[Ichthyology • 2025] Ituglanis jussariensis • New insights into Ituglanis (Siluriformes: Trichomycteridae) Diversity in Bahia State, eastern Brazil: Description of A New Species and conservation status reappraisal

Ituglanis jussariensis

Vilardo, Katz & Costa, 2025

 DOI: doi.org/10.1111/jfb.70246 

 

Abstract

The northeastern Atlantic Forest of Brazil harbours a remarkable diversity of species of Trichomycteridae, many of which remain poorly understood. This study describes a new species of Ituglanis, endemic to the Ribeirão São Roque, a stream tributary of Rio Piabanha, an affluent of Rio Colônia basin, Bahia State, Brazil. The new species is distinguished from its congeners by a combination of the following characters: four pairs of ribs; 35 post-Weberian vertebrae, seven pectoral-fin rays; and a colour pattern consisting of irregular dark brown spots along the flanks and dorsal region. The specimens were encountered during field studies conducted in southern Bahia State aimed at collecting Ituglanis cahyensis and Ituglanis agreste. However, despite extensive efforts, neither of these species was found during surveys, suggesting potential population declines. Additionally, we reassess the conservation status of the species of Ituglanis from Bahia State, proposing status updates for three of the four previously described species based on recent field data and habitat assessments. The discovery of this new species underscores the urgent need for further exploration and collection in poorly sampled areas of the Atlantic Forest. Human activities, including deforestation and habitat degradation, continue to threaten these unique ecosystems. As demonstrated here, the description of new species contributes not only to a better understanding of biodiversity and evolutionary relationships within Ituglanis but also to conservation efforts in one of the most endangered biodiversity hotspots in the world.

Keywords: Atlantic Forest, biodiversity, catfish, conservation status, Neotropics, systematics

Ituglanis jussariensis holotype. UFRJ 14477, 42.0 mm SL, stream tributary to Rio São Roque drainage, Rio Piabanha basin. Left lateral, dorsal and ventral views.

Ituglanis jussariensis sp. n. Vilardo, Katz and Costa.

Etymology: The specific name jussariensis refers to Jussari Municipality where the new species was discovered and collected.

Ituglanis jussariensis live holotype and paratype.
(a) UFRJ 14477, holotype, 42.0 mm SL. (b) UFRJ 13135, paratype, 44.0 mm SL.

(a,b) Rio São Roque drainage, Rio Piabanha basin, Jussari Municipality, Bahia State, Brazil, the type locality of Ituglanis jussariensis.

Paulo J. Vilardo, Axel M. Katz and Wilson J. E. M. Costa. 2025. New insights into Ituglanis (Siluriformes: Trichomycteridae) Diversity in Bahia State, eastern Brazil: Description of A New Species and conservation status reappraisal. Journal of Fish Biology. DOI: doi.org/10.1111/jfb.70246 [05 October 2025]

[Ichthyology • 2022] Parotocinclus pukuixe • A New Species of Parotocinclus (Loricariidae: Hypoptopomatinae) from the rio Pardo basin, Bahia State, Brazil, with comments on the sexually dimorphic traits of the nares and olfactory lamellae

  

Parotocinclus pukuixe

Silva-Junior and Angela M. Zanata. 2022

DOI: 10.1111/jfb.15235

  Researchgate.net/publication/364156336

 

Abstract

A new species of Parotocinclus is described from lower rio Pardo basin, Bahia, Brazil. The new species differs from the majority of its congeners by the presence of a rudimentary or vestigial adipose fin, restricted to one to three small unpaired plates on the typical location of the fin. The new species differs from congeners that lack a well-developed adipose fin, and also from various other congeners, by a series of features including the absence of unicuspid accessory teeth and abdomen completely covered by plates similar in size. Additionally, mature males of the new species possess hypertrophied and a higher number of olfactory lamellae, when compared to similar-sized or even larger females. Hypertrophied and higher number of olfactory lamellae in males is shared with the congeners from the north-eastern Mata Atlântica freshwater ecoregion examined to the feature.

Keywords: Cascudinho, north-eastern Mata Atlântica freshwater ecoregion, sexual dimorphism, Siluriformes, taxonomy

Parotocinclus pukuixe, holotype. MZUSP 126858, 36.4 mm LS, female,
Brazil, Bahia State, Camacan, Fazenda Tupinambá, rio Braço do Sul, tributary of rio Panelão, ..., 200 m a.s.l., 18 Out 2013, A. M. Zanata, T. Ramos, L. Oliveira & T. Duarte

 Parotocinclus pukuixe, new species

Etmology: The specific name derives from the word ‘pukuixê’, from the Pataxohã language used by the native Pataxó Indigenous tribe. The Pataxó tribe historically occupies the south and extreme south coastal areas of Bahia State. Pukuixê means ‘the first’ and is used herein in allusion to the species being the first of the genus having the rio Pardo as its type locality. A noun in apposition.

