Hypostomus melanephelis, a new armored catfish species from the rio Tapajós basin, Brazil (Teleostei: Loricariidae)

Abstract

Hypostomus melanephelis, new species, is described from the rio Tapajós basin, Pará State, Brazil. It is distinguished from all congeners by having conspicuous, roundish and tiny set of dark spots, abdominal region mostly naked, a depressed head, keels along dorsal, mid-dorsal and median lateral series of plates, and a caudal fin usually without spots. It is only known from the type-locality at the rio Tapajós, just downstream of the mouth of the rio Jamanxim.

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© 2015 by Verlag Dr. Friedrich Pfeil, München, Germany – ISSN 0936-9902
Hypostomus melanephelis,
a new armored catfish species
from the rio Tapajós basin, Brazil
(Teleostei: Loricariidae)
Cláudio H. Zawadzki*, Andreza S. Oliveira**, Renildo R. de Oliveira**
and Lúcia Rapp Py-Daniel***
Hypostomus melanephelis, new species, is described from the rio Tapajós basin, Pará State, Brazil. It is distinguished
from all congeners by having conspicuous, roundish and tiny set of dark spots, abdominal region mostly naked,
a depressed head, keels along dorsal, mid-dorsal and median lateral series of plates, and a caudal fin usually
without spots. It is only known from the type-locality at the rio Tapajós, just downstream of the mouth of the rio
Jamanxim.
Hypostomus melanephelis, nova espécie, é descrita do rio Tapajós, estado do Pará, Brasil. A nova espécie é diag-
nosticada de suas congêneres por apresentar pintas escuras diminutas, evidentes e arredondadas, região abdo-
minal amplamente nua, cabeça deprimida, quilhas ao longo das séries de placas dorsal, médio dorsal e lateral, e
nadadeira caudal usualmente sem pintas. A nova espécie somente é conhecida de sua localidade tipo, o rio Ta-
pajós, logo abaixo da foz do rio Jamanxim.
* Universidade Estadual de Maringá. Departamento de Biologia. Núcleo de Pesquisas em Limnologia, Ictiolo-
gia e Aquicultura (Nupélia), Av. Colombo 5790, G-90, S. 18B, 87020-900, Maringá, Paraná State, Brazil. E-mail:
chzawadzki@hotmail.com (corresponding author)
** Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia. Coordenação de Biodiversidade (Cbio). Programa de Pós-Gra-
duação em Biologia de Água Doce e Pesca Interior. Av. André Araújo, 2936, Petrópolis, CP 2226, 69067-375,
Manaus, Amazonas State, Brazil. E-mail: andreza.santoli@gmail.com (ASO), deoliveirarr@gmail.com (RRO)
*** Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia. Programa de Coleções e Acervos Científicos (PCAC), Coleção
de Peixes, Av. André Araújo, 2936, Petrópolis, CP 2226, 69067-375, Manaus, Amazonas State, Brazil. E-mail:
lucia.rapp@gmail.com
Introduction
The loricariid armored catfishes include more
than 800 valid species divided in seven subfami-
lies: Delturinae, Hypoptopomatinae, Hypostom-
inae, Lithogeneinae, Loricariinae, Neopleco-
stominae and Othothyrinae (Reis et al., 2006;
Chiachio et al., 2008). Within the Hypostominae,
the genus Hypostomus contains about 135 species
(Zawadzki et al., 2014; Tencatt et al., 2014) and it
is present in most cis-andean river systems in the
Neotropical region (Montoya-Burgos, 2003).

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Copyright © Verlag Dr. Friedrich Pfeil
Zawadzki et al.: Hypostomus melanephelis
At least two monophyletic species-groups are
recognized within the genus: Hypostomus cochli-
odon group (Hollanda Carvalho et al., 2010) and
Hypostomus emarginatus group (Weber, 2003;
Ferraris, 2007). The three synapomorphies recog-
nized for the H. cochliodon group are the loss of a
notch between the metapterygoid and hyoma-
dibula, a strongly angled dentaries and the spoon-
shaped teeth, although the last character is not
present in all members of the group (Armbruster,
2003). The position of the H. emarginatus group
whether within Hypostomus or as Squaliforma
emarginata group, as a closely related genus to
Hypostomus, is still under investigation (Montoya-
Burgos, 2003; Weber, 2003; Armbruster, 2004;
Ferraris, 2007). The ‘Squaliforma group’ is usually
recognized to comprise species with a single
hypertrophied medial buccal papillae; elongate
body (dorsal fin distant from adipose fin) with
flat ventral region of caudal peduncle; and by the
color pattern of round and dark spots over a
creamy-colored background.
