Abstract
Neolissochilus kaladanensis sp. nov., a new cyprinid species, is described from the Kaladan River drainage of Mizoram. It differs from all other valid Neolissochilus species in having higher number of gill rakers on the lower arm of the first gill arch (13–14 vs. 12 or below in all the species). The analysis of mitochondrial gene cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) sequences separated N. kaladanensis sp. nov. from all other Neolissochilus and Tor species with an average genetic distance of 6.0%. It is further separated from the morphologically most similar species N. hendersoni and N. soroides by a genetic distance of 6.7% and 6.8%, respectively. Based on the lowest BIC and AICc scores, best fit model for COI dataset was TN93 + G + I, out of 24 different nucleotide substitution models tested. The maximum-likelihood (ML) phylogenetic tree was constructed using the COI sequences of representative Neolissochilus and Tor species. The anomalies observed among the GenBank sequences of the genera Tor and Neolissochilus are also discussed.
Acknowledgements
We are grateful to Director, Zoological Survey of India, Kolkata and Laishram Kosygin (ZSI) for permission to access materials under their care; Vanlalmalsawma (Sawmtea) for field assistance; Dr Tawnenga, Principal, Pachhunga University College and Director, ICAR-National Bureau of Fish Genetic Resources, Lucknow for providing laboratory facilities.
Disclosure statement
We declare that there are no known conflicts of interest associated with this publication. We undertake that the work is our original work and the manuscript have not been published elsewhere or simultaneously submitted to other journals.