Taxonomic Revision and Conservation Review of Sinocyclocheilus grahami (Regan, 1904), the Only Known Cavefish Applied Both in the Traditional Medicine and Aquaculture
Abstract
1. Introduction
2. Materials and Methods
2.1. Specimen Collection, Examination, and Preservation
2.2. Morphological Study
3. Results
3.1. Taxonomic Account
- Sinocyclocheilus grahami (Regan, 1904)
- Barbus grahami Regan, 1904: 190 (original description); Zhang (1959): 54.
- Percocypris grahami: Wu (1961): 89.
- Sinocyclocheilus grahami grahami: Wu et al. (1977): 263; Wu et al. (1979): 73; Chu and Cui (1989): 175.
- Sinocyclocheilus grahami: Li et al. (1994): 7; Li et al. (1996): 60; Romero et al. (2009): 226; Zhao and Zhang (2009): 162; Zhang and Zhao (2016): 100; Zhang et al.(2020): 148.
- Sinocyclocheilus (S.) grahami: Shan et al. (in Yue, 2000): 66.
- Sinocyclocheilus guanduensis Li et Xiao, 2004: Xiao et al. (2004): 522.
3.2. Materials Examined
3.2.1. Holotype
3.2.2. Additional Materials Examined
3.3. Diagnosis
3.4. Description
3.5. Distribution
3.6. Etymology
3.7. Protection Category
4. Discussion
5. Conclusions
6. Comparative Materials
- Sinocyclocheilus huanglongdongensis: Li 990807006, holotype, 106.2 mm SL; Huanglong Cave, Kunming City, Yunnan Province, 7th August 1999, collected by W.X. Li.
- Sinocyclocheilus hei: Li 020408004–5, 2 specimens, paratypes, 86.0–98.2 mm SL; Shalang, Kunming City, Yunnan Province, 9th April 2002, collected by W.X. Li.
Author Contributions
Funding
Institutional Review Board Statement
Data Availability Statement
Acknowledgments
Conflicts of Interest
References
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Characters | Sinocyclocheilus grahami (n = 31) | S. guanduensis (n = 2) | S. hei (n = 2) | S. huanglongdongensis. (n = 1) | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Range | Mean | SD | Range | Mean | Range | Mean | ||
Dorsal-fin rays (branched) | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | |
Anal-fin rays (branched) | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | ||
Pectoral-fin rays (branched) | 15–18 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 17 | 17 | 16 | |
Pelvic-fin rays (branched) | 7–9 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | |
Total vertebrae | 37–38 | 37 | ||||||
Gill rakers | 5–9 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 7 | |||
Lateral-line scales | 59–77 | 66 | 68–74 | 71 | 68–69 | 69 | 68 | |
Standard Length (mm) | 79–121.6 | 106.4 | 9.6 | 99.9–106.7 | 103.3 | 86–98.2 | 92.1 | 106.2 |
In percentage of SL | ||||||||
Body depth | 17.8–28.8 | 23.5 | 3.4 | 30–30.4 | 30.2 | 26.6–30.2 | 28.4 | 23.0 |
Predorsal length | 53.3–57.8 | 55.2 | 1.1 | 53.7–55 | 54.3 | 50.2–57.3 | 53.7 | 55.8 |
