The genera of the Neotropical armored catfish subfamily Loricariinae  (Siluriformes: Loricariidae): a practical key and synopsis

Abstract

The subfamily Loricariinae belongs to the Neotropical mailed catfish family Loricariidae. Members of Loricariinae are recognized by their long and flattened caudal peduncle and absence of an adipose fin. Despite important studies conducted on this group, no comprehensive generic key is presently available. A Hill & Smith (1976) analysis and cluster analysis were performed on external morphological characters taken from specimens or borrowed from the literature. The two main groups recognized correspond to the tribes Harttiini and Loricariini. Within the Loricariini, four morphological groups were found: the Rineloricaria group, the Loricariichthys group, the Loricaria group, and the Pseudohemiodon group. Results of these analyses were used to construct a practical key to thirty genera, followed by a synopsis for each genus.

Intergeneric phylogenetic relationships in catfishes of the Loricariinae (Siluriformes: Loricariidae), with the description of Fonchiiloricaria nanodon: a new genus and species from Peru

“…Within the latter, they redefined the subtribes Loricariina and Farlowellina (incorrectly named Sturisomina in Covain et al , 2008; corrected in Covain et al , 2010). Covain et al (2008) furthermore demonstrated that the characteristics of the mouth and the caudal fin are autocorrelated with the phylogeny and that they are sufficient to define tribal and subtribal ranks, as well as several of the morphological groups proposed in Covain & Fisch‐Muller (2007).…”

“…Within the Loricariidae, members of the subfamily Loricariinae are united by a long and depressed caudal peduncle and by the absence of an adipose fin, but they exhibit substantial variation in body shape, lip morphology and dentition. There are currently 220 valid species of Loricariinae, distributed in 30 genera (Covain & Fisch‐Muller, 2007; Fichberg & Chamon, 2008; Ghazzi, 2008; Ingenito et al , 2008; Rapp Py‐Daniel & Fichberg, 2008; Rodriguez & Miquelarena, 2008; Rodriguez & Reis, 2008; Rodriguez et al , 2008; Thomas & Rapp Py‐Daniel, 2008; de Carvalho Paixão & Toledo‐Piza, 2009; Thomas & Sabaj Pérez, 2010).…”

High β‐diversity maintains regional diversity in Brazilian tropical coastal stream fish assemblages

“…Its depressed body (dorsal-ventrally flattened) covered by bony plates reduces water resistance (Geerinckx et al 2007), while the mouth structures shaped into a sucker disc allow individuals to adhere to submerged rocks (Covain & Fisch-Muller 2007). The partial redundancy analysis exhibited interesting relations between species occurrence and environmental gradients.…”

A preliminary inventory of the catfishes of the lower Rio Nhamundá, Brazil (Ostariophysi, Siluriformes)

“…Identification to species level follows Isbrücker and Nijssen (1976) and Covain and Fisch-Muller (2007) based on the following characters: lower lip bilobate with median furrow; whip on upper caudal spine absent; abdomen covered with small plates lacking organisation; elliptical area of abdominal plates at level of pelvic girdle absent; rostrum not strongly pronounced; pelvic-fin spine longer than last pelvic-fin branched ray; colouration comprising dark dots (except ventral surface and anal fin); lower lobe of caudal darker than upper; and basicaudal spot present in juveniles.…”