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Tuesday, July 1st, 2025
| Time | Event | ||||
| 8:03a | [Ichthyology • 2025] Barbucca heokhuii • A New Species of loach (Teleostei: Barbuccidae) from central Borneo
Abstract Barbucca heokhuii, new species, is described from the Kahayan drainage in central Borneo. It is
distinguished from the other species of the genus by its miniature size (the largest known specimen is 21.5 mm
SL), a truncate to rounded caudal fin, an incomplete lateral line, and a distinctive colour pattern made, among
others, of five pairs of irregular bars on the flank, narrower than interspaces, many of which may be dissociated
into several small blotches. It occurs in syntopy with B. diabolica. Sexual dimorphism is reported for the first time
for a member of the family; in males, the 2nd to 4th branched pectoral rays are thicker than the others and with
a patch of small tubercles along their posterior edge. Key words. Cobitoidei, loach, miniature fish, sexual dimorphism, black water, peat swamp forest
Barbucca heokhuii, new species Diagnosis. Barbucca heokhuiiis distinguished from the other
named species of Barbucca by having: a smaller adult size
(the largest known specimen is 21.5 mm SL, vs. 37.2 in B.
diabolica and 34.3 in B. elongata), a deeper body (depth
at dorsal-fin origin 17–21 % SL, vs. 14–18 in B. diabolica
and B. elongata); a truncate to rounded caudal fin (vs.
emarginated); the lateral line incomplete, reaching to below
posterior half of dorsal fin (vs. complete); absence of large
tubercles on head and body (vs. presence on posterior part of
flank, between above the tip of the pelvic fins and the base of
the caudal fin); anus about halfway between pelvic-fin base ... Etymology. Named for Tan Heok Hui (LKCNHM) in
appreciation for his work on Southeast Asian fishes, and
especially fishes of peat swamp forests and loaches of
Borneo, and for the long lasting friendship, collaboration
and companionship in the field. MAURICE KOTTELAT. 2025. Barbucca heokhuii, A New Species of loach from central Borneo (Teleostei: Barbuccidae). Raffles Bulletin of Zoology. 73; 54–66. | ||||
| 4:44p | [Herpetology • 2025] Dixonius noctivagus • A New Species of Dixonius (Squamata: Gekkonidae) from A Karstic Archipelago in Western Cambodia
Abstract An integrative taxonomic analysis was used to delimit and diagnose a new species of Dixonius from a karstic archipelago in western Cambodia. Dixonius noctivagus sp. nov. was recovered as the sister species to an undescribed species from eastern Cambodia and southwestern Vietnam based on 1,396 bp of the mitochondrial ND2 gene. A statistically robust diagnosis was established through multivariate and univariate analyses of morphometric, meristic, and categorical color pattern characters separating D. noctivagus sp. nov. from all other congeners. Although Dixonius is a common and widespread genus, the description herein brings the total number of Dixonius in Cambodia to two—far fewer than the eight species from both neighboring Thailand and Vietnam. This disparity underscores the need for systematic biodiversity surveys in the many understudied regions of Cambodia, particularly focusing on its herpetofauna. The discovery of D. noctivagus sp. nov. alongside recently described Cyrtodactylus and Hemiphyllodactyus species from the same karst formations highlights the urgent need for legal protection of these fragile habitats in the region. Reptilia, conservation, Gekkota, genetics, integrative taxonomy, limestone, phylogeny, Southeast asia  Dixonius noctivagus sp. nov. Battambang leaf-toed gecko L. Lee GRISMER, Pablo SINOVAS, Evan S. H. QUAH, Sothearen THI, Phyroum CHOURN, Sophea CHHIN, Seiha HUN, Anthony COBOS, Christian CHING, Matthew L. MURDOCH, Jeren J. GREGORY, Eddie NGUYEN, Alexis P. HERNANDEZ, Amanda KAATZ and Jesse L. GRISMER. 2025. A New Species of Dixonius Bauer, Good, & Branch, 1997 (Squamata: Gekkonidae) from A Karstic Archipelago in Western Cambodia. Zootaxa. 5653(4); 501-523. DOI: doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5653.4.3 [2025-06-30] |
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