A new species of Labeo, Labeo kaage, is described from the Cauvery River, India. This distinctive black-coloured species closely resembles Labeo nigrescens, Labeo filiferus, Labeo chekida and Labeo calbasu but is distinguished by unique morphological and genetic traits. It differs from L. nigrescens in the pectoral fin not reaching the pelvic fin, the presence of ½8-½9 + 1 + 6 scales in transverse series, 16½ branched dorsal-fin rays, 37-38 vertebrae and absence of the lateral-line kink near the 17th pored scale. Unlike L. filiferus, the anterior dorsal-fin rays are not filamentous, and prominent acanthoid tubercles are present in the preorbital field. Compared to L. calbasu, L. kaage has a shallower body depth [27.4%-31.8% standard length (SL)], a dorsal-fin base that is longer than its height and the adpressed pelvic fin reaching the anal-fin origin. Mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) gene analysis confirms that L. kaage is genetically distinct, with uncorrected p-distances of 5.4%-6.2% from L. calbasu and 5.2%-5.4% from L. nigrescens. Additionally, L. kaage is distinguished from congeners by its uniformly dark green to black body and fins, the presence of two pairs of barbels longer than the eye diameter, acanthoid tubercles with 3-5 spines in the preorbital, ethmoid, rhinal and rostral fields, a greatest body depth not exceeding one-third of the SL, non-extended anterior dorsal-fin rays, adpressed pectoral fins not reaching the pelvic fins and a lateral line with 38 + 2-3 scales. This discovery underscores the importance of continued exploration to reveal the rich fish diversity of the Cauvery River basin.

Garra nambashiensis, new species, is described from the Taretlok River, a tributary of the Chindwin River in Manipur, North-eastern India. It is distinguished from its congeners in having a quadrate-shaped unilobed proboscis with a row of 78 medium-to large-sized conical acanthoid tubercles on anterolateral margin; a prominent transverse lobe bearing 2123 medium-to large-sized, conical acanthoid tubercles; 3435 lateral-line scales; a black spot on each side of opercle, immediately anterior to upper angle of gill opening; dorsal fin last branched ray extending beyond anal-fin origin; dorsal-fin base with 811 scales; and presence of six distinct narrow black stripes extending to posterior margin of the hypural plate.

A new species of the genus Garra is described from the Longchuan Jiang River, a tributary flowing to the Yiluowadi Jiang (Irrawaddy River) basin in Tengchong, Yunnan, South China. Garra longchuanensis is distinct from other Chinese congeners, except for G. qiaojiensis, in having 12 circumpeduncular scales, a well-developed rostral lobe with irregular distributed acanthoid tubercles, a deep groove to form a transverse lobe and a conspicuous, heavily tuberculated quadrate proboscis, and from G. qiaojiensis in having a slightly pointed snout (vs. rounded), a long and slender caudal peduncle (length 17.8-20.6% SL vs. 15.5-17.1%, width 10.9-12.6% SL vs. 11.3-12.6%), pectoral fin with 15-16 (vs. 13) branched rays, pelvic fin with 9 (vs. 8) branched rays, and an anterior position of anus (anus to anal distance 27.2-39.1% of pelvic to anal distance vs. 22.8-28.3%).

The morphological development of larval cobia Rachycentron canadum from 3 days post hatch (dph) until weaning (27 dph) was examined using S.E.M. Two groups of fish were studied: a control group (CF), reared under standard feeding protocol, and a group in which prey items were enriched with supplemental taurine (4 g l(-1) day(-1) ; TF). TF fish grew faster (P < 0·001), attained greater size (mean ±s.e. 55·1 ± 1·5 v. 33·9 ± 1·0 mm total length) and had better survival (mean ±s.e. 29·3 ± 0·4 v. 7·1 ± 1·2 %) than CF fish. Canonical variance analysis confirmed findings with respect to differences in growth between the treatment groups with separation being explained by two cranial measurements. S.E.M. revealed that 3 dph larvae of R. canadum (in both groups) possess preopercular spines, superficial neuromasts on the head and body, taste buds in the mouth, an olfactory epithelium which takes the form of simple concave depressions, and primordial gill arches. Gill filaments start to form as early as 6 dph and lamellae buds are visible at 8 dph in both groups. In CF fish, the cephalic lateral line system continues its development at 12-14 dph with invagination of both supra- and infraorbital canals. At the same time, a thorn-like or acanthoid crest forms above the eye. At 14 dph, invaginations of the mandibular and preopercular canals are visible and around 22 dph enclosure of all cranial canals nears completion. In CF larvae, however, completely enclosed cranial canals were not observed within the course of the trial, i.e. 27 dph. In TF larvae, grooves of the cephalic lateral line system form 4 days earlier than observed in CF larvae of R. canadum (i.e. at 8 dph), with enclosure commencing at 16 dph, and completed by 27 dph. Along the flanks of 6 dph larvae of either treatment, four to five equally spaced neuromasts delineate the future position of the trunk lateral line. As myomeres are added to the growing larvae, new neuromasts appear such that at 16 dph a neuromast is associated with each myomere. By 27 dph, the trunk lateral line starts to invaginate in CF larvae, while it initiates closure in TF larvae. These findings elucidate important features of the larval development of R. canadum and show that dietary taurine supplementation benefits larval development, growth and survival in this species. Moreover, they suggest a conditional requirement for taurine in larval R. canadum.

Erythrocyte is a mature blood cell that contains hemoglobin to carry oxygen to the bodily tissues. Erythrocyte, which takes on a biconcave disc that has no nucleus, is flexible and changeful. Erythrocyte is so sensitive to the environment that the shape of cell goes crimpy, even acanthoid. A laser tweezers Raman spectroscopy (LTRS) setup was used to trap single erythrocyte from healthy donors and patients with thalassemia and to collect the Raman scattering of trapping cell. Normal shape, crimpy erythrocytes and acanthoid erythrocytes were tested, and the averaged spectra, and principal component analysis (PCA) which detailed the spectral difference and the change of hemoglobin, were used to evaluate the effects of different cell shape on the spectral distinguishing of erythrocyte. The results reveal that in normal physiological environment the change in cell shape does not effect the spectral distinguishing of abnormal erythrocyte.