Journal of Fish Biology (2000) 57, 536–539 doi:10.1006/jfbi.2000.1317, available online at http://www.idealibrary.com on A new species of Encheloclarias from Sumatra H. H. N*  H. H. T Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Kent Ridge Crescent, Singapore 119260 (Received 25 January 2000, Accepted 27 March 2000) Encheloclarias velatus sp. nov. is described from central Sumatra. It differs from its congeners in having confluent anal- and caudal-fin bases, number of anal-fin rays, number of caudal vertebrae, length of anal-fin base, body depth at anus, head length, snout length, and interorbital distance.  2000 The Fisheries Society of the British Isles Key words: Encheloclarias; new species; Sumatra. Encheloclarias Myers in Herre & Myers, 1937, is the only Asian genus of the Old World catfish family Clariidae with an adipose fin and is endemic to South-East Asia. It differs from Heterobranchus Geoffroy-Saint-Hilaire, 1809, and Dinotopterus Boulenger, 1906 (African clariids with an adipose fin) in lacking extensions of the neural spine supporting the adipose fin (Teugels, 1983; Roberts, 1989). The type species, Heterobranchus tapeinopterus Bleeker, 1852, was described from Banka Island, off the east coast of southern Sumatra. Ng & Lim (1993) revised Encheloclarias, in which five species, viz. E. baculum Ng & Lim, 1993 and E. prolatus Ng & Lim, 1993 from western Borneo, E. kelioides Ng & Lim, 1993 from eastern Peninsular Malaysia, and E. curtisoma Ng & Lim, 1993 from western Peninsular Malaysia, were considered valid. During recent collections in central Sumatra, specimens of Encheloclarias were obtained from local markets, which on comparison with other described taxa were found to be specifically different. This species is hereby described in this study as Encheloclarias velatus. Measurements (recorded to the nearest 0·1 mm) were taken from the left side with a pair of dial callipers and follow those of Teugels et al. (1990). Fin ray counts were obtained under transmitted light using a binocular dissecting microscope. Only principal caudal-fin rays were counted, i.e. rays attached to the hypurals. Gill raker counts were made using the method and terminology of Roberts (1992). Vertebral counts were taken from radiographs using the terminology of Roberts (1994). Institutional abbreviations follow those of Eschmeyer (1998). ENCHELOCLARIAS VELATUS SP. NOV. (Fig. 1) Encheloclarias kelioides (non Ng & Lim, 1993): Tan & Tan, 1994, 355. Holotype: MZB 9335, 161·6 mm L S ; Sumatra: Jambi, Angso Duo market; purchased by H. H. Tan et al., 26–27 Oct. 1999. Paratypes: ZRC 44113, 3 ex., 142·0–169·2 mm L S ; data as for as holotype. Additional (non-type) material: ZRC 32763, 1 ex., 44·4 mm L S ; Riau Archipelago: Pulau Bintan north, Tanjung Bintan, swamp forest; P. K. L. Ng et al., 13 May 1993. Diagnosis: Encheloclarias velatus is differentiated from its congeners in having the following unique set of characters: anal and caudal fins confluent only at the base, *Author to whom correspondence should be addressed. Tel.: 065 874 2969; fax: 065 779 2486; email: silurus@singnet.com.sg 536 0022–1112/00/080536+04 $35.00/0  2000 The Fisheries Society of the British Isles