Channa aurantimaculata, a new channid fish from Assam (Brahmaputra River basin), India, with designation of a neotype for C. amphibeus (McClelland, 1845)

Abstract

A new species of channid fish, genus Channa, is described from four specimens collected from the Brahmaputra River basin at Dibrugarh, Assam, India. The new species, Channa aurantimaculata, is distinguished from all other channid species by the combination of 45-47 dorsal fin rays, 28-30 anal fin rays, 51-54 lateral line scales, 8-12 cheek scales, 50-52 total vertebrae, two large scales on each side of lower jaw undersurface, the upper half of body darkish brown to black with 7 or 8 large orange (white in alcohol-preserved specimens) irregular blotches and 5 broad vivid vertical black bands on the pectoral fins with a black blotch at the base. In addition, a neotype is designated and a redescription given for C. amphibeus (McClelland, 1845).