A new cave nemacheiline loach, Triplophysa boduensis (Cypriniformes: Nemacheilidae), from Sichuan, China

Triplophysa boduensis is described herein as a new hypogean species from a subterranean tributary of the upper Yangtze River in Gong County, Yibin City, Sichuan Province, China. It represents the first cave-dwelling Triplophysa species recorded from Sichuan. The new species is distinguished from its congeners by a combination of the following morphological characters: body scaleless and lacking pigmentation; eye reduced, diameter 4.3%-6.5% head length (HL); posterior chamber of air bladder well developed; intestine unlooped and short; lips thick with shallow furrows, lower jaw spoon-shaped and not covered by lower lip; caudal peduncle laterally compressed, depth uniform with weak adipose crests; pelvic fin tips not reaching the anus; caudal fin tips pointed; branched rays 9, 11, 6, 6 and 17-18 in dorsal fin, pectoral fin, pelvic fin, anal fin and caudal fin, respectively. Molecular phylogenetic analysis further supports the validity of the species and reveals a close relationship with T. xuanweiensis.