Taxonomic revision of the South Asian River dolphins ( <i>Platanista</i> ): Indus and Ganges River dolphins are separate species

South Asian river dolphins (Platanista gangetica) are among the most endangered of world's cetaceans. The two subspecies in family Platanistidae, Indus, and Ganges (P. g. minor P. gangetica), both threatened by dams barrages, declining flows, fisheries bycatch, pollution. We examine differences external skull morphology between each system to clarify their taxonomic status. Skulls from could easily be differentiated using diagnostic shape frontal bones behind nasals. This feature was present all individuals irrespective size, age, sex. sexually dimorphic with females larger than males, but there no evidence dimorphism small sample Indus dolphins. There were mitochondrial DNA haplotypes shared systems, five fixed suggested a long-term (approximately 0.55 million years) absence gene flow. Diagnosable morphological genetic characteristics indicate reproductive as well geographic isolation conclude that should recognized distinct species, elevate subspecies, Platanista gangetica minor, species level, Owen, 1853. Formal redescriptions provided for species.