The main ramus or the standard Hypostomus,
in spite of the absence of unequivocal synapo-
morphies are usually easily identified among the
hypostomines based on a combination of external
characters such as the odontodes on the pre-
opercular region usually similar in length to those
on the remaining portions of the head, pre-
opercular region with limited mobility and not
evidently erectile, the ellipsoid compressed cau-
dal peduncle, the usually emarginate caudal fin,
the usual presence of an adipose fin, and the
dorsal fin usually bearing seven branched rays,
as well as a more developed lower hypurals.
Several species of Hypostomus have been described
in the last decade following these criteria (e. g.,
Armbruster & de Souza, 2005; Zawadzki et al.,
2012; Martins et al., 2012, among others).
Recent visits to different fish collections re-
sulted in the recognition of a peculiar new dark
spotted species of Hypostomus from the rio Tapa-
jós basin. In the present paper we describe this
new species and discuss about its relationship to
similarly colored Hypostominae species.
Material and methods
Meristic and morphometric data were obtained
point-to-point with a 0.1 mm digital caliper ac-
cording to procedures of Boeseman (1968) with
additions of Weber (1985) and Zawadzki et al.
(2008). Bone and plate terminology follow Schae-
fer (1997) with modifications of Oyakawa et al.
(2005). Vertebrae counts include five vertebrae of
the Weberian apparatus and the ural complex
was counted as one single structure. Specimens
were cleared and stained (c&s) according to Tay-
lor & Van Dyke (1985).
Standard length (SL) is expressed in millime-
ters and all other measurements are expressed as
percentages of the standard length or head length
(HL), unless otherwise noted. Institutional ab-
breviations are: AMNH, American Museum of
Natural History, New York; AUM, Auburn
University Natural History Museum, Auburn;
BMNH, Natural History Museum, London; CAS,
California Academy of Sciences, San Francisco;
FMNH, Field Museum of Natural History, Chi-
cago; INPA, Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da
Amazônia, Manaus; LBP, Laboratório de Biologia
e Genética de Peixes, Universidade Estadual
Paulista, Botucatu; MCP, Museu de Ciências e
Tecnologia, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do
Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre; MCZ, Museum
of Comparative Zoology, Cambridge, Massachu-
setts; MNHN, Muséum National d’Histoire
Naturelle, Paris; MNRJ, Museu Nacional, Uni-
versidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Ja-
neiro; MZUSP, Museu de Zoologia, Universidade
de São Paulo, São Paulo; NUP, Coleção Ictio lógica
do Núcleo de Pesquisas em Limnologia, Ictiologia
e Aquicultura, Universidade Estadual de Maringá,
Maringá; ZMA, Zoologisches Museum, Univer-
siteit van Amsterdam, now in RMNH, Naturalis
– National Natuurhistorisch Museum, Leiden.
Hypostomus melanephelis, new species
(Figs. 1-3)
Holotype. INPA 7039, 178.1 mm SL; Brazil: Pará
State: Itaituba Municipality, Pimental village, rio
Amazonas basin: rio Tapajós, just downstream of
mouth of rio Jamanxim; 4°33'41" S 56°15'50" W; L.
Rapp Py-Daniel & J. Zuanon, 22 Oct 1991.
