Beautiful New Catfish Species Discovered Hiding in China's Pearl River

A newly described catfish, Glyptothorax pulcher, has been formally identified from the upper Pearl River system in southwest China. Researchers collected specimens from the Tuoniang River in south-eastern Yunnan Province and western Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, and the description was published in Zoosystematics and Evolution. The study says it is the first new species of this genus discovered east of the Red River in more than two decades. G. pulcher is named for its “beautiful” coloration, and researchers suggest mei li wen xiong zhao as its Chinese common name. The fish’s chest has a thoracic adhesive apparatus that helps it cling to rocks in fast streams. The type series includes 28 specimens.