Taxonomic Revision Of Chinese Species Of The Cyprinid Genus Acrossocheilus (Teleostei: Cypriniformes)

A taxonomic revision of the Chinese Cyprinid fishes of the genus of Acrossocheilus was made in this paper. 18 morphometric measurements and 9 counts were taken for a total of 403 specimens from 21 currently recognized species and subspecies of Acrossocheilus in South China. For those species with uncertainity of taxonomic status the principal component analysis was conducted for morphometric measurements. The outcomes of this analyses, along with the the count data and colour patterns, were utilized to evaluate the species validaties under phylogenetic species concept. The main conclusions reached here are as follows:1. Acrossocheilus is distinguished from all other barbine genera by having a lower lip separated from the lower jaw and divided into two lobes with a narrow median interruption. Further distinguished from them by the following unique combination of characters: Body elongate and compressed. Rostral fold present, overlying base of upper lip. Upper lip fleshy, entirely adnate to upper jaw, continuous with lower lip at corner of mouth. Two pairs of barbels. Dorsal-fin having 3 simple and 8 branched rays and the last simple ray spinoius with smooth or serraeted posterior margin or not.2. Acrossocheilus labiatus and A. formosanus from the Ling Jiang Basin are conspecific. Two species is here placed in synonyms of A. paradoxus; and the observed oromandibular differences between both may be sexual dimorphism.3. Two currently identified subspecies, Acrossocheilus hemispinus hemispinus and A. h. cinctus, are showed to be two full species.4. The species of Acrossocheilus jishouensis and A. wuyiensis are two valid species.5. Specimens so far described as Acrossocheilus wenchowensis from the Min Jiangbasin represents an undescribed species, here named as as Acrossocheilus spinifer n. sp.6. Specimens so far described as A. kreyenbergii from the Min Jiang basin may represent another undescribed species, which is tentatively named as A. aft kreyenbergii.7. Acrossocheilus iridescens iridescens, A. i. longipinnis and A. i. yuanjiangensis, respectively from Hainan island, the Zhujiang basin and Yuanjiang basin, represent three different geographical population of A. iridescens because no enough morphological differences were found among them. The specimens reported as A. stenotaeniatus is probably junveniles of A. iridescens and here described as a junior synonym of A. iridescens.8. Both Acrossocheilus monticola and A. clivosius have a oromandibular pattern distinct from all species of Acrossocheilus here defined, thus they are not members of this genus. Their placement need to be further studied.9. Together, there are 17 valid species recognized here, 13 of which are referred to the barred group (with vertical bars on the lateral side of the body) and the remaining species to the non-barred group (without vertical bars).