Dorsal fin base length | 11.8–14.6 | 12.6 | 0.6 | 11.8–13.8 | 12.8 | 13.3–14.2 | 13.8 | 14.5 |
Dorsal fin length | 16–23.9 | 19.4 | 1.5 | 22.3–22.4 | 22.3 | 21.6–23.4 | 22.5 | 24.8 |
Preanal length | 69.5–75 | 72.9 | 1.5 | 72.5–72.7 | 72.6 | 72.1–75.5 | 73.8 | 69.7 |
Anal fin base length | 6.9–9.1 | 8.1 | 0.5 | 8.8–9.9 | 9.4 | 11.6–12.1 | 11.8 | 7.3 |
Anal fin length | 12.5–18.2 | 14.7 | 1.1 | 15.7–15.7 | 15.7 | 14.9–17.8 | 16.4 | 15.3 |
Prepectoral length | 26.5–33 | 28.8 | 1.6 | 27.7–28.3 | 28.0 | 27.8–28.1 | 28.0 | 28.3 |
Pectoral fin base length | 3.3–4.5 | 3.8 | 0.2 | 4.5–4.6 | 4.5 | 4.7–5.2 | 4.9 | 3.7 |
Pectoral fin length | 16.1–21.5 | 17.7 | 1.1 | 16.4–17.8 | 17.1 | 18.6–18.7 | 18.7 | 20.0 |
Prepelvic length | 48.5–53.4 | 51 | 1.4 | 50.4–53.1 | 51.7 | 51.1–52.9 | 52.0 | 50.1 |
Pelvic fin base length | 3.5–5.2 | 4.6 | 0.4 | 4.5–5.2 | 4.8 | 3.5–4.7 | 4.1 | 4.4 |
Pelvic fin length | 14.1–19.5 | 15.8 | 1 | 15–15.4 | 15.2 | 14.6–17.1 | 15.9 | 17.0 |
Caudal peduncle length | 19–23.5 | 21.1 | 1.1 | 19.7–32.2 | 26.0 | 9.4–16.4 | 12.9 | 21.7 |
Caudal peduncle depth | 8.9–13.1 | 11.2 | 1.1 | 10.8–11.2 | 11.0 | 12.1–12.6 | 12.3 | 10.8 |
Head length | 26.4–30.5 | 27.9 | 1.1 | 29.2–29.4 | 29.3 | 27.4–28.4 | 27.9 | 28.6 |
Head height | 15.7–19.2 | 17.1 | 0.8 | 16.6–16.9 | 16.8 | 16.6–18.2 | 17.4 | 10.5 |
Head width | 10.8–14 | 12.5 | 0.8 | 13.6–14.7 | 14.2 | 12.2–13.6 | 12.9 | 12.1 |
Snout length | 8.1–10 | 9.3 | 0.4 | 9.4–9.7 | 9.5 | 8.4–9.2 | 8.8 | 9.1 |
Orbit diameter | 6.4–8.8 | 6.9 | 0.4 | 6.6–7.8 | 7.2 | 6.9–8 | 7.5 | 6.7 |
Interorbital width | 5–7.1 | 6.1 | 0.5 | 7.7–8.2 | 8.0 | 5.5–7.1 | 6.3 | 6.7 |
Prenostril nostril length | 5.1–6.8 | 6.1 | 0.4 | 5.7–6.1 | 5.9 | 3.7–4.5 | 4.1 | 4.1 |
Width between posterior nostrils | 3.9–5.6 | 5 | 0.4 | 6.2–6.2 | 6.2 | 3.4–3.9 | 3.7 | 6.6 |
Upper jaw length | 6.1–7.6 | 6.9 | 0.4 | 7.3–7.7 | 7.5 | 5.3–6.1 | 5.7 | 4.9 |
Lower jaw length | 5.4–7.2 | 6.5 | 0.4 | 6.1–6.7 | 6.4 | 4.9–5.6 | 5.2 | 4.4 |
Mouth width | 5.8–7.5 | 6.5 | 0.4 | 7.1–7.8 | 7.4 | 5–5.3 | 5.2 | 5.0 |
First-pair barbel length | 4.6–10.5 | 7.4 | 1.5 | 6.3–8.4 | 7.3 | 4.6–5.6 | 5.1 | 8.5 |
Second-pair barbel length | 5.3–12.4 | 9.1 | 1.6 | 8.5–10 | 9.3 | 10.2–13 | 11.6 | 12.9 |
Eye–ball diameter | 5.4–8.1 | 6 | 0.5 | 5.5–5.8 | 5.7 | 5–5.1 | 5.0 | 5.2 |
In percentage of HL | ||||||||
Head depth | 54.9–67.8 | 61.3 | 3.3 | 56.5–57.8 | 57.2 | 58.3–66.4 | 62.3 | 36.7 |
Head width | 38.8–51.9 | 45 | 3.3 | 46.3–50.2 | 48.3 | 44.7–48 | 46.4 | 42.3 |
Orbit diameter | 22–29 | 24.8 | 1.5 | 22.4–26.5 | 24.5 | 25.2–28.3 | 26.8 | 23.4 |
Interorbital width | 17.4–25.3 | 21.8 | 2.2 | 26.5–28 | 27.2 | 19.5–26.1 | 22.8 | 23.3 |
Snout length | 30.2–36 | 33.5 | 1.7 | 31.8–33.1 | 32.4 | 29.5–33.6 | 31.6 | 31.8 |
Mouth width | 20.4–26.8 | 23.4 | 1.6 | 24–26.6 | 25.3 | 18.4–18.7 | 18.6 | 17.4 |
