Oreonectes qinae (Teleostei, Cypriniformes, Nemacheilidae), a new loach species from Guangxi, China

A new species of loach, <i>Oreonectes qinae</i> <b>sp. nov.</b>, was collected in December 2024 from Guangxi Gutingshan Forest Park, Liuzhou City, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China. The new species can be distinguished from all other congeners by a suite of morphological characters, including a dorsal-fin origin posterior to the pelvic-fin origin, a degenerated posterior chamber of the swim bladder, and an incomplete lateral line, with 11-13 lateral-line pores. Phylogenetic analysis based on mitochondrial cytochrome <i>b</i> (<i>Cytb</i>) gene sequences confirmed its separation, with uncorrected <i>p</i>-distances ranging from 1.4% to 8.7% compared to closely related species. The discovery of <i>Oreonectes qinae</i> <b>sp. nov.</b> reflects the hidden diversity within <i>Oreonectes</i> in the complex karst landscapes of Guangxi and emphasizes the need for further investigation and conservation of these cryptic freshwater species.