Paratypes. All from Brazil. 59 specimens exam-
ined. Pará State, rio Amazonas basin: INPA 37619,
13, 65.5-173.1 mm SL (2 c&s, 65.5-90.2 mm SL);
NUP 14130, 2, 154.5-166.3 mm SL; collected with
holotype. – LBP 12879, 2, 168.9-194.7 mm SL;
Itaituba Municipality, rio Tapajós; 4°33'09" S
56°17'59" W; R. Britzke, 24 Sep 2011. – INPA 6967,
36, 29.1-142.7 mm SL (2 c&s, 64.1-78.2 mm SL);

Ichthyol. Explor. Freshwaters, Vol. 26, No. 1
51
Copyright © Verlag Dr. Friedrich Pfeil
Itaituba Municipality, Pimental Village, rio Tapa-
jós, just downstream mouth of rio Jamanxim; 4°33'
41" S 56°15'50" W; L. Rapp Py-Daniel & J. Zuanon,
23 Oct 1991. – INPA 43736, 2, 97.6-124.7 mm SL;
Itaituba Municipality, Pimental Village, rio Tapa-
jós; 4°34'25" S 56°17'33" W; E. Ribeiro & V. Macha-
do, 27 Nov 2012. – MZUSP 24300, 1, 120.0 mm
SL; São Luiz Municipality, rio Tapajós, Maranhão-
zinho waterfall, N. Menezes, H. Britski and cols.,
6-7 Nov 1970. – MZUSP 25314, 2, 160.6-194.8 mm
SL; rio Tapajós basin, islands at right margin close
to a curve, below Porto Flexal, Parna Municipal-
ity; J. C. Oliveira, 15-31 Jul 1979. – MZUSP 92820,
1, 114.5 mm SL; rio Tapajós, waterfall close to Vila
Pimental, Itaituba Municipality; 4°32'25" S 56°15'
15" W; L. M. Souza & J. L. O. Birindelli, 10 Nov 2006.
Fig. 1. Hypostomus melanephelis, INPA 7039, holotype, 178.1 mm SL; Brazil: Pará State: Itaituba, rio Tapajós basin.

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Copyright © Verlag Dr. Friedrich Pfeil
Diagnosis. Hypostomus melanephelis is distin-
guished from the congeners, except H. interruptus,
H. paucimaculatus, H. micropunctatus, H. nigropunc-
tatus, and H. rhantos, by having conspicuous dark,
roundish and tiny (smaller than eye pupil) set of
dark spots on trunk (vs. medium to large pale or
dark spots [larger than eye pupil], or transver-
sally elongated dark spots). Hypostomus melaneph-
elis is distinguished from H. interruptus, H. pauci-
maculatus, H. micropunctatus, H. nigropunctatus,
and H. rhantos by the naked to partially plated
abdomen (vs. abdomen completely covered by
platelets). It is further diagnosed from H. inter-
ruptus by a larger mandibular ramus, 18-22 %
HL (vs. 11.6-17.5 % HL; data from Oyakawa et
al. [2005]); from H. paucimaculatus by having vil-
liform bicuspid non spoon-shaped teeth with the
lateral cusps not fused to the mesial tooth (vs.
massive spoon-shaped teeth with lateral cusps
usually fused to the mesial tooth); from H. micro-
maculatus by having usually one row of spots on
each interradial membrane of dorsal fin (vs. 4-5)
Table 1. Morphometric and meristic data of Hypostomus melanephelis. N = 20 specimens. SD, Standard deviation.
