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Issue: Vol. 5613 No. 2: 27 Mar. 2025
Type: Article
Published: 2025-03-27
DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5613.2.8
Page range: 337-350
Abstract views: 830
PDF downloaded: 10

Channa nachi, a new species of snakehead (Teleostei: Channidae) from Meghalaya, Northeast India

Indian Council of Agricultural Research–Central Island Agricultural Research Institute; Sri Vijaya Puram; Andaman and Nicobar Islands; India; 744 101.
Dr. M.G.R. Fisheries College and Research Institute; Tamil Nadu Dr. J. Jayalaithaa Fisheries University; Ponneri; India; 601 204.
ICAR-Central Institute of Fisheries Education; Fisheries Resources; Harvest & Post-Harvest Management Division; Mumbai; India; 400 06.
Madras Crocodile Bank Trust and Centre for Herpetology; Mamallapuram; Tamil Nadu; India; 603 104.
Thackeray Wildlife Foundation; Bandra; Mumbai; India; 400 051.
Department of Zoology; Manipur University; Canchipur; Imphal West; Manipur; India; 795 003.
Zoological Survey of India; Arunachal Pradesh regional centre; Itanagar; India; 791 113.
Pisces Endemic Channa lipor Channa aurantipectoralis Channa brahmacharyi predatory journals

Abstract

Channa nachi, a new species of snakehead from Meghalaya, Northeast India, is distinguished from its congeners by a creamish-yellow to pale-brown coloured anterior and bluish posterior half of body; sides with 10–12 obliquely-arranged, pale-brown, saddle-like bands; translucent orange pectoral fin with 2–3 faint orange or brown bands; and with a COI genetic divergence of 9.7–20.0%. We review the descriptions of C. melanostigma, C. pomanensis, and C. brahmacharyi, and find C. brahmacharyi to be conspecific with C. pomanensis. We provide additional data to distinguish C. melanostigma and C. pomanensis, and conclude that C. brahmacharyi is a junior synonym of C. pomanensis.

 

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How to Cite

Praveenraj, J., Moulitharan, N., Pavan-Kumar, A., Naveen, R.S., Thackeray, T., Yumnam, R. & Gurumayum, S.D. (2025) Channa nachi, a new species of snakehead (Teleostei: Channidae) from Meghalaya, Northeast India. Zootaxa, 5613 (2), 337–350. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5613.2.8