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<p>In China, the eightbarbel loach <i>Lefua costata</i> (Kessler 1876) is widely distributed across northern provinces, with the Huai River as its southern limit. However, anecdotal reports suggested its presence further south in Zhejiang Province. In this study, we collected 17 putative <i>L. costata</i> specimens from four Zhejiang sites, alongside 27 specimens from five northern populations for comparison. Analyses included 23 morphometric measurements, five meristic traits, and mitochondrial COI and cyt<i>b</i> genes. Morphological characteristics (separated nostrils, tube-like anterior nostrils, absent epural, lower lip with four distinct median papillae) confirmed the Zhejiang specimens as <i>L. costata</i>. Phylogenetics showed they represent a distinct southern lineage, sister to the Huang River population within <i>L. costata.</i> This disjunct distribution may suggest southeastward glacial dispersal followed by postglacial isolation of this species. The finding also aids in reevaluating the taxonomy of <i>Lefua sayu</i> (Herre and Lin 1936), known from a single specimen collected from Zhejiang.</p>

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New record of the eightbarbel loach, Lefua costata (Kessler 1876) in Zhejiang, China, with comments on Lefua sayu (Herre and Lin 1936)

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2026年4月13日

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  • Yangkai Shao,
  • Jiantao Hu,
  • Yiling Pan,
  • Chenhong Li

摘要

In China, the eightbarbel loach Lefua costata (Kessler 1876) is widely distributed across northern provinces, with the Huai River as its southern limit. However, anecdotal reports suggested its presence further south in Zhejiang Province. In this study, we collected 17 putative L. costata specimens from four Zhejiang sites, alongside 27 specimens from five northern populations for comparison. Analyses included 23 morphometric measurements, five meristic traits, and mitochondrial COI and cytb genes. Morphological characteristics (separated nostrils, tube-like anterior nostrils, absent epural, lower lip with four distinct median papillae) confirmed the Zhejiang specimens as L. costata. Phylogenetics showed they represent a distinct southern lineage, sister to the Huang River population within L. costata. This disjunct distribution may suggest southeastward glacial dispersal followed by postglacial isolation of this species. The finding also aids in reevaluating the taxonomy of Lefua sayu (Herre and Lin 1936), known from a single specimen collected from Zhejiang.