Parotocinclus arandai, a new species of hypoptopomatine catfish (Siluriformes: Loricariidae) from the upper rios Jucuruçu and Buranhém, States of Bahia and Minas Gerais, Brazil

Abstract

1Parotocinclus arandai, new species of the hypoptopomatine catfish, is described from small creeks in the upper rios Jucuruçu and Buranhém basins, at the border of Brazilian States of Bahia and Minas Gerais. Parotocinclus arandai is distinguished from all congeners from the Atlantic coastal basins of southeastern and eastern Brazil, except Parotocinclus bahiensis, by having the branched rays and interradial membranes of the pectoral and pelvic fins unpigmented in ventral view. The new species is distinguished from most Parotocinclus species, by having a small eye, 14.8-19.3 mm HL (except P. maculicauda and P. planicauda) and by the presence of a tuft of hypertrophied odontodes on the supraoccipital (except P. cristatus and P. cesarpintoi). Parotocinclus arandai is further distinguished by having an abdomen extensively naked, with a mosaic of few rounded platelets of irregular size and distributed over the pre-anal region (except P. bahiensis, P. minutus, P. spilosoma, P. cearensis, P. cesarpintoi and P. prata). A detailed comparison with congeners on eastern Brazil hydrographical region is provided, and information on the species habitat is given.Parotocinclus arandai, espécie nova de cascudo hypoptopomatíneo, é descrita de pequenos riachos do curso superior das bacias dos rios Jucuruçu e Buranhém, na divisa estadual de Minas Gerais com a Bahia. Parotocinclus arandai é distinguida de todos os congêneres nas bacias costeiras do Atlântico do sudeste e leste do Brasil, exceto Parotocinclus bahiensis, por apresentar os raios ramificados e as membranas interradiais das nadadeiras peitoral e pélvica despigmentadas em vista ventral. A nova espécie é distinguida da maioria das espécies de Parotocinclus, por apresentar olho pequeno, 14.8-19.3 mm HL (exceto P. maculicauda e P. planicauda) e pela presença de um tufo de odontódes hipertrofiados no supraoccipital (com exceção a P. cristatus e P. cesarpintoi). Parotocinclus arandai é ainda distinguida pelo abdômen com extensas áreas nuas, apresentando um mosaico de poucas plaquinhas arredondadas de tamanho irregular e distribuídas na região pré-anal (exceto em P. bahiensis, P. minutus, P. spilosoma, P. cearensis, P. cesarpintoi e P. prata). Uma comparação detalhada com os congêneres na região hidrográfica do Leste do Brasil é apresentada e, adicionalmente são fornecidas informações acerca dos ambientes em que foram encontrados os cascudinhos.

Parotocinclus seridoensis, a new hypoptopomatine catfish (Siluriformes: Loricariidae) from the upper rio Piranhas-Açu basin, northeastern Brazil

“…Extensively naked abdomen with a mosaic of few rounded platelets is also present in some Parotocinclus species from northeastern Brazil: P. arandai, P. bahiensis, P. minutus Garavello, P. spilosoma (Fowler), P. cearensis, and P. cesarpintoi (Sarmento-Soares et al, 2009), while P. robustus Lehmann & Reis and P. prata Ribeiro, Melo & Pereira, both from the rio São Francisco basin, have the abdomen completely devoid of dermal plates .…”

“…Of the 27 Parotocinclus valid species so far described, twelve occur in northeastern Brazil, representing approximately 44.4% of the known species (Sarmento-Soares et al, 2009;. Among these species, five occur in eastern Atlantic coastal basins (P. arandai, P. bahiensis, P. cristatus Garavello, P. jimi Garavello, and P. minutus), six in Mid-Northeastern Caatinga region (P. cearensis, P. cesarpintoi, P. jumbo, P. seridoensis, P. spilosoma, and P. spilurus), and one in the rio Parnaíba basin (P. haroldoi).…”

“…The genus Parotocinclus Eigenmann & Eigenmann comprises 26 valid nominal species of small hypoptopomatine catfishes, known in Brazil as "cascudinhos", widely distributed in the Neotropical Cis-Andean region, extending from Venezuela to southern Brazil (Sarmento-Soares et al, 2009;Lehmann et al, 2013). The Hypoptopomatinae is a monophyletic subfamily within the Loricariidae that currently includes 20 genera (Carvalho et al, 2008;Reis et al, 2012), in spite of the controversial monophyletic condition of the genus Parotocinclus (Schaefer, 1998;Ribeiro et al, 2002;Gauger & Buckup, 2005;Sarmento-Soares et al, 2009).…”

“…The Hypoptopomatinae is a monophyletic subfamily within the Loricariidae that currently includes 20 genera (Carvalho et al, 2008;Reis et al, 2012), in spite of the controversial monophyletic condition of the genus Parotocinclus (Schaefer, 1998;Ribeiro et al, 2002;Gauger & Buckup, 2005;Sarmento-Soares et al, 2009).…”

Parotocinclus halbothi, a new species of small armored catfish (Loricariidae: Hypoptopomatinae), from the Trombetas and Marowijne River basins, in Brazil and Suriname

“…A taxonomic framework reflecting the relationships of the species of Parotocinclus would necessitate the description of several new genera; however, the difficulties inherent in implementing such a new classification have by default resulted in the continued recognition of a non-monophyletic Parotocinclus (e.g. Gauger & Buckup, 2005;Sarmento-Soares et al, 2009;Lehmann & Reis, 2012).…”