holotype range mean SD
Standard length (mm) 178
91-178
Percents of standard length
Predorsal length 37
36-40
38.3 1.0
Head length 30
30-34
31.9 1.1
Cleithral width 31
30-33
31.2 0.8
Head depth 17
16-18
17.1 0.6
Interdorsal distance 15
12-16
14.2 1.2
Caudal peduncle length 32
29-33
31.0 1.0
Caudal peduncle depth 11
9-11
10.0 0.4
Dorsal spine length 30
28-34
30.8 1.7
Thoracic length 22
20-25
22.9 1.2
Percents of head length
Cleithral width 102
95-104
97.9 2.4
Head depth 55
49-56
53.5 1.9
Snout length 65
61-67
64.5 1.6
Orbital diameter 17
16-20
17.8 1.1
Interobital width 36
30-36
33.7 1.6
Dorsal-fin base length 96
81-96
89.0 4.5
Mandibular width 21
18-22
19.4 1.1
Others
Orbital diameter in % of snout length 25
25-32
27.6 2.2
Orbital diameter in % of interorbital length 46
46-59
52.9 3.4
Mandibular length in % of interobital length 61
50-66
57.7 3.9
First dorsal-fin length in % of predorsal length 80
73-89
80.7 3.9
First pectoral-fin length in % of predorsal length 92
77-93
83.4 4.5
Lower caudal-fin length in % of predorsal length 89
83-120
101.0 10.3
Adipose-fin length in % of caudal peduncle depth 75
64-95
83.6 7.2
Caudal peduncle depth in % of caudal peduncle length 33
29-36
32.2 2.0
Mandibulary width in % of cleithral width 21
18-22
19.8 1.0
Interdorsal length in % of dorsal-fin base 51
43-59
50.3 4.7
Lower lip length in % of lower lip width 29
24-35
29.6 3.7
Counts
Median plates series 25
25-26
25
Predorsal plates 3
3-3
3
Dorsal plates below dorsal fin bases 7
7-8
7
Plates between dorsal and adipose fins 7 6–7 7
Plates between adipose and caudal fins 2 2 2
Plates between anal and caudal fins 11
10-11
11
Premaxillary teeth 69
31-71
49
Dentary teeth 69
31-71
51
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Ichthyol. Explor. Freshwaters, Vol. 26, No. 1
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Copyright © Verlag Dr. Friedrich Pfeil
and by having spots less numerous and moder-
ately distant from each other on flanks (vs.
densely settled spots); from H. nigropunctatus by
having just one plate posteriorly bordering su-
praoccipital (vs. three); and from H. rhantos by
having a more depressed head 49-56 % SL (vs. a
more deeper head 64.3-83.2 % HL; data from
Armbruster et al. [2007]).
Description. Morphometric and meristic data
presented in Table 1. Head broad and consider-
ably depressed. Body width in cleithral region
significantly greater than head depth and ap-
proximately equal to head length. Snout and
anterior profile of head in dorsal view rounded
in smaller specimens to somewhat square-shaped
in larger individuals. Snout rising at approxi-
mately 45° from horizontal in lateral profile.
Dorsal profile slightly convex and sloped upward
from snout tip to interorbital region, straight to
slightly convex from that point to dorsal-fin ori-
gin; sloped downward from dorsal-fin origin to
region just anterior of dorsal procurrent caudal-fin
rays, then elevating again to caudal-fin insertion.
Caudal peduncle somewhat octagonal in cross-
section, dorsally and ventrally flattened. Eye of
moderate size, dorsolaterally positioned. Interor-
bital space slightly concave; orbit barely raised.
Mesethmoid forming inconspicuous median
bulge on snout. Pair of ridges on dorsal surface
of head, from lateral margin of nares to anterodor-
sal margin of eyes, and from that through supe-
rior portion of pterotic-supracleithrum. Cheek
plates usually with slightly developed odontodes.
Supraoccipital generally flat; with moderate
posterior process, bordered by large single plate.
Dorsal and lateral surfaces of head and body
covered with dermal plates, except for small
naked patch on tip of snout and at dorsal-fin base.
Predorsal region with paired, poorly developed
ridges. Body lateral surface with five longitudinal
series of plates. Dorsal series of plates dorsally
flattened from posterior end of dorsal-fin base to
procurrent caudal-fin rays. Mid-dorsal series with
slightly developed longitudinal rows of odon-
todes on median portion of each plate. Median
row of odontodes slightly upwardly oriented from
third to fifth plate. Median series without rows
of odontodes and sequentially bearing lateral-line
pores. Lateral line complete. Mid-ventral series
with first five plates bent, without rows of odon-
todes to caudal peduncle. Ventral series gently
bent, flattened, without rows of odontodes.
Mouth moderately wide. Median buccal pa-
pilla moderately developed. Lips moderate to
large. Outer edge of upper lip with odontodes.
Lower lip almost reaching gill openings line.
Lower lip inner surface covered with numerous
small papillae, larger proximal to dentary. Max-
illary barbel moderate in size, just shorter than
orbital diameter. Teeth slender, with elongated
main cusp and smaller than lateral cusp. Inter-
mandibular tooth row angle approximately 150°.
