The genera Isorineloricaria and Aphanotorulus (Siluriformes: Loricariidae) with description of a new species
Author
Ray, C. Keith
Author
Armbruster, Jonathan W.
text
Zootaxa
2016
4072
5
501
539
journal article
46839
10.11646/zootaxa.4072.5.1
235dd6cd-8f4e-4d97-abe9-49048dee198a
1175-5326
263020
9C5743A5-6F97-471E-8F60-99A744193FE1
Aphanotorulus phrixosoma
(Fowler 1940)
(
Fig. 13
)
Plecostomus phrixosoma
Fowler, 1940a
: 233
, figs. 21–23.
Type
locality: Ucayali River basin, Contamana,
Peru
.
Holotype
: ANSP 68650.
Material examined.
Holotype
:
ANSP
68650, Ucayali River basin, Contamana,
Peru
.
Diagnosis.
Aphanotorulus phrixosoma
differs from
A. ammophilus
and
A. unicolor
by a single, large buccal papillae (vs. multiple buccal papillae in
A. ammophilus
and
A. unicolor
); from all other
Aphanotorulus
and
Isorineloricaria
by the presence of hypertrophied odontodes covering all lateral and ventral surfaces except the head in breeding males (vs. covering all dorsal and lateral surfaces including the head in
I. spinosissima
and vs.
covering portions of dorsal and lateral surfaces in all other
Isorineloricaria
and
Aphanotorulus
). This species is known only from its
holotype
, which is a breeding male.
Description.
Morphometric data given in
Table 4
. Head moderately deep. Interorbital surface flat; nape of unknown shape due to damage.
FIGURE 13.
Ventral, dorsal, and lateral views of
Aphanotorulus phrixosoma
, ANSP 68650, 109.5mm SL Photographs by K. Luckenbill. Scale = 1 cm.
Pectoral-fin spine reaches past point of insertion on the pelvic fin. Pelvic-fin spine reaches past the point of insertion of the anal fin. Caudal fin highly forked with lower lobe longer than upper lobe.
Lateral line plates 28; dorsal fin base plates seven; folded dorsal plates 12; plates between dorsal and adipose fin seven; adipose fin plates two; anal fin base plates two; plates from anal fin insertion to last plate on caudal peduncle 15; plates in folded pectoral fin six; number of teeth on dentary 21; number of teeth on premaxilla 15.
Sexual Dimorphism.
Although small,
holotype
breeding male. Entire dorsal and lateral surfaces of body covered with hypertrophied odontodes. Dorsal surface of head without hypertrophied odontodes.
Color in alcohol.
Body background color light, almost white. Spots on head small and circular; densely packed. Dorsal-fin membranes with two rows of spots. Few spots visible on body due to hypertrophied odontodes.
Distribution.
Rio Ucayali, near Contamana,
Peru
. Known only from
type
locality (Fig. 10).
Comments.
We hypothesize that this species is a hybrid. This specimen was collected in an area where both
A. horridus
and
A. unicolor
are sympatric. It should be noted that the specimen does not share the multiple buccal papillae or the unicuspid teeth of nuptial
A. unicolor
, yet it is the smallest breeding male (with hypertrophied odontodes) collected of any species of
Aphanotorulus
or
Isorineloricaria
, other than
A. ammophilus
and
A. unicolor
. Given these combinations of characters and the high sampling effort in the drainages around the
type
locality resulting in no more specimens of the species, hybridization is a credible possibility.