Analyses of morphological and molecular data from specimens of Homatula from China reveal an undescribed species which lives in the Nanpanjiang River, the upper Pearl River, and indicate that H. acuticephala is a synonym of H. anguillioides. The new species is collected from Yunnan, China. It differs from its congeners by having a naked and robust body, developed adipose crests (depth of caudal peduncle in the percent of its length:70.53–78.48), a median notch on the lower jaw, a median gap on the lower lip, short barbels with maxillary barbels extend posteriorly reaching the anterior edge of eyes, vertebrae 37–38, completed lateral line. New species differs from other species of Homatula by 0.05–0.11 in K2P distance of mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1. Phylogenetic analysis based on mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 indicate that new species formed a sister group to co-drainage species. Based on both morphological and molecular results, we confirm that the validation of this undescribed species named H. robusta sp. nov. and describe it.

COI sequence, Homatula, loach, Nanpanjiang River, phylogeny