Dario E. Silva-Junior and Angela M. Zanata. 2022. A New Species of Parotocinclus (Loricariidae: Hypoptopomatinae) from the rio Pardo basin, Bahia State, Brazil, with comments on the sexually dimorphic traits of the nares and olfactory lamellae.  Journal of Fish Biology. 101(6); 1582-1590. DOI: 10.1111/jfb.15235

  Researchgate.net/publication/364156336_A_new_species_of_Parotocinclus_from_the_rio_Pardo_basin_Bahia_State_Brazil

[Ichthyology • 2022] Pareiorhaphis pumila • A New Dwarf Armored Catfish Pareiorhaphis (Loricariidae: Hypoptopomatinae) from the Uruguai River basin, Southern Brazil

 Pareiorhaphis pumila 

Pereira & Reis, 2022

 www.NI.bio.br/1982-0224-2022-0049

 

Abstract​ 

A new, very distinctive species of Pareiorhaphis is described from the rio Uruguai basin, in Rio Grande do Sul State, southern Brazil. Pareiorhaphis pumila, new species, is a small bodied hypoptopomatine catfish with a maximum standard length barely reaching 50 mm. The specimens were captured from rock-bottomed habitats in various localities in the rio Ijuí basin. Despite occurring in rock-bottomed fast-flowing headwater stream tributaries as the other species of Pareiorhaphis, this is the first species collected also in the main channel of the middle stretch of a large tributary to the rio Uruguai. The new species is promptly diagnosed from all its congeners by the reduced number of anal-fin branched rays, possession of well-developed dorsal-fin spinelet, comparatively lower number of plates in median lateral series, and low number of teeth in each dentary. In addition, osteological features related to the caudal skeleton are also useful to distinguish the new species from most congeners.

Keywords: Biodiversity, Cascudo, Neotropical, New species, Taxonomy.

 Pareiorhaphis pumila, holotype, MCP 54782, 48.2 mm SL, male, rio Ijuí below dam of Passo de São José hydropower reservoir, Cerro Largo, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.

Pareiorhaphis pumila, new species

Diagnosis. Pareiorhaphis pumila is promptly distinguished from most species of Pareiorhaphis by the reduced number of anal-fin branched rays two or three (rarely four) (vs. five anal fin-branched rays in most species of Pareiorhaphis, except in P. hypselurus (Pereira & Reis, 2002), P. nudula (Pereira & Reis, 1999), and P. stomias (Pereira & Reis, 2002) with four anal-fin branched rays). The new species is readily distinguished from P. hypselurus, P. nudula, and P. stomias by having a well-developed first dorsal-fin spinelet (vs. first dorsal-fin spinelet absent), and by having the pectoral-fin spine of adult males slightly curved and covered with minute odontodes (vs. pectoral fin-spine distinctly straight and covered with short and thick hypertrophied odontodes in adult males). It is also distinguished from most congeners (except P. bahiana (Gosline, 1947), P. togoroi Oliveira & Oyakawa, 2019, and P. vetula) by having a deep notch between the hypurals 1–2 and hypurals 3–5 in the caudal-fin skeleton, reaching or almost reaching to the middle of the hypural plate (Fig. 2; vs. notch shallow, not reaching close to middle hypural plate). Pareioraphis pumila is distinguished from P. bahianus, P. togoroi, and P. vetula by having cheek hyperthrophied odontodes of males shorter than one eye diameter (vs. cheek hyperthrophied odontodes of males equal to or longer than one eye diameter). Furthermore, the new species can be distinguished from all remaining congeners except P. splendens (Bizerril, 1995), P. eurycephalus (Pereira & Reis, 2002), P. hypselurus, and P. stomias by having a wider cleithral width (37.1–41.1 vs. 24.2–36.4% SL). From those species but P. stomias, the new species can be distinguished by having fewer median lateral plates 21–24 vs. 24–29, and larger orbital diameter (14.9–17.7 vs. 10.0–14.8% HL). From P. stomias the new species is further distinguished by having fewer teeth in each dentary (42–57 vs. 94–120) and a shorter pelvic fin, whose posterior margin falls short of the anal-fin origin when adpressed (vs. posterior margin surpassing the origin or even reaching half-length of the anal-fin when adpressed in adult males).

Geographical distribution. Rio Ijuí and its tributaries in northwestern Rio Grande do Sul State, Brazil (Fig. 3). The rio Ijuí is itself a tributary to the middle portion of the rio Uruguai.

Etymology. The species name Pareiorhaphis pumila is from the Latin pumilus, meaning dwarfish, little, in reference to the small size which is distinctive of this species. An adjective.

 Edson H. L. Pereira and  Roberto E. Reis. 2022. A New Dwarf Armored Catfish Pareiorhaphis (Loricariidae: Hypoptopomatinae) from the Uruguai River basin, Southern Brazil. Neotrop Ichthyol. 20(3); e220049. DOI: 10.1590/1982-0224-2022-0049 www.NI.bio.br/1982-0224-2022-0049