Sinocyclocheilus zhenfengensis, a new cyprinid species (Pisces: Teleostei) from Guizhou Province, Southwest China

Sinocyclocheilus zhenfengensis sp. nov. is a new species from an underground water environment in a karst cave located in Beipanjiang River of the Pearl River Basin in Shuangrufeng (Double Breasts Hill) Scenic, Etian Village, Zhexiang Township, Zhenfeng County, Guizhou Province, Southwest China. The new species has eyes, its body is completely scaled, an anteriorly directed bulge has formed on the back of its head, and a long pectoral fin exceeds the pelvic fin insertion. The body of the new species is apparently similar to that of S.bicornutus, but differs in scale rows above the lateral line, scale rows below the lateral line, snout length, and eye diameter. Phylogenetic reconstruction of the cytochrome b gene using the maximum parsimony (MP) and Bayesian inference (BI) methods indicates that S.zhenfengensis is closely related to S.bicornutus, S.tianeensis, S.jiuxuensis, and S.altishoulderus; however, it differs in terms of eye size, lateral line scales, scale rows above and below the lateral line.