Review of the Subfamily Amblyopinae, with a Cryptic New Genus and Species Named Pseudobrachyamblyopus odontamblyopsis gen. et sp. nov. from Southeastern China

Abstract

According to the research of the Amblyopinae of China, a new genus emerged with only one species. The characteristics of the neotypes are described in detail, with the key to distinguish of the key to distinguish the genus and species of Amblyopinae. The new genus could be distinguished according to the following characteristics, head covered with scales, belly scaleless, mouth sub-superior, latitudinally high tail, first two pterygiophores of the second dorsal fin not separated, medium vertebral counts, and other external and internal characteristics. The characteristics of the new genus Pseudobrachyamblyopus and the genus Brachyamblyopus were always blurred together, and they are clarified in this paper, too. The neotypes are inferred to live in seas only. It is conjectured that it couldn’t live in freshwater, given that all the neotypes are found far apart from estuaries. In this paper, the taxonomy of the new genus is roughly discussed according to its macroscopic character, while more molecular biological evidence is needed to establish a clearer base of the new species in order to put it onto an accurate location in the taxonomic tree. Besides, a restock of the coloration of Odontamblyopus lacepedii is given according to the specimens from the China Seas and previous descriptions.