A paper published in the latest issue of the journal Zootaxa has described a new species of Labeo from Sudan.
The new cyprinid, named Labeo meroensis by German scientist Timo Moritz, is a small species (up to 52.5 mm standard length) that resembles some members of the L. parvus species group.
The new species can be distinguished from other members of the genus in having only 5 scale rows between the lateral and mid-dorsal lines, cylindrical body, the presence of transverse plicae on the inner surface of the lips, 39"41 lateral line scales, 16 circumpeduncular scales, and a relatively large eye (diameter more than 21% of head length).
Labeo meroensis is named after the ancient Nubian capital of Meroe, which is situated near the type locality of the fish.
The species is so far only known from the Nile River, where most of the fish collected were found in shallow water flowing over sand.
For more information, see the paper: Moritz, T (2007) Description of a new cyprinid species, Labeo meroensis n. sp. (Teleostei: Cyprinidae), from the River Nile. Zootaxa 1612, pp. 55"62.