The Lipstick barb is among one of five new species of barbs described from northern Myanmar by Sven Kullander in the most recent issue of the journal Ichthyological Exploration of Freshwaters.
The five species are all found in small streams in the Irrawaddy River drainage and in Lake Indawgyi and are characterized by a prominent blotch or band around the caudal peduncle.
Puntius erythromycterThe Lipstick barb is distinguished from congeners in having a dark band around the caudal peduncle, an abbreviated lateral line, males with tuberculate reddish snout and absence of barbels.
The name comes from the red snout in males (Greek erythros=red and mykter=upper lip).
Puntius nankyweensisPuntius nankyweensis is distinguished from congeners in having minute barbels, a dark band around the caudal peduncle, an abbreviated lateral line and the absence of a scale row above the lateral line.
This species is named for the stream it was collected in (Nan Kywe Chaung).
Puntius thelysThis species is distinguished from congeneers in having an abbreviated lateral line, a dark blotch on the caudal peduncle and the absence of humeral markings.
Puntius thelys is named for the dominance of females in the samples collected (Greek thelys=feminine).
Puntius macrogrammaPuntius macrogramma is distinguished from congeners in having a complete or almost complete lateral line, a minute humeral spot and a dark blotch on the caudal peduncle.
This species is named for the complete or almost complete lateral line (Greek makros=long and gramme=line).
Puntius pugioThis species is distinguished form congeners in having a frontoparietal fontanelle, a complete lateral line, last unbranched dorsal-fin ray lacking serrae, a dark nband around the caudal peduncle and the absence of barbels.
Puntius pugio is named for the spine-like last unbranched dorsal-fin ray (Latin pugio=dagger).
For more information, see the paper: Kullander, SO (2008) Five new species of Puntius from Myanmar (Teleostei: Cyprinidae). Ichthyological Exploration of Freshwaters 19, pp. 59"84.