First-pair barbel length | 17–36.1 | 26.6 | 4.8 | 21.3–28.6 | 25.0 | 16.7–19.7 | 18.2 | 17.2 |
Second-pair barbel length | 19.4–43.9 | 32.8 | 5.8 | 29.1–33.9 | 31.5 | 37.3–45.8 | 41.6 | 45.3 |
Morphometric Measurements | PC 1 | PC 2 | PC 3 |
---|---|---|---|
Standard length | 0.170 | 0.003 | 0.071 |
Body depth | 0.199 | 0.417 | 0.219 |
Predorsal length | 0.177 | −0.006 | 0.045 |
Dorsal fin base length | 0.146 | −0.005 | 0.171 |
Dorsal fin length | 0.065 | −0.009 | 0.130 |
Preanal length | 0.175 | 0.000 | 0.066 |
Anal fin base length | 0.112 | 0.189 | 0.344 |
Anal fin length | 0.110 | 0.048 | 0.079 |
Prepectoral length | 0.162 | −0.102 | 0.030 |
Pectoral fin base length | 0.103 | 0.200 | 0.169 |
Pectoral fin length | 0.131 | −0.079 | 0.126 |
Prepelvic length | 0.174 | −0.009 | 0.075 |
Pelvic fin base length | 0.191 | 0.157 | −0.104 |
Pelvic fin length | 0.132 | −0.002 | 0.028 |
Caudal peduncle length | 0.309 | 0.032 | −0.317 |
Caudal peduncle depth | 0.188 | 0.209 | 0.142 |
Head length | 0.159 | −0.062 | 0.065 |
Head height | 0.166 | 0.067 | −0.086 |
Head width | 0.176 | 0.088 | 0.070 |
Snout length | 0.191 | 0.000 | 0.015 |
Eye diameter | 0.123 | 0.000 | 0.102 |
Interorbital width | 0.142 | 0.146 | 0.053 |
Prenostril nostril length | 0.293 | −0.125 | −0.262 |
Width between posterior nostrils | 0.224 | 0.024 | −0.100 |
Upper jaw length | 0.183 | 0.000 | −0.181 |
Lower jaw length | 0.183 | −0.031 | −0.199 |
Mouth width | 0.262 | −0.001 | −0.132 |
First-pair barbel length | 0.199 | −0.624 | −0.068 |
Second-pair barbel length | 0.158 | −0.444 | 0.603 |
Eye-ball diameter | 0.141 | −0.071 | −0.135 |
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Liu, W.; Zhao, Y.; Huang, J. Taxonomic Revision and Conservation Review of Sinocyclocheilus grahami (Regan, 1904), the Only Known Cavefish Applied Both in the Traditional Medicine and Aquaculture. Fishes 2025, 10, 99. https://doi.org/10.3390/fishes10030099
Liu W, Zhao Y, Huang J. Taxonomic Revision and Conservation Review of Sinocyclocheilus grahami (Regan, 1904), the Only Known Cavefish Applied Both in the Traditional Medicine and Aquaculture. Fishes. 2025; 10(3):99. https://doi.org/10.3390/fishes10030099
Chicago/Turabian StyleLiu, Wuyang, Yahui Zhao, and Jinqing Huang. 2025. "Taxonomic Revision and Conservation Review of Sinocyclocheilus grahami (Regan, 1904), the Only Known Cavefish Applied Both in the Traditional Medicine and Aquaculture" Fishes 10, no. 3: 99. https://doi.org/10.3390/fishes10030099
APA StyleLiu, W., Zhao, Y., & Huang, J. (2025). Taxonomic Revision and Conservation Review of Sinocyclocheilus grahami (Regan, 1904), the Only Known Cavefish Applied Both in the Traditional Medicine and Aquaculture. Fishes, 10(3), 99. https://doi.org/10.3390/fishes10030099