A new species of rheophilic armored catfish of Rineloricaria (Siluriformes: Loricariidae) from the Vaupés River, Amazonas basin, Colombia

Abstract

A new rheophilic species of the genus Rineloricaria is described for the Amazon basin in Colombia. Rineloricaria cachivera n. sp. differs from its congeners by having anterior to the first predorsal plate, an inconspicuous saddle‐like mark; the presence of dark, diffuse blotches, present as unified dark colouration along most of the dorsal portion of the head, without bands or spots on the head; a long snout that occupies more than half the head length (HL), between 58.0% and 66.3% HL; a naked portion on the cleithral area from the border of lower lip reaching the origin of pectoral fin; and by having five series of lateral plates in longitudinal rows below the dorsal fin. The new species is morphologically similar to Rineloricaria daraha; however, it can be distinguished by the presence of six branched pectoral fin rays (vs. seven) and the lower lip surface with short thick papillae (vs. long finger papillae). An identification key to the Rineloricaria species of the Amazon River basin in Colombia is provided. The new species is herein categorized as Least Concern, following the IUCN criteria.

Fishes (Actinopterygii) of the rapids and associated environments in the lower Vaupés River Basin: an undiscovered Colombian Amazon diversity

“…In recent years, endemic (native) fish species have recently been discovered from specific areas of the Tiquié River basin in Brazil [(e.g., Corydoras desana Lima & Sazima, 2017;Hypostomus kopeyaka andH. weberi Carvalho, Lima &Zawadzki, 2010, Rhinotocinclus yaka (Lehmann A., Lima &Reis, 2018)] and from the Vaupés River in Colombia (i.e., Rineloricaria jurupari Londoño-Burbano & Urbano-Bonilla, 2018, Hemigrammus xaveriellus Lima, Urbano-Bonilla, Prada-Pedreros, 2020 and Rineloricaria cachivera Urbano-Bonilla, Londoño-Burbano & Carvalho, 2023). The introduction of non-native fish such as Cichlids generates irreversible effects (displacement, extinction of species, and loss of the gene pool of native species) due to (intraspecific) competition and direct predation (Ogutu-Ohwayo 1993).…”

“…1). The large information gaps in the area (Jézéquel et al 2020a), the presence of endemic rheophilic species (Rineloricaria jurupari Londoño-Burbano & Urbano-Bonilla, 2018, R. daraha Rapp Py-Daniel & Fichberg, 2008, R. cachivera Urbano-Bonilla Londoño-Burbano & Carvalho, 2023), and various undescribed species (Odontocharacidium Buckup, 1993, Tetragonopterus Cuvier, 1816, Tyttocharax Fowler, 1913, Ituglanis Costa & Bockmann, 1993, Myoglanis Eigenmann, 1912, Nemuroglanis Eigenmann & Eigenmann, 1889and Aequidens Eigenmann & Bray, 1894Bogotá-Gregory et al 2022a) including those in this study (i.e., Jupiaba sp., Moenkhausia sp., Phenacogaster sp., Bunocephalus sp., Hemiancistrus sp., and Archolaemus sp.) support the need to strengthen scientific expeditions and community monitoring of fish.…”

“…Recent analyses of fish biodiversity and hotspots in Amazonia suggested that the Vaupés hydrographic basin in its entirety has high values of species richness and endemism (Jézéquel et al 2020a), species with high levels of irreplaceability, representativeness, and degree of vulnerability (Jézéquel et al 2020b). Unlike other tributaries of the Amazon, the numerous rapids of the Vaupés River serve as habitat and provide food (e.g., Podostemaceae aquatic plants) for fish (Lima et al 2005); in addition, rapids act as natural barriers that affect the dispersal of some fish and harbor rheophilic and endemic fish species (Londoño-Burbano and Urbano-Bonilla 2018; Urbano-Bonilla et al 2023).…”