 |
Spatuloricaria terracanticum
Londoño-Burbano, Urbano-Bonilla, Rojas-Molina, Ramírez-Gil, & Prada-Pedreros, 2018
|
A new species of Spatuloricaria is described from the Orinoco River basin, Colombia. The new species can be distinguished from its congeners by the following characters: a broad, dark brown stripe on the first pre-dorsal plate, which occupies the entire plate, reaching the preopercle, and sometimes reaching the second pre-dorsal plate; the possession of a small group of plates posterior to the urogenital pore; the abdominal surface with scattered, very small plates leaving naked areas; the possession of five transverse dark brown bands on the dorsal region; and four to five premaxillary teeth. The new species is the first valid species of Spatuloricaria distributed in the Orinoco River basin. Ecological notes of the species and comments regarding the taxonomy and phylogenetic relationships of the genus are offered.
 |
| Fig. 2. Spatuloricaria terracanticum, coloration in life; MPUJ 13401, Colombia, Meta, Villavicencio, Guayuriba River, tributary to the upper Meta River, Orinoco basin.
Photograph by A. Ortega-Lara.
|
Spatuloricaria terracanticum, new species
Spatuloricaria sp.—Urbano-Bonilla et al., 2018:74 [listed; included in identification key for Loricariidae genera and species of the Cusiana River, Orinoco River basin].
Etymology.—The specific epithet is from the latin terra [earth] and canticum [song]. It is dedicated to the Llanos work songs (cantos de vaquería). Its origin dates back to the 16th century and has been transferred from generation to generation in the Llanos region of Colombia and Venezuela. Sung a cappella, melodies reflect the feeling and the close relationship of the llanero with their myths, beliefs, nature, climate, and animals. Although these songs have been gradually lost within modern society due to economic, political, and social causes, UNESCO has declared them as intangible cultural heritage of humanity
Alejandro Londoño-Burbano, Alexander Urbano-Bonilla, Yecid Rojas-Molina, Hernando Ramírez-Gil, and Saúl Prada-Pedreros. 2018. A New Species of Spatuloricaria Schultz, 1944 (Siluriformes: Loricariidae), from the Orinoco River Basin, Colombia. Copeia. 106(4); 611-621. DOI: 10.1643/CI-18-087
Una nueva especie de Spatuloricaria, proveniente del río Orinoco, Colombia, es descrita. La nueva especie se distingue de sus congéneres por los siguientes caracteres: una banda transversal ancha en la primera placa predorsal, la cual ocupa toda la placa y el preopérculo, alcanzado algunas veces la segunda placa predorsal; un grupo de pequeñas placas posterior al poro urogenital; abdomen cubierto por placas pequeñas y dispersas, las cuales dejan áreas desnudas; presencia de cinco bandas transversales marrón oscuro en la región dorsal; y cuatro a cinco dientes en el premaxilar. La nueva especie es la primera especie válida de Spatuloricaria distribuida en la cuenca del río Orinoco. Se presentan notas ecológicas de la especie, y comentarios con relación a la taxonomía y relaciones filogenéticas del género.
