Revision of the Nemacheilidae (Cypriniformes) Genera of the Burmese Clade, with the Description of Pogonoschistura gen. nov. and Pogonoschistura pawaiensis sp. nov.

A recent phylogenetic reconstruction based on molecular genetic data revealed the presence of six well-supported clades within the freshwater fish family Nemacheilidae (Burmese, Eastern, Indochinese, Northern, Southern and Sundaic Clade). Species with the present generic name Schistura were found in three of the six major clades. Since the type species of Schistura belongs to the Southern Clade, species in other major clades can no longer be considered as members of the genus Schistura. We here review the generic status of ‘Schistura’ species in the Burmese Clade. ‘Schistura’ savona represents an isolated lineage, for which the genus Acoura is available, previously a synonym of Schistura. A second group comprises two species, ‘Schistura’ kohchangensis and the undescribed ‘Schistura’ cf. kohchangensis. We propose Pogonoschistura as a new generic name for these two species and name the undescribed species. Pogonoschistura differs from all other genera within the Burmese Clade by the combination of the following character states: caudal fin slightly emarginate to emarginate; adult males with a suborbital flap and a suborbital groove; dorsal fin with 7½ or 8½ branched rays; lips not covered by papillae; anus closer to anal-fin base than to pelvic-fin base; and lateral line incomplete, but exceeding vertical through pelvic-fin origin. Pogonoschistura pawaiensis, new species, is distinguished from its congener by having 9+8 branched rays in caudal fin, 7½ branched rays in dorsal fin and a distinct head pigmentation pattern.