Abstract
Peckoltia cavatica is described as a new species and P. braueri is redescribed. Peckoltia cavatica and P. braueri differ from all other Peckoltia by having distal orange bands on the dorsal and caudal fins when alive and by having the plates and bones of the head and nape outlined in black. Peckoltia cavatica is found in the Essequibo River basin, and P. braueri is found in the Takutu River basin. The species differ in that P. cavatica has weaker dorsal saddles, the plates and bones of the head and nape are completely outlined in black (vs. partially outlined in P. braueri), lacks vermiculate lines on the pterotic-supracleithrum, lacks at least one, broken band in the caudal fin, and has wider orange bands.
Key words: Ancistrini, Hypostominae, Neotropics, South America, suckermouth armored catfishes
Peckoltia braueri & P. cavatica
Range. Collected from two localities around the Macushi village of Massara near Anai in the Rupununi River (Fig. 3). Found in areas with a large number of lateritic rocks. Most specimens were removed from holes in the rocks.
Etymology. From the Latin cavaticus meaning born or living in caves. In reference to the fact that most of the specimens were captured from holes in lateritic rocks, and the fact that it is likely that such holes are where this species breeds.
Armbruster, Jonathan A. and Werneke; David C. 2005. Peckoltia cavatica, a new loricariid catfish from Guyana and a redescription of P. braueri (Eigenmann 1912) (Siluriformes). Zootaxa. 882: 1–14.
