PFK Fishnews: Two new species of Pseudancistrus from southern Venezuela

[AquaticQuotient.com]

Two new loricariids named

Pictures of P. pectigenator by Nathan Luhan and Mark Sabaj.

American scientists have described two new species of loricariid catfish of the genus Pseudancistrus.

Publishing their results in the latest issue of the journal Ichthyological Exploration of Freshwaters, Nathan Lujan, Jonathan Armbruster and Mark Sabaj have named the two new species from southern Venezuela Pseudancistrus pectegenitor and P. yekuana.

Pseudancistrus pectegenitor is known from the upper Río Orinoco river drainage, and can be distinguished from other members of the genus in having 10–11 dorsal-fin rays and adpressed cheek odontodes reaching to three or more plates beyond the opercle in adults.

The species is named after both the very prominent odontodes on the snout, pectoral spine and evertible cheek plates and the fact that males observe brood care in this species (in Latin, pecten=quill and genitor=father).

Pseudancistrus pectengenitor lives in the main channel of rivers, among large rock outcrops.

The second species, Pseudancistrus yekuana, is named after the Ye-kuana, the indiginous peoples inhabiting the upper Río Ventuari, where the fish is found.

It differs from other members of the genus in having dentary papillae, the lower lip reaching to the middle of the pectoral girdle, and the pectoral spin maximally reaching the posterior edge of the pelvic-fin spine when adpressed ventral to the pelvic fin.

Pseudancistrus yekuana appears to be a species that matures at a small size, with the largest specimen collected at only 43 mm SL.

There are 12 other valid species of Pseudancistrus recognised, of which only two (P. coquenani and P. orinoco) share the presence of dentary papillae with the two new species.

For more information, see the paper: Lujan, NK, JW Armbruster and MH Sabaj (2007) Two new species of Pseudancistrus from southern Venezuela (Siluriformes: Loricariidae). Ichthyological Exploration of Freshwaters 18, 163–174.

Complete article by Ng Heok Hee here...

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[valice]

I always thought that Pseudancistrus are giant. Now there is a dwarf version! Only 4cm!

Amazing chew chews on the specimens shown.

[Quixotic]

Only 4 cm, that would be comparable to Otocinclus. With that oversized head, it looks somewhat strange and disproportioned.

[iwishweallcouldwin]

yeah looks pretty strange. nonetheless they do look pretty cool at the same time, with their striking 'whiskers'. so small, with a big head. imagine what a cute sight it would be to see them shuffling about above the substrate, shifting their gigantic heads from side to side.