Lower surface of head naked in smaller
specimens, with small to moderate patches of
platelets immediately anterior to gill openings in
larger specimens. Abdomen largely naked. Scap-
ular bridge usually naked up to 90.0 mm SL.
Larger specimens with platelets progressively
appearing on scapular bridge on different areas
on abdomen. Abdomen coverture progressing
anteriorly from scapular bridge towards branchi-
al opening and posteriorly along sides of abdomen
towards pelvic fin insertion (Fig. 2).
Dorsal fin II,7; moderate in size; its distal
border slightly convex; when adpressed reaching
azygous plate of adipose fin in smaller specimens
or just about on larger specimens; spine flexible.
Adipose-fin spine inflexible and well developed,
slightly curved and backwardly oriented, with
distal tip usually ending two plates away from
first dorsal procurrent caudal-fin ray. Pectoral fin
I,6 and arrow-shaped, with distal rays much
longer than proximal ones; its distal border
straight; pectoral-fin spine inflexible, slightly
curved with rounded tip, and usually with dis-
tally moderately developed odontodes, specially
in larger specimens; when adpressed reaching to
approximately middle of pelvic-fin spine. Pelvic
fin i,5 with similar-sized rays; its distal border
straight to slightly convex; pelvic-fin spine flex-
ible, curved inward; when adpressed just reach-
ing anal-fin insertion. Anal fin i,4; when ad-
pressed, distal tip of posterior rays reaching fourth
or fifth plate posterior to its origin. Caudal fin
i,7+7+i; emarginate. Total vertebrae 29 (in 4 c&s
specimens).
Color in alcohol. Ground color of dorsal surface
of head and body light brown. Head, dorsum and
flanks covered with numerous small, dark, sharp
and round spots (Figs. 1, 3). Spots of similar size
(smaller than nare diameter) on head, trunk and
fins; on head, more numerous and densely orga-
nized; well spaced on trunk and fins. Dorsal fin
with few spots disposed in a single line along

54
Copyright © Verlag Dr. Friedrich Pfeil
Fig. 2. Hypostomus melanephelis, head and anterior portion of body in ventral view, showing variation of platelets
arrangement and abdominal color pattern; a, INPA 6967, 90.7 mm SL; b, INPA 6967, 119.6 mm SL; and c, INPA
37619, 173.1 mm SL.
Fig. 3. Hypostomus melanephelis; variation of colour pattern with increasing size; a, INPA 37619, 173.1 mm SL;
b, INPA 6967, 119.6 mm SL; and c, INPA 6967, 90.7 mm SL.
a
a
b
c
b c
Zawadzki et al.: Hypostomus melanephelis

Ichthyol. Explor. Freshwaters, Vol. 26, No. 1
55
Copyright © Verlag Dr. Friedrich Pfeil
each inter-radial; spots absent on rays. Addition-
ally, in some specimens, spots on dorsal fin may
be concentrated on proximal region. Dorsal,
pectoral and pelvic fins with spots similar to
overall body pattern. Pectoral spine with spots
on its dorsal surface. Adipose and anal fins usu-
ally without spots. Caudal fin usually with few
dark spots in specimens up to 100.0 mm SL;
larger specimens usually devoid of spots (Fig. 3).
Presence of a broad longitudinal dark brown band
on inferior lobe of caudal fin running parallel to
outermost two or three branched rays, not easily
seen in specimens up to 150.0 mm SL. In some
specimens up to 120.0 mm SL lower lobe of cau-
dal fin slightly darker than upper lobe. Ventral
region of body and fins without spots (Fig. 2).
Most specimens with five faded oblique dark bars
on dorsum (called “stress coloration”; see picture
in Glaser & Glaser, 1995: 63), first bar on poste-
rior portion of head, originating at middle of
orbit, second bar at first dorsal-fin branched rays,
third bar at last dorsal-fin branched ray, fourth
bar at anterior region of adipose-fin and fifth at
procurrent caudal-fin rays.
Color in life. Similar coloration as in preserved
specimens, just more yellowish brown colored.
