Baryancistrus demantoides and Hemiancistrus subviridis are two new species of loricariids from southern Venezuela with an olive ground coloration and white to cream-colored or golden-yellow spots. Baryancistrus demantoides is known only from the upper río Orinoco drainage while H. subviridis is also known from the río Casiquiare drainage. In addition to its coloration, B. demantoides can be distinguished from all other ancistrins by having the dorsal and adipose fins connected by an expanded posterior section of the dorsal-fin membrane, golden-yellow spots confined to the anterior portion of the body, and greater than 30 teeth per jaw ramus. Hemiancistrus subviridis can be separated from all other ancistrins by coloration, lacking a connection between the dorsal and adipose fins and having less than 30 teeth per jaw ramus.
Key words: Ancistrini, Catfish, Hypostominae, Neotropics, South America
Range. Baryancistrus demantoides is known from the río Orinoco at its confluence with the río Ventuari and the lower río Ventuari upstream into the río Guapuchi (Fig. 3).
Etymology. The specific name refers to a demantoid, a type of garnet that ranges in color from yellowish green to brownish green and it is in reference to the color of the fish. The word comes from the obsolete German word diemant meaning diamond and the Greek suffix -oïdes meaning to resemble.
Werneke, David C.; Sabaj, Mark H.; Lujan, Nathan K.; Armbruster, Jonathan W. 2005. Baryancistrus demantoides and Hemiancistrus subviridis, two new uniquely colored species of catfishes from Venezuela (Siluriformes: Loricariidae). Neotropical Ichthyology. (Sociedade Brasileira de Ictiologia) 3 (4): 533–542.