Bunocephalus erondinae, a new species of banjo catfish from southern Brazil (Siluriformes: Aspredinidae)

Abstract

Bunocephalus erondinae, a new species of banjo catfish from southern Brazil (Siluriformes: Aspredinidae) Alexandre R. CardosoBunocephalus erondinae, a new species of banjo catfish is described from the laguna dos Patos system, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. The new species differs from its congeners by the bony epiphyseal bar very wide (vs. narrow). Bunocephalus erondinae is externally most similar to Bunocephalus doriae (rio Uruguay and rio Paraná-Paraguay basins), however, differs from this species by the following characters: the bony epiphyseal bar very wide (vs. narrow); metapterygoid round, width is equal the height (vs. metapterygoid elongate, width lesser than half of height), well developed lamina in the hypohyal and anterior ceratohyal bones (vs. little developed or absent), 32 vertebrae (vs. 34-35), first procurrent caudal-fin rays well developed (vs. vestigial), vertebral parapophysis 5 distally expanded, shaped like an axe (vs. not expanded).Bunocephalus erondinae, uma espécie nova de bagre banjo é descrita do sistema da laguna dos Patos, Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil. A espécie nova é distinguível de todas as espécies do gênero pela barra epifiseal óssea muito larga (vs. estreita). Bunocephalus erondinae é externamente muito similar a Bunocephalus doriae (bacias do rio Uruguai e rio Pananá-Paraguai), porém, difere desta espécie pelos seguintes caracteres: barra epifiseal óssea larga (vs. estreita), metapterigoide arredondado, com largura igual a altura (vs. metapterigoide alongado, com largura menor que a metade da altura), lâmina bem desenvolvida no hipial e no cerato-hial anterior (vs. pouco desenvolvida ou ausente), 32 vértebras (vs. 34-35), primeiros raios prócorrentes caudais bem desenvolvidos (vs. vestigiais) da parapófise da quinta vértebra expandida na forma de um machado (vs. não expandida).

First record of the banjo catfish Bunocephalus doriae Boulenger 1902 (Siluriformes: Aspredinidae) in the Bermejo River basin, Salta, Argentina

“…The specimens herein studied could be identified as Bunocephalus doriae only after comparisons of x-ray photographs of its syntypes with C&S specimens and the osteological information provided by Cardoso (2010). This highlights the importance of detailed osteological descriptions, studies of comparative anatomy, and the need of a redescription of B. doriae considering the morphological variations across its wide area of distribution.…”

“…Cardoso (2010), in order to differentiate Bunocephalus erondinae from B. doriae, provided useful osteological information of the latter species, that can be used to distinguish this species from the remaining species of the genus.…”

Two new species of the banjo catfish Bunocephalus Kner (Siluriformes: Aspredinidae) from the upper and middle rio São Francisco basins, Brazil

“…Measurements are expressed as percent of the standard length (SL), except subunits of head, expressed as percent of the head length (HL). The measurements follow those proposed by Friel (1994) and Cardoso (2010), except for cleithral process length, which was taken from the anterior margin of the cleithrum on its lateral portion to the posterior tip of the cleithral process. Vertebral counts include all preural vertebrae, including the five vertebrae modified into the Weberian Apparatus, plus the PU1+U1 and U2 elements on the caudal skeleton counted as a single vertebrae, according to Lundberg &Baskin, (1969) andde Pinna &Ng (2004).…”

“…As currently recognized, the Bunocephalus contains 11 valid species, distributed through most tropical river systems in South America, such as the Orinoco, Amazon, Paraná-Paraguay and rivers in the northwestern slope of the Andes (Friel, 2003;Cardoso, 2010;Eschmeyer, 2014). Bunocephalus species are benthic, usually found within leaf litter or buried in the substrate of slowflowing backwaters of creeks and rivers .…”

“…However, hitherto there is not an unambiguous diagnosis for Bunocephalus, and there is no evidence that the remaining species still included in this genus do form a monophyletic group. Therefore, species that are included and were recently described in Bunocephalus lack the synapomorphic characters of other genera of Aspredinidae (Friel, 1994;Cardoso, 2010).…”