Leptobotia zebra Should Be Revised as Sinibotia zebra (Cypriniformes: Botiidae)

Botia zebra was first described by Wu (1939) but changed to Leptobotia zebra by Chen (1980) based on
the presence of the simple suborbital spine. In the present study, sequences of mtDNA cytochrome b gene were analyzed
to investigate the systematic position of this species. The molecular data showed that the average genetic distance
between samples of Leptobotia zebra and other Leptobotia species was 0.177, while only 0.057 between Leptobotia zebra
and Sinibotia pulcher. Molecular phylogenetic analyses indicated that samples of Leptobotia zebra did not cluster with
Leptobotia species, they grouped with Sinibotia pulcher forming a sister-group. Further morphological observations were
performed on the holotype of Leptobotia zebra and other specimens including formalin-fixed museum specimens and
newly collected alcohol-fixed ones. This species was found to bear similar diagnostic characteristics with Sinibotia, such
as no scales on the cheek, a pair of button-like papillae on the chin region, and the diagnostic characteristics of Leptobotia
as well, such as a simple suborbital spine. Based on both molecular and morphological data, this paper proposes that
Leptobotia zebra is a species of the genus Sinibotia, and its valid name should be Sinibotia zebra. Morphological
character evolution of genera in the family Botiidae was also discussed.