From the inside out: a new species of armoured catfish Corydoras with the description of poorly-explored character sources (Teleostei, Siluriformes, Callichthyidae)

J Fish Biol. 2018 May;92(5):1463-1486. doi: 10.1111/jfb.13602. Epub 2018 Apr 19.

Abstract

A new species of the armoured catfish genus Corydoras is described from the Xingu-Tapajos ecoregion, Brazilian Amazon. The new species can be distinguished from its congeners by having the following combination of features: short mesethmoid, with anterior tip poorly developed, smaller than 50% of bone length; posterior margin of pectoral spine with serrations directed towards spine tip or perpendicularly oriented; infraorbital 2 only in contact with sphenotic; ventral laminar expansion of infraorbital 1 poorly or moderately developed; flank midline covered by small dark brown or black saddles with similar size to remaining markings on body; relatively larger, scarcer and more sparsely distributed dark brown or black spots on body; absence of stripe on flank midline; caudal fin with conspicuous dark brown or black spots along its entire surface; slender body; and strongly narrow frontals. A more comprehensive description of poorly-explored internal character sources, such as the gross morphology of the brain, Weberian apparatus and swimbladder capsule elements is presented.

Keywords: Brazilian Amazon; Corydoradinae; Corydoras sp. C22; Xingu-Tapajos ecoregion; gross brain morphology; taxonomy.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Brazil
  • Catfishes / anatomy & histology
  • Catfishes / classification*
  • Catfishes / physiology
  • Color
  • Demography
  • Ecosystem
  • Female
  • Male
  • Phylogeny
  • Sex Characteristics