In July 2004 and 2006, tributaries of the River Neretva and surrounding karstic fields (polje) in Bosnia and Herzegovina were sampled, and new data on spined loaches (Cobitis) and accompanying freshwater fish fauna gathered. spined loaches were found in the River Bregava and Hutovo blato wetland, which are directly connected to the River Neretva, in the River Trebišnjica in Popovo polje, in Lake Krenica and the River Matica in Imotsko polje, and in the River Lištica drainage in Mostarsko blato. However, Cobitis were not found in karstic fields situated more westward (Livanjsko polje, Duvanjsko p., Kupreško p. and Glamočko p.), nor in karstic fields situated northward from the River Trebišnjica (Nevesinjsko polje, Fatničko p., Dabarsko p. and Gatačko p.). Neither were they found in the River Trebižat, which lies closer to the River Neretva than does Imotsko polje. Based on morphological and molecular characters, spined loaches inhabiting the rivers Trebišnjica and Bregava, and Hutovo blato were identified as Cobitis narentana Karaman, 1928, while specimens from Imotsko polje and Mostarsko blato were classified as Cobitis sp. Until now, a single species of spined loach, C. narentana, had been recorded from the lowermost part of the River Neretva basin. Our new findings suggest that the species diversity of the spined loaches in the Neretva basin in Bosnia and Herzegovina might be underestimated and that a detailed taxonomic study is required to determine the Cobitis diversity in this area.
During the last decades, agriculture activities in the mountainous northern provinces of Vietnam intensified drastically, and today rice fields occupy the complete valleys of local streams and rivers. Upstream of the fields, many dams were built mainly for irrigation purposes; sometimes stopping the flow through the lower courses of the creek completely. Illegal fishing with electro-fishing gears is a common way to improve food supply for local villagers. Larger rivers are impacted by non-selective fishing, gravel mining and pollution. These factors represent threats to the local fish communities, which typically include one or several species of loaches.With usage of electro-fishing gear and hand net we surveyed 16 localities of the river basins of the River Ky Cung and the River Bang Giang. Both rivers belong to the drainage area of the River Pearl in the provinces Lang Son and Cao Bang in Northern Vietnam. We focused on getting maximum number of fish species with special attention to loaches at each locality. Ten species of loaches were found; at least two of them represent undescribed species. The main conclusion is that the ichthyofauna of Northern Vietnam still holds a hidden diversity, but at the same time is under strong anthropogenic pressure, so that parts of the diversity may be lost soon.
he oriental weather loach Misgurnus anguillicaudatus (Teleostei: Cobitidae) inhabits the waters of East Asia including Japanese Islands. The Japanese population of M. anguillicaudatus includes two major mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) clades, but their evolutionary origin is unknown. In this study, we conducted phylogeographic analyses of M. anguillicaudatus that were based on mtDNA cytochrome b sequences to clarify the evolutionary origin of the two distinct mtDNA clades. This newly obtained data were integrated with the mtDNA sequence data obtained in previous studies and reanalysed. The results showed that one major clade originated because of mtDNA introgression from a loach of the genus Cobitis. The geographic range of the populations carrying non-introgressed mtDNA tended to be limited to the peripheral areas of the Japanese Islands, whereas the range of the populations carrying introgressed mtDNA was spread over wide regions of the Japanese Islands. These distribution and divergence patterns suggested that M. anguillicaudatus populations carrying introgressed mtDNA have spread and replaced the range of populations carrying non-introgressed mtDNA.
Three new species of Cobitis C. fasciola sp. nov., C. crassicauda
sp. nov. and C. stenocauda sp. nov. are found from the River Xinjiang and the River Le’anjiang, tributaries of Lake Poyang, belonging to the River Yangtze system, Jiangxi Province, China. These cobitid fish are described based on the morphology features such as the pigmentation pattern, shape of lamina circularis, body scales, mouth character and sequences of mitochondrial cytochrome b (cyt b) gene, which can be used for molecular identification and diagnosis of these species. Illustrations of the morphology characters of new species are given, and phylogenetic analysis identifies
deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) lineages closely related to these cobitid fish. Traditional taxonomy of cobitid fish of the subfamily Cobitinae is discussed based on the recent molecular phylogenies of these cobitid fish.
Two new species of Cobitis, C. multimaculata sp. nov. and C. microcephala sp. nov. are described and illustrated from the River Nanliu and the River Beiliu, Guangxi Province, China. Cobitis multimaculata can be distinguished from congeners by its unique colour pattern of scattered, small, elongated, oval blotches on the side of the body; well developed mental lobes; and cardioid lamina circularis. It is similar to C. arenae, but can be distinguished from it by possessing a stumpy body (body depth 6.1-6.6 in standard length in males and 5.7-7.3 in females versus 7.9 in standard length in male and 7.3-9.6 in females), shorter caudal peduncle (caudal peduncle depth 1.4-1.7 of its length in males and 1.6-1.8 in females versus 2.5 in male and 2.3-3.1 in females); and 17-22 small, elongate oval blotches along lateral line (versus 20-25 spots). Cobitis microcephala can be distinguished from congeners by possessing small and solitary irregular spots scattered on the side of the body; a slender and finely serrated (16-18 serrae on the inner margin) lamina circularis; and a much smaller jet black spot on upper half of caudal-fin base.