Mystus ngasep, a new catfish species (Teleostei: Bagridae) from the headwaters of Chindwin drainage in Manipur, India

Abstract

Mystus ngasep, a new species of bagrid catfish from the headwaters of Chindwin drainage in Manipur, India, is described here. It is distinguished from its congeners in having a unique combination of the following characters: a colour pattern of the body consisting of a distinct dark tympanic spot and three brown stripes separated by pale narrow longitudinal lines, cranial fontanel reaching the base of the occipital process, a long-based adipose fin contacting the base of the last dorsal-fin ray anteriorly, 16-19 gill rakers on the first branchial arch, a slender cleithral process, pectoral spine with 9-11 serrations on the posterior edge, eye with a diameter of 16.5-19.8 % HL and prepectoral length 22.2-26.0 % SL. The new species has been compared with its congeners from Myanmar and also from northeastern India.