotype. series of 7-11 dark spots like imperfect ocelli are present Diagnosis at the base of dorsal soft branched fin rays, 22-27 oblique A Macrognathus with the absence of rostral transverse bars on the lateral sides of the body, a tooth plates, dorsal fin spines 15-19, dark spots like longitudinally light greyish or light yellowish band from imperfect ocelli at the base of dorsal soft branched fin the posterior end of the eye upto the origin of branched rays 7-11, oblique transverse bars on the lateral sides of dorsal soft fin rays which lies above the lateral line and body 22-27, dark blotches on the lateral sides which distinct at the posterior end, blotches along dorsal-fin and increases their sizes from anterior to posterior ends mid-lateral blotches are only separated from posterior 22-27, dorsal fin rays with two longitudinal streak rows, eye upto the origin of dorsal soft branched fin rays and caudal fin rays with 4-6 fine striated streaks, body width joined upto the origin of caudal fin, 4-6 fine transversely 59.0-67.4% of its depth, head length at occiput and striated dark greyish streaks on caudal fin rays. Two predorsal length at dorsal spine origin 10.0-15.1% and parallel longitudinal streak rows of greyish bands on 34.3-39.0% of standard length respectively. dorsal and anal branched soft fin rays which are at the Description distinct posterior end. Pectoral fin is clear. Br. 3-5; D. 15-19/42-53; P. 22; A. 3/32-51; C. 13-14. General body shape and appearance is shown Etymology The species is named after the Siang River, in the Figure. 1. Body-eel like, occiput to the origin of Arunachal Pradesh, type locality of the species. dorsal fin spine subcylindrical and then laterally Distribution and Habitat compressed to the posterior end. Preorbital and Presently known only from the Siang River at preopercular spines are absent. Occipital region of head Pasighat, East Siang district, Arunachal Pradesh, scaleless but otherwise head including operculum and Brahmaputra river drainage, India. The fish inhabits the cheeks are covered with minute scales. Head long with pebbly bottom with sandy beds of swift, moderate and median fleshy rostral tentacles projecting from the upper turbid running water.. The following is a list of jaw. Mouth is found to be inferior and narrow. Lip is ichthyofaunal species collected syntopically with this fleshy. Gill membrane is connected to the isthmus. new species: Cyprinidae: Raiamas bola, Cabdio morar, Operculum opening is large ventrally but extending Amblypharyngodon dorsally only to the level of horizontal through upper Lepidocephalichthys guntea, Siluridae: Ompok pabo, third of pectoral fin base. Eyes not visible from the Schilbeidae: Clupisoma garua, Eutropiichthys vacha, Jour al of Resear h i Biology : - mola, Cobitidae: Arunkumar, 2016 Key to Macrognathus species of the inland water bodies of India Rostral tooth-plates present Rostral tooth-plates absent Presence of a pair series of rostral tooth-plate Presence 14-28 pairs of rostral tooth-plate Presence of 15-17 pairs of rostral tooth-plate Presence of 8-11 pair pairs of rostral tooth-plate 26-30 dorsal spines 14-16 dorsal spines 19-22 dorsal spines 11-16 dorsal spines 29 irregular blotches present on mid-dorsal line form the top of opercular to base of caudal 3-6 perfect ocelli at the branched dorsal fin rays Eye size black blotches along dorsal fin 12-14 imperfect acelli at the base of dorsal fin rays Preorbital spine present Preorbital spine absent Lateral side of body with 26-27 distinct yellow vertical bars originating form mid-dorsal to ventral side Lateral side of body sparkled with small white dots, a distinct streak of longitudinal spots runs along the lateral line from eye to the days caudal fin 28-30 dorsal spines 24-26 dorsal spines 27-30 dorsal spines 15-19 dorsal spines 2 11 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 M. albus M. aral M. lineatomaculatus M. morehensis 12 15 13 14 M. fasciatus M. pancalus M. guentheri M. siangensis sp. nov. Mastacembelidae: Mastacembelus armatus. 