Because of the highly enriched biological resources, Yunnan Province has been entitled as “the kingdom of animals and plants”. In particular, its diversities in fish species are the top nationwide. The monograph The Fishes of Yunnan,China. Part 1(1989) and Part 2 (1990) have 399 fish species included and have provided the most authentic data for Yunnan fishes studies during the last two decades. But the numerous reports about new species, new records, corrections and reclassifications of fishes of Yunnan have brought discrepancies and ambiguousness and are hindering the relevant research.

So, to straight things out, based on extant literatures, including his own earlier study of wetland fishes of Yunnan (Chapter 12, Wetlands of Yunnan)(2010) and taking into accounts updated results of taxonomy and phylogeny, Dr. CHEN Xiaoyong (Kunming institute of Zoology, CAS) has updated the checklist of fishes present in Yunnan, including the number of taxa and drainage areas.

According to Dr. CHEN’s research, as of 2013, there were 13 orders, 42 families, 198 genera and 620 valid species recorded in Yunnan Province, of which 586 were native species, 34 alien species, 254 species endemic to Yunnan, and 152 species only occuring in Yunnan within China. The number of species in Yunnan accounts for 39.17% of China’s total fish species (of which there are 1 583 recorded freshwater fish species according to data present in Fishbase), and of these 6 families and 66 genera only occur in Yunnan.

Moreover, the numbers of fish species of the six major drainages in Yunnan were as follows: 202 in Pearl River, 183 in Lancangjiang River (upper Mekong), 142 in Jinshajiang River (upper Yangtze), 120 in Red River, 84 in Irrawaddy Drainage, 77 in Nujiang-Salween Drainage.

Meanwhile, there are also 99 endangered species of fish occurring in Yunnan, among them 23 species protected by the national and/or the provincial government, including 2 species of national key protected animal class one, 4 species of national key protected animal class two, 17 species of Yunnan provincial protected animal. Totally, 43 species were listed in China Red Data Book of Endangered Animals, Pisces; 73 species were listed in China Species Red List Vol. 1; 50 species were listed in endangered categories of IUCN Red List; and 3 species were listed in the Appendix 2 of CITES. The Chinese name, Latin name, synomyns, distribution and literatures of the 620 species of fishes in Yunnan are listed.

The release of Dr.CHEN’s updated checklist is of importance in facilitating the research of Yunnan fishes and more details could be found in Zoological Research (http://www.zoores.ac.cn/CN/abstract/abstract3364.shtml#).