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| Leptorhamdia kamilai Silva, Reia, Souza, Ywamoto & Oliveira, 2026 |
Abstract
Brachyglaniini is a recently described tribe of Heptapterinae, composed of four genera: Brachyglanis, Gladioglanis, Leptorhamdia, and Myoglanis. Expeditions to the Aripuanã and Tapajós River basins revealed an undescribed species of Brachyglaniini, characterized by a conspicuous light-colored band posterior to the head. Our phylogenetic results provide strong evidence that this new Brachyglaniini species belongs to the genus Leptorhamdia and is closely related to L. marmorata and L. aspredinoides. In addition to the color pattern, the new species can be distinguished from its congeners by having 19-22 anal-fin rays and 47 vertebrae.
Keywords: Brazilian shield; Catfish; Integrative taxonomy; Systematics
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| Leptorhamdia kamilai Left column: holotype, DZSJRP 16293, 92.4 mm SL. Right column: paratypes, LBP 30639, from top to bottom: 66.3 mm SL; 47.8 mm SL; 31.4 mm SL. |
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| Live specimens of Leptorhamdia kamilai, paratype, LBP 30639, 66.3 mm SL. Photographed by Eric V. Ywamoto. Habitat: rio dos Patos, tributary of the upper Arinos River in Tapajós River basin. |
Leptorhamdia kamilai, new species
Diagnosis. Leptorhamdia kamilai can be readily distinguished among its congeners by having a conspicuous light collar-band, yellowish in live specimens, posterior to the head (vs. coloration uniformly throughout body and head, lacking any distinctive bar). Additionally, L. kamilai differs from its congeners by having 19-22 anal-fin rays (vs. 17 in L. essequibensis; 15 in L. marmorata; 32-35 in L. aspredinoides; 12 in L. nocturna, 15-16 in L. schultzi) and by having 46-47 vertebrae (vs. 45 in L. essequibensis; 43 in L.marmorata; 38 in L. nocturna; 56-57 vertebrae in L. aspredinoides and 43 vertebrae in L. schultzi).
Etymology. The specific name, kamilai, honors our dear friend Dr. Kamila Mayumi Duarte Kuabara, an entomologist and lab manager of the Ornithology Department at The Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University. A noun in a genitive case.
Gabriel de S. C. Silva, Lais Reia, Camila S. Souza, Eric V. Ywamoto and Claudio Oliveira. 2026. Phylogenetic Placement and Description of A New Species of Leptorhamdia (Siluriformes: Heptapteridae) from the Amazon Basin. Neotrop. ichthyol. 24 (01); DOI: doi.org/10.1590/1982-0224-2025-0037