Pinkish river creature with wrinkly lips found in China. It’s a new species
In a stream of southern China filled with plant debris, a pinkish river creature with wrinkly lips swam through the murk, perhaps searching for a meal or a mate. Instead, it caught the attention of passing scientists — and for good reason.
It turned out to be a new species.
A team of researchers visited Guangxi Gutingshan Forest Park in late 2024 as part of a project to survey the region’s aquatic life, according to a study published Oct. 15 in the peer-reviewed journal ZooKeys.
During their searches, researchers found over a dozen unfamiliar-looking fish swimming in “small tributary streams,” the study said. Intrigued, scientists took a closer look at the animals, analyzed their DNA and realized they’d discovered a new species: Oreonectes qinae, or Qin’s hilly loach.
Qin’s hilly loaches have “elongated” bodies reaching just over 3 inches in length, the study said. Their heads are “flattened” with a “curved” mouth, wrinkly lips and six “well-developed” whisker-like barbels.
A photo shows the new species, which has a black stripe running down its body. Its back is gray while its sides and belly are pinkish.
Qin’s hilly loaches were found in relatively shallow “streamlets” with lots of plants and rocks, the study said. Based on the fish showing some breeding-specific features and the temporary look of the surrounding streams, the team concluded the new species “likely migrates from underground rivers to surface streams coinciding with flood periods to facilitate reproduction.”
Researchers said they named the new species after Zi-Shan Qin who helped collect the fish and in honor of their “dedicated efforts in fieldwork.”
So far, Qin’s hilly loaches have only been found at the Guangxi Gutingshan Forest Park in the Guangxi region of southeastern China, which borders Vietnam, researchers said.
The new species was identified by its DNA, body proportions, coloring, fin shape, internal anatomy and other subtle physical features, the study said.
The research team included Zhuo-Ni Chen, Cai-Huan Mo, Li-Na Du and Li-Na Zhang.
This story was originally published October 27, 2025 at 11:25 AM with the headline "Pinkish river creature with wrinkly lips found in China. It’s a new species."
