Gobiobotia lii, a new species of gudgeon (Teleostei, Gobionidae) from the middle Chang-Jiang Basin, central China, with notes on the validity of G. nicholsi Bănărescu & Nalbant, 1966

Gobiobotia lii is described from the Qi-Shui, a stream tributary on northern bank of middle Chang-Jiang mainstem in Hubei Province and Lake Dongting Hunan Province, central China. The new species distinguished all other congeneric by possessing combination following characters: naked region abdomen adjacent to ventral mid-line extending vent vertebral count (4+31–32). validity G. confirmed its monophyletic nature recovered phylogenetic analysis, based cyt b gene significant sequence divergence with sampled species. Critical notes were given recognition historically documented eight-barbel gudgeons co-existing Dongting. nicholsi Bănărescu & Nalbant, 1966 should be valid distinct filifer (Garman, 1912) both pappenheimi Kreyenberg, 1911 boulengeri (= Xenophysogobio (Tchang, 1929)) have an erroneous record Lake.