Etymology. The specific epithet, melanephelis,
from the greek melanos meaning dark or black,
and ephelis, meaning freckle, in allusion to the
color pattern formed by tiny dark dots along the
head and body. A noun in apposition.
Distribution and habitat. Hypostomus melane-
phelis is only known from the rio Tapajós basin,
near Itaituba city, Pará State, Brazil (Fig. 4). The
collecting area included different sections of run-
ning waters on large extensions of rocky substrate.
Discussion
Although there are several species of Hypostomus
with dark spots over a clearer background, the
color pattern of H. melanephelis is the most con-
spicuous feature considering that only few species
indeed have tiny dark spots (Armbruster et al.,
2007). The size of the spots in the new species is
Fig. 4. Amazon basin, showing rio Tapajós drainage with collecting site of Hypostomus melanephelis. Red circle
represents more than one locality.
0°
-4°
-64° -60° -56° -52°
-64° -60° -56° -52°
-8°
0°
-
4°
-
8°

56
Copyright © Verlag Dr. Friedrich Pfeil
smaller than eye pupil and it is usually even
smaller than the diameter of the nares, roundish,
and usually highly pigmented (even on rela-
tively old preserved specimens). The Hyposto-
minae sharing dark spots against a clearer back-
ground usually have the spots small, more con-
spicuous and more densely set on the anterior
region of the body, with spots becoming gradu-
ally larger (similar in length to eye diameter or
even larger) irregular in shape, less conspicuous
(less pigmented), and more distant to each other
towards caudal fin. However in H. melanelephis
the size of the spots is almost constant throughout
the body.
Aphanotorulus unicolor, Hypostomus interruptus,
H. paucipunctatus, H. micromacutlaus, H. nigropunc-
tatus and H. rhantos, share with H. melanelephis
the colour pattern of tiny roundish dark spots.
Aphanotorulus is clearly diagnosed from Hyposto-
mus mainly by several hypertrophied papillae in
the buccal cavity versus usually a single hyper-
trophied median buccal papilla or papilla absent.
Hypostomus rhantos was described by Armbruster
et al. (2007) from upper rio Orinoco basin. This
species is also characterized by small dark spots,
however its spots are even smaller and much
more numerous, with four to five rows of tiny
dark spots on each interradial membrane of dor-
sal fin (vs. one row in H. melanephelis). Besides,
different from H. melanephelis, H. rhantos belongs
to the array of species of Hypostomus with short,
deep body and viliform teeth (H. plecostomus
group). For instance, both H. plecostomus (head
depth 54.7-72.8 % in HL) and H. rhantos (head
depth 64.3-83.2 % in HL, data from Armbruster
et al., 2007) have deeper head and trunk than
H. melanephelis (49.4-56.0 %).
Hypostomus nigropunctatus is another species
with a similar color pattern of tiny dark spots
over a clearer background. This species, how-
ever, is described from the rio Iguaçu and belongs
to a group of Hypostomus with compressed and
moderately elongated body. Hypostomus nigro-
punctatus has a completely plated abdomen, a
narrower cleithral width (85.9-92.2 % HL; data
from Garavello et al., 2012) and eyes almost later-
ally placed, while H. melanephelis (cleithral width
95-104 % HL) has eyes dorsally placed.
Considering external morphology, the most
similar species to H. melanephelis is H. kuarup
Zawadzki, Birindelli & Lima, 2012 from the rio
Culuene, rio Xingu basin. They share the dark
spotted pattern, the wide and depressed body
shape with deep caudal peduncle, usually large
mandibles, and naked to partially plated abdo-
men. However, H. melanephelis has moderate keels
along the lateral series of plates, whereas in
H. kuarup the keels are just slightly developed. In
H. kuarup the enlarged odontodes of the lateral
series of plates are positioned at posteriormost
border of each plate. In H. melanephelis the en-
larged odontodes are longitudinally aligned along
each lateral series of plates.
Hypostomus rondoni (Miranda Ribeiro, 1912)
was described from the rio São Miguel in the rio
Tapajós basin, but it is only known from the ju-
venile holotype (MNRJ 741, 64.6 mm SL). Hypo-
stomus rondoni needs a thorough redescription to
clarify its taxonomic status. However, H. mela-
nephelis has a more depressed body than the
holotype of H. rondoni (head depth 15.7-18.3 %
SL vs. 28.0 %) and a much narrower mandible
(mandibular width 18-22 % HL vs. 15 %).
