Barilius ardens (Teleostei: Cyprinidae), a new species from the Western Ghats, India, with redescription of B. malabaricus and B. canarensis

The identities of Barilius canarensis and B. malabaricus have hitherto been confused . An attempt to resolve their identities by examining fresh collections from their respective type localities, i.e., southern Karnataka and northern Kerala, yielded a new species, which is herein described as B. ardens . The new species differs from B. canarensis and B. malabaricus by the presence of a row of 7–9 large vertically elongate blotches on the flank, in large adults the first three blotches broken into a smaller row of intercalate spots (vs. two rows of spots: the first consisting of 9–11oval spots, the second with 3–4 smaller spots); and 5+4+3 (vs. 5+4+2) pharyngeal teeth. The new species is distinguished from B. bakeri by having 5+4+3 (vs. 5+4+2) pharyngeal teeth; and the dorsal and anal fins margined with bright orange (vs. white). Barilius malabaricus (hitherto in the synonymy of B. canarensis ) is shown to be a valid species distinguished from the latter by having 11½ (vs. 10½) branched dorsal-fin rays and 14½–15½ (vs. 13½) branched anal-fin rays; both species are redescribed.