New fish species discovered in central China's Hunan

CHANGSHA, July 3 (Xinhua) -- Chinese researchers have recently identified a new fish species in the city of Zhangjiajie in central China's Hunan Province, adding another new member to the diverse freshwater fish population in the middle reaches of the Yangtze River.

Since 2021, a research team composed of scientists from Jishou University and the National Giant Salamander Nature Reserve of Zhangjiajie has been conducting surveys and monitoring of fish resources in the Lishui River basin in Sangzhi County of Zhangjiajie.

During this effort, they collected specimens of an Acrossocheilus species with distinctive morphology from streams in the upper reaches of the Lishui River. Through integrative taxonomic studies combining classical morphology and molecular biology, the team confirmed that this species differs significantly from all known Acrossocheilus species.

It was identified as a new species and named Acrossocheilus zhangjiajiensis after its type locality. This brings the total number of valid Acrossocheilus species worldwide to 25. The research paper was recently published in the journal Zoosystematics and Evolution.

Currently, the type specimens of the new species are being stored in the molecular ecology laboratory at Jishou University (Zhangjiajie Campus).

Acrossocheilus is a representative group of small-sized hillstream fish commonly found in southern China and other regions, often inhabiting clear, fast-flowing mountain streams.

The genus holds significant ecological and economic importance in China and Southeast Asia. Prior to this discovery, five species of Acrossocheilus had been documented in Hunan Province, according to the paper.

The researchers noted that this discovery not only enriches the record of fish diversity in Hunan Province and the Yangtze River basin but also suggests that the mountainous river systems in the Wuling Mountain area may still harbor unrecognized freshwater fish resources. The finding holds significant implications for regional biodiversity surveys and conservation efforts. Enditem