Protocobitis typhlops
Yang and Chen 1993
| ORDER | SUB-ORDER | FAMILY |
|---|---|---|
| Cypriniformes | Cobitoidei | Cobitidae |
Note
The name appeared first in Yang and Chen 1993:125 (see Kottelat and Bréhier 1999:358 for information on publication and for designation of lectotypes). Also appeared in Yang, Chen and Lan 1994:93. See also Kottelat (2012:41) and Lan et al. (2013).
Synonyms
None.
Country
ChinaTypes
None of the specimens mentioned in Yang and Chen and (1993) are proposed as holotype so all are syntypes. Kottelat and Brehier (1999) clarify the taxonomic status of this species by erecting lectotypes:
Lectotype: KIZ 9180001, 54mm SL
Paralectotypes: KIZ 9180002-7
Distribution
Known only from the type locality: A limestone cave at the town of Xiaao, Duan County, Guangxi Province, China (24o15'N, 107o05'E). This is also the type locailty of the stygophilic fish Sinocyclocheilus macrophthalmus (Romero et al. 2009, Zhao et al. 2021:246-247).
Habitat
Little detail known. The cave is at the centre of a c. 10000m2 depression which drains internally. The pool in which the fishes were collected is only 12m into cave which is reported to be extensive. No other specimens were taken from other locations in the system. The pool is very clear and still with a rocky substrate. This is clearly only a peripheral part of the real habitat.
Systematics
The practice of erecting new genera for cave fishes is now generally not supported. However this animal is sufficiently apomorphic that it requires a new genus to contain it. This species is most closely related to Cobitis sinensis and Cobitis arenae, both of which live in the Xijiang drainage area (Yang and Chen 1993).
Biological Notes
This species coexists in the same habitat with at least Troglonectes translucens and Sinocyclocheilus marcrophthalmus. For the latter of these two it is also the type locality (Romero et al. 2009, Zhao et al. 2021:246-247).
Fenolio (2016:192) says of this species: "Protocobitis typhlops, demonstrates extreme troglomorphy. It has very little pigment, and its eyes have degenerated to a point where they cannot be seen. This species, endemic to Guangxi, China, is known only from a very small range and is threatened by development and other human activities. The pectoral and pelvic fins often carry cave sediments on them. The loach uses its fins as makeshift “feet” and crawls along the bottom of cave waterways in the sediments.”
Conservation Status
TLO MuG [VU D2:2.3:1996]
(Kottelat, M. 1996. Protocobitis typhlops. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 1996: http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.1996.RLTS.T18378A8176182.en. Downloaded on 07 July 2017).
Museum Holdings
As above only.
Key References
- Yang, J.-X. and Chen, Y.-R. (1993)
- Yang, J.X., Chen, Y.R. and Lan, J.H. (1994)
- Zhu, Y., Lü, Y.-J., Yang, J.-X. and Zhang, S. (2008)
- Zhao, Y.H. and Zhang, C.G. (2009)
- Romero, A., Zhao, Y.H. and Chen, X.Y. (2009)
- Zhao, Y.H., Gozlan, R.E. and Zhang, C.G. (2011)
- Kottelat, M. (2012)
- Fenolio, D.B., Zhao, Y., Niemiller, M.L. and Stout, J.F. (2013)
- Lan, J.H., Gan, X., Wu, T.J. and Yang, J. (2013)
- Lan, J.H., Gan, X., Wu, T.J. and Yang, J. (2013)
- Lan, J.H. (2013)
- Lan, J.H., Gan, X., Wu, T.J. and Yang, J. (2013)
- Lan, J.H., Gan, X., Wu, T.J. and Yang, J. (2013)
- Fenolio, D.B. (2016)
- Zhang, C.G. and Zhou, Y.H. (2016)
- Ma, L., Zhao, Y. and Yang, J.-X. (2019)
- Zhang, P., Huang, P., Wu, T., Huand, X., Zhang, Y. and Liu, Z. (2019)
- Zhao, Y., Zhang, C. and Proudlove, G.S. (2021)
| Yang, J.-X. and Chen, Y.-R. | Conference Paper | 1993 | The cavefishes from Duan, Guangxi, China with comments on their adaptations to cave habits |
| Yang, J.X., Chen, Y.R. and Lan, J.H. | Journal Article | 1994 | Protocobitis typhlops, a new genus and species of cave loach from China |
| Zhu, Y., Lü, Y.-J., Yang, J.-X. and Zhang, S. | Journal Article | 2008 | A new blind underground species of the genus Protocobitis (Cobitidae) from Guangxi, China |
| Zhao, Y.H. and Zhang, C.G. | Book | 2009 | Endemic fishes of Sinocyclocheilus (Cypriniformes: Cyprinidae) in China - Species diversity, cave adaptation, systematics and zoogeography |
| Romero, A., Zhao, Y.H. and Chen, X.Y. | Journal Article | 2009 | The hypogean fishes of China |
| Zhao, Y.H., Gozlan, R.E. and Zhang, C.G. | Journal Article | 2011 | Out of sight out of mind: current knowledge of Chinese cave fishes |
| Kottelat, M. | Journal Article | 2012 | Conspectus cobitidum: An inventory of the loaches of the world (Teleostei: Cypriniformes: Cobitoidei) |
| Fenolio, D.B., Zhao, Y., Niemiller, M.L. and Stout, J.F. | Journal Article | 2013 | In-situ observations of seven enigmatic cave loaches and one cave barbel from Guangxi, China, with notes on conservation status |
| Lan, J.H., Gan, X., Wu, T.J. and Yang, J. | Book Section | 2013 | Genus Protocobitis |
| Lan, J.H., Gan, X., Wu, T.J. and Yang, J. | Book Section | 2013 | Protocobitis typhlops Yang and Chen 1993 |
| Lan, J.H. | Book Section | 2013 | Protocobitis anteroventris Lan sp. nov. |
| Lan, J.H., Gan, X., Wu, T.J. and Yang, J. | Book Section | 2013 | Protocobitis polylepis Zhu, Lu, Yang and Zhang 2008 |
| Lan, J.H., Gan, X., Wu, T.J. and Yang, J. | Book | 2013 | Cave fishes of Guangxi, China |
| Fenolio, D.B. | Book | 2016 | Life in the dark. Illuminating biodiversity in the shadowy haunts of Planet Earth |
| Zhang, C.G. and Zhou, Y.H. | Book | 2016 | Species diversity and distribution of inland fishes in China |
| Ma, L., Zhao, Y. and Yang, J.-X. | Book Section | 2019 | Cavefish of China |
| Zhang, P., Huang, P., Wu, T., Huand, X., Zhang, Y. and Liu, Z. | Journal Article | 2019 | Checklist, distribution and conservation of typical cavefish in China |
| Zhao, Y., Zhang, C. and Proudlove, G.S. | Book | 2021 | Fishes of the Genus Sinocyclocheilus (Cypriniformes: Cyprinidae) in China. Systematics, biology, biogeography and cave adaptation |