A new species of Batasio catfish has been described from southern Myanmar and the identities of two other members of the genus have been clarified in a study published in the latest issue of the journal Ichthyological Exploration of Freshwaters.
Heok Hee Ng and Maurice Kottelat name the new catfish from the Ataran River drainage Batasio feruminatus, and distinguish it from other members of the genus in having the bases of the adipose fin and the last dorsal-fin ray in contact and in having a color pattern on the body consisting of both an oblique predorsal bar and a thin midlateral longitudinal black stripe.
The specific name of the new species comes from the Latin ferumino, meaning to weld, in reference to the contact between the dorsal and adipose fins of this species.
In the same study, the identities of two other Batasio species from Myanmar, B. affinis and B. fluviatilis, are clarified.
Batasio affinis, previously thought to be a species with an dark oblique predorsal bar and a spot on the sides of the body, is rediagnosed as a species with four or five dark vertical bands, while Batasio fluviatilis is found to be the correct name that should be used for the species now identified as B. havmolleri.
With the description of the new species, there are now five species of Batasio recognized from Myanmar: B. affinis, B. dayi, B. elongatus, B. feruminatus, and B. fluviatilis.
For more information, see the paper: Ng, HH and M Kottelat (2007) Batasio feruminatus, a new species of bagrid catfish from Myanmar (Siluriformes: Bagridae), with notes on the identity of B. affinis and B. fluviatilis. Ichthyological Exploration of Freshwaters 18, pp. 289"300.