Vol. 39 No. 1, 2000

Redescription of the Types of Ischikauia macrolepis Regan, 1908, an Extinct Cyprinid (Teleostei: Cyprinidae) from Taiwan and the Replacement in the Genus, Rasborinus Oshima, 1920

I-Shiung Chen^1,2,* and Lee-Shing Fang²

¹School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, BS8 1UG, UK
²National Museum of Marine Biology/Aquarium, 2 Houwan, Checheng, Pingtung, Taiwan 944

I-Shiung Chen and Lee-Shing Fang (2000) Three syntypes of Ischikauia macrolepis Regan, 1908 in the British Museum (Natural History) have been examined, and they should belong to the genus Rasborinus Oshima, 1920. The type species of Rasborinus, R. takakii Oshima, 1920, should be a junior synonym of I. macrolepis Regan, 1908. The species was endemic to Taiwan but is now apparently extinct in Taiwanese fresh waters. This species can be distinguished from the related species, R. lineatus (Pellegrin), by differentiation of predorsal scales and fin ray counts, and pectoral fin length.

Key words: Rasborinus, Ischikauria macrolepis, Endemic species, Fish taxonomy, Taiwan.

*Correspondence: Tel: 886-8-8825083. Fax: 886-8-8824504. E-mail: ischen@mail.nmmba.gov.tw