Oreonectes macrolepis, A New Nemacheiline Loach of Genus Oreonectes (Balitoridae) from Guangxi, China

A nemacheiline loach, Oreonectes macrolepis sp. nov. has been recognized based on collections from a Pearl River Drainage in Maonan County, Huanjiang City, Guangxi, China, in June 2008. Oreonectes macrolepis is a new member of the O. furcocaudalis group. It can be distinguished from all its congeners in this group by the following characters: body entirely covered by scales, except between pectoral fins and pelvic fins; lateral line present, with 5–12 pores; cephalic lateral line system with 3+7 infraorbital pores and 7–8 supraorbital; Head length 2.3–2.7 times head width in nose; head length 1.4–1.8 times maximum head width; Standard length 7.0–10.8 times caudal-peduncle depth.