32 respectively) and from M. tapirus by having 7-11 DISCUSSION dark spots like imperfect ocelli at the base of dorsal soft The main distinguishing characters of branched fin rays VS. 6 distinct large perfect ocelli and Macrognathus species of the inland waterbodies of India more are given into the key of this paper. Spiny eels of the respectively. genus Mastacembelus and Macrognathus from the transverse oblique Macrognathus bars siangensis (22-27 VS. 13) sp. nov. is Northeast India are shown in Figure. 2 and Figure. 3. distinguished from M. fasciatus in many significant Macrognathus from taxonomnic features. In M. siangensis, head is longer aureus, than M. fasciatus (18.4-21.0% SL Vs. 14.8-16.5), longer M. dorsiocellatus, M. lineatomaculatus M. meklongensis, pectoral fin (6.3-7.2% SL Vs. 4.3-5.2), shorter base of M. pavo, dorsal fin rays (32.2-35.2% SL Vs. 36.1-39.2), longer M. pentophthalmos and M. siamensis by the absence of predorsal length (34.3-39.0% SL Vs. 22.2-26.1), larger rostral tooth-plates, from M. zebrinus by having less eye diameter (11.7-18.9% HL Vs. 3.7-4.8), more number of dorsal fin spines (15-19 VS. 28-31), from interorbital distance (12.2-18.5%HL Vs. 10.0-10.9) and M. circumcinctus, M. keithi, M. maculatus and shorter snout length (30.6-38.3% HL Vs. 38.6-43.6) and M. semiocellatus by having distinctly separate caudal fin distribution (Arunachal Pradesh, Siang River Vs. Kerala, VS. confluent with dorsal and anal fins and less numbers Manimala River) respectively. Data of Plamoottil and of dorsal spines (15 – 19 Vs. 26-29, 26-27, 26-31 and 28- Abraham (2014a) for M. fasciatus were used for M. aculeatus, siangensis M. morehensis, albus, M. sp. M. nov. aral, obscurus, differs M. M. Jour al of Resear h i Biology : - Arunkumar, 2016 Table 1. Morphological characters of Macrognathus siangensis sp. nov.m Holotype 43/ NH/MUM 115.2 Standard length (SL) in mm. In % of standard length (SL) Predorsal length at soft branched fin ray origin Predorsal length at dorsal fin spine origin Head length at the end of lateral operculum Body width at branched dorsal fin origin Body width of branched anal fin origin Height of dorsal fin Pectoral fin base length Head length at occiput Head depth at occiput Head depth at eye Body depth Preanus length Preanal fin length Pectoral fin length Caudal fin length Dorsal fin spine base length Dorsal soft branched fin ray base length Anal soft branched fin ray base length In % of head length at the end of lateral operculum Depth of head at ociput Width of head at ociput Pectoral fin length Eye diameter Interorbital distance Snout length Rostral barbel length Mouth width In % of body depth Body width Paratypes 43/NH/MUM (N=4) 97-121 Mean (Range) ±SD 64.6(62.3-66.8) ±2.0 36.1(34.3-39.0) ±1.5 19.2(18.4-21.0) ±1.1 6.7(6.4-7.0) ±0.6 5.0(4.1-5.3) ±0.5 3.0(2.6-3.3) ±0.4 2.7(2.5-3.0) ±0.4 13.4(12.6-15.1) ±0.9 6.4(6.0-7.0) ±0.6 4.7(4.4-5.1) ±0.5 10.7(10.3-11.0) ±0.8 57.3(52.5-60.3) ±1.9 60.3(55.6-65.3) ±1.9 6.8(6.3-7.2) ±0.6 6.6(5.2-7.6) ±0.6 29.3(27.2-31.8) ±1.3 34.1(32.2-35.2) ±1.5 34.0(32.0-38.6) ±1.5 65.1 34.7 19.2 6.6 5.2 3.3 2.6 10.0 5.4 4.3 10.4 57.5 61.8 6.5 6.3 28.6 32.5 32.4 28.2 20.5 33.9 13.6 14.5 37.0 16.7 7.9 32.2(28.1-34.1) 20.7(18.5-22.2) 35.8(32.6-37.2) 14.8(11.8-18.9) 14.8(11.8-18.9) 34.4(30.7-38.3) 15.2(13.2-18.9) 8.0(7.9-8.1) ±1.4 ±1.1 ±1.5 ±1.0 ±1.0 ±1.5 ±1.0 ±0.7 63.7 62.9(59.0-67.4) ±1.9 Table 2. The distribution pattern of spiny eels or mastacembelid fishes in the three river basins of northeast India. Presence and absence of each species is indicated by + and – respectively. BRB=Brahmaputra River basin CRB= Chindwin River basin and KRB= Kaladan/Koladyne River basin. Sl. No. