Kryptopterus paraschilbeides, a New Species of Catfish (Teleostei: Siluridae) from Mainland Southeast Asia

Abstract

A new species of silurid catfish of the genus Kryptopterus is described from the Mekong River drainage in mainland Southeast Asia. Thefish, Kryptopterus paraschilbeides, differs from congeners in having a unique combination of the following characters: lack of dorsal fin, vomerine teeth intwo separate patches, head width 7.9–9.4% SL, more laterally-positioned eyes with only ventral half of orbital margin visible when head is viewedfrom below (interorbital distance 34.2–43.4% HL), 24–28 gill rakers on first gill arch, and 9 branchiostegal rays.