Scaphesthes zhejiangensis, a New Species of Shoveljaw Carp (Teleostei, Cypriniformes) from Zhejiang Province, Southeast China

A new species of shoveljaw carp, Scaphesthes zhejiangensis, is described from the Qiantang River basin and three independent rivers in Zhejiang Province, Southeast China. It is distinguished from other Scaphesthes species by the following combination of characteristics: a long, slender body (depth 19.9–22.2% SL); 46–49 lateral-line scales; 15–17 pre-dorsal scales; a short head (depth 66.8–73.3% HL); a wide mouth (width 36.2–45.3% HL); elongated maxillary barbels shorter than one-third of the eye diameter; reduced but visible rostral barbels; a slender, smooth last simple dorsal ray; and the absence of a longitudinal black stripe along the lateral line. Molecular phylogenetic analysis based on the mitochondrial cytochrome b (cyt b) gene supported the monophyly of S. zhejiangensis sp. nov., which formed a clade with S. virgulatum, S. macrolepis, and the S. barbatum species complex.