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Scientific name BRB CRB KRB + + + + + + + + - + + - Mastacembelus alboguttatus M. armatus Macrognathus aral M. morehensis M. pancalus M. siangensis sp. nov. comparision. (30.7-38.3%HL Vs 39.6-43.8), larger eye diameter Macrognathus siangensis sp. nov. is also (11.8-18.9% HL Vs 7.9-13.0) and more interorbital distinguished from M. pancalus by having more distance (11.8-18.9% HL Vs 5.0-6.0) and distribution branched dorsal fin rays (42-53 Vs. 30-42), lesser body (Siang depth (10.3-11.0% SL Vs 10.7-15.6), shorter head length distribution in north east India) respectively. Data of (18.4-21.0% SL Vs. 18.5-25.3), shorter snout length Arunkumar and Singh (2000) and Sufi (1956) for Jour al of Resear h i Biology : - river of Arunachal Pradesh Vs. Widely Arunkumar, 2016 Figure 1. Macrognathus siangensis sp. nov. 43/NH/MUM 115.2 mm SL; Siang river at Pasighat, East Siang district, Brahmaputra river drainage/basin, Arunachal Pradesh, India (a) (a) Figure 2. Spiny eels of the genus Mastacembelus in the Northeast India: (a) Mastacembelus alboguttatus, (b) M. armatus Jour al of Resear h i Biology : - Arunkumar, 2016 (a) (b) (c) Figure 3. Spiny eels of the genus Macrognathus in the Northeast India: (a) M. aral, (b) M. morehensis, (c) M. pancalus Jour al of Resear h i Biology : - Arunkumar, 2016 M. pancalus were used for comparison. Macrognathus siangensis Asian country respectively. The spiny eel or is mastacembelid fishes of northeast India (only 7.5% of distinguished from M. guentheri by having less number the total geographical area of India) are Mastacembelus of branched dorsal soft fin rays (42-53 Vs. 58-74), less alboguttatus, M. armatus, Macrognathus aral, M. number of anal soft branched fin rays (32-51 Vs. 59-75), morehensis, M. pancalus and M. siangensis sp. nov. and longer head length (18.4-21.0% SL Vs 16.0-18.3), longer their distributions in three river basins of this region are pectoral fin 6.3-7.2% SL Vs. 4.2-5.0), shorter snout shown in Table 2. sp. nov. length (30.7-38.3% HL Vs. 39.5-42), longer eye diameter (11.8-18%HL Vs. 8-9), more interorbital ACKNOWLEDGEMENT distance (11.8-18.9%HL Vs. 4-5), pectoral fin (clear Vs. I am pleased to thank Mr. G.S. Sharma for his oblique bars) and distribution (northeast India, Arunachal help in sample collection and Dr. H. Bilashini Devi, Pradesh Vs. an endemic to South India, Kerela) Curator, Manipur University Museum, Canchipur-03, for respectively. hospitality of specimens and accession of the specimens. Macrognathus siangensis sp. nov. is further distinguished form M. guentheri which reported by REFERENCES Plamoottil and Abraham (2014) by having longer head Arunkumar L and Tombi Singh H. (1998). First length (18.4-21.0% SL Vs. 14.1-16.3), longer pectoral records of the freshwater fishes Chagunius nicholsi and fin length (6.3-7.2% SL Vs. 4.4-5.3), shorter dorsal soft Mastacembelus alboguttatus in India. Journal of branched fin ray base length (32.2-35.2% SL Vs. Advanced Zoology, 19(1):59-61. 37.0-38.0), shorter anal soft branched fin ray base length (32.0-38.6% SL Vs. 39.0-40.7), longer pectoral fin base length (2.5-3.0% SL Vs. 1.7-1.9), longer predorsal length (at spine origin 34.3-39.0 and at branched fin rays origin 62.3-66.8% HL Vs. 21.1-24.0), larger eye diameter Arunkumar I and Tombi singh H. 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