Unraveling a 146 Years Old Taxonomic Puzzle: Validation of Malabar Snakehead, Species-Status and Its Relevance for Channid Systematics and Evolution

The current distribution of C. diplogramma and C. micropeltes is best explained by vicariance. The significant variation in the key taxonomic characters and the results of the molecular marker analysis points towards an allopatric speciation event or vicariant divergence from a common ancestor, which molecular data suggests to have occurred as early as 21.76 million years ago. The resurrection of C. diplogramma from the synonymy of C. micropeltes has hence been confirmed 146 years after its initial description and 134 years after it was synonymised, establishing it is an endemic species of peninsular India and prioritizing its conservation value

FIGURE 10 in The identity of Pethia punctata, a senior synonym of P. muvattupuzhaensis (Teleostei: Cyprinidae)

FIGURE 10. Pethia punctata, topotype, female, BNHS FWF 111, 48.5 mm SL; weberian apparatus, lateral view. Apto, autopterotic; Boc, basioccipital; C, claustrum; Epo, epioccipital; Exoc, exoccipital; Ios, inner arm of the os suspensorium; Lp1, lateral process of the first vertebral centrum; Lp2, lateral process of the second vertebral centrum; MaPl, masticatory plate of the basioccipital process; Na, neural arch; Ns, neural spine; Oos, outer arm of the os suspensorium; Ri, rib; S, scaphium; Sn, supraneural; Soc, supraoccipital; T, tripus; V, vertebral centrum. Numbers after abbreviations refer to the vertebral centrum to which the structure is associated.Published as part of Katwate, Unmesh, Baby, Fibin, Raghavan, Rajeev & Dahanukar, Neelesh, 2014, The identity of Pethia punctata, a senior synonym of P. muvattupuzhaensis (Teleostei: Cyprinidae), pp. 201-221 in Zootaxa 3884 (3) on page 212, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.3884.3.1, http://zenodo.org/record/23016