THE TAXONOMY AND PHYLOGENY OF CANDIDIA (TELEOSTEI: CYPRINIDAE) FROM TAIWAN, WITH DESCRIPTION OF A NEW SPECIES AND COMMENTS ON A NEW GENUS

The cyprinid genus, Candidia Jordan & Richardson, 1909, is revised and the taxonomic status and the phylogenetic position of related cyprinids from Taiwanese waters are clarified. The molecular phylogenetic analyses inferred from mtDNA complete D-loop sequences for related cyprinid genera and species from adjacent waters have revealed that three species including so-called "Zacco" temminckii (Temminck & Schlegel, 1846), "Zacco" sieboldii (Temminck & Schlegel, 1846) and "Zacco" koreanus Kim, Oh & Hosoya, 2005, belong to a monophyletic clade with Candidia and Parazacco, and are not related to Zacco. A new genus. Nipponocypris is described and for which Leuciscus temminckii Temminck & Schlegel, 1846, is designated as the type species with three species considered valid: two described from Japan viz. temminckii, "Z.". sieboldii, and one from Korea, "Z." koreanus Kim et al., 2005. A new cyprinid, Candidia pingtungensis, new species, was collected from southern Taiwan. This new species can be distinguished from Candidia barbatus (Regan, 1908) by its meristic features and specific colouration. The taxonomy of the genus Candidia is revised and a diagnostic key to all valid members of Candidia is provided.