PFK Fishnews: New Moenkhausia tetra named

[AquaticQuotient.com]

New Moenkhausia tetra named

A new species of tetra in the genus Moenkhausia has been described from northeastern Brazil.

The description of Moenkhausia diamantina has been described in a paper by Ricardo Benine, Ricardo Castro and Alexandre Santos published in the most recent issue of the journal Neotropical Ichthyology. Moenkhausia diamantina is most similar to M. levidorsa, but differs from it in having a regularly scaled predorsal line.

It is additionally distinguished from other members of the genus in having a reticulated body pigmentation pattern, 32–34 pored lateral line scales, a completely pored lateral line, 24–26 branched anal-fin rays, and lacking both a conspicuous dark blotch on the caudal peduncle and dark stripes on the fins and body.

The tributaries of of the Paraguaçu River that the fish were collected in are all blackwater rivers, with the type locality having a sandy and rocky bottom, with little riparian or submerged vegetation.

Moenkhausia diamenatina is named after its type locality, the Chapada Diamantina region, and is known only from the upper and middle parts of the Paraguaçu River drainage, a coastal river in northeastern Brazil.

For more information, see the paper: Benine, RC, RMC Castro and ACA Santos (2007) A new Moenkhausia Eigenmann, 1903 (Ostpariophysi: Characiformes) from Chapada Diamantina, rio Paraguaçu basin, Bahia, northeastern Brazil. Neotropical Ichthyology 5, pp. 259–262.


Full article by Ng Heok Hee here...

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