With Hypostomus melanephelis, the rio Tapajós
has two apparently endemic species of Hyposto-
mus. So far, H. melanephelis has a quite restricted
distribution in a drainage with several hydro-
power electric projects planned or in the verge of
being installed. This raises concerns about the
future of the species.
Material examined. All from Brazil, except where
noted. Aphanotorulus unicolor: rio Amazonas basin.
Rondônia State. NUP 9516, 5, 43.4-98.9 mm SL; NUP
9519, 1, 55.8 mm SL; rio Madeira basin.
Hypostomus agna: MZUSP 99657, 2, 192.7-202.1 mm
SL; MZUSP 99667, 1, 168.3 mm SL; rio Ribeira de Ig-
uape basin.
H. bolivianus: CAS 77347, holotype, 145.0 mm SL;
CAS 213883, 5 paratypes, 21.9-127.5 mm SL; Bolivia:
río Beni basin. – ZMA 119.563, 1, 173.5 mm SL; Bolivia:
rio Mamoré basin.
H. carinatus: INPA 1198, 1, 176.7 mm SL; INPA
2535, 1, 182.6 mm SL; INPA 2541, 1, 191.9 mm SL; INPA
6487, 1, 237.1 mm SL; rio Amazonas basin. – INPA 32944,
1, 240.0 mm SL; INPA 32948, 1, 213.8 mm SL; rio Soli-
mões basin.
H. commersoni: MNHN A.9444, holotype, 425.0 mm
SL; Uruguay: Montevideo Department: río de la Plata
basin.
H. corantijini: RMNH 25471, holotype, 175.8 mm
SL; RMNH 25471, 2 paratypes, 133.0-146.4 mm SL;
Suriname: Sipaliwini River.
H. denticulatus: MZUSP 98770, holotype, 161.9 mm
SL; NUP 4306, 2, 144.3-158.5 mm SL: rio Paranaíba basin.
H. gymnorhynchus: BMNH 1926.3.2.74-5, holotype,
139.0 mm SL; French Guyana: Approuague River basin.
H. hemiurus: BMNH1911.10.31.113, 1 paratype,
122.0 mm SL; FMNH 53110, holotype, 141.7 mm SL;
Zawadzki et al.: Hypostomus melanephelis

Ichthyol. Explor. Freshwaters, Vol. 26, No. 1
57
Copyright © Verlag Dr. Friedrich Pfeil
FMNH 53111, 1 paratype, 106.0 mm SL; Guyana: Po-
taro River.
H. hoplonites: INPA 103, 1 paratype, 136.5 mm SL;
INPA109, holotype, 271.1 mm SL; INPA 490, 5, 244.0-
287.1 mm SL; rio Solimões basin. – INPA 494, 1,
146.7 mm SL; rio Amazonas basin.
H. interruptus: MZUSP 2110, holotype, 119.5 mm
SL; MZUSP 68172, 2, 166.0-202.8 mm SL; NUP 5865, 1,
104.5 mm SL; rio Ribeira de Iguape basin.
H. isbrueckeri: NUP 4356, 3, 102.5-156.9 mm SL;
NUP 15317, 1, 125.1 mm SL; NUP 12813, 3, 88.6-
161.6 mm SL; rio Uruguai basin.
H. johnii: MCZ 7831, 1 syntype, 94.0 mm SL; NUP
12790, 1, 91.24 mm SL; rio Poti, rio Parnaíba basin. –
MCZ 7864, 2 syntypes, 93.1-95.5 mm SL; rio Preto, rio
São Francisco basin. – NUP 12789, 1, 139.7 mm SL; ria-
cho Quilombo, rio Parnaíba basin.
H. kuarup: NUP 9144, 7, 143.9-105.1 mm SL; NUP
9145, 5, 148.8-126.8 mm SL; NUP 9146, 10, 152.6-98.0 mm
SL; NUP 9200, 17, 117.6-32.9 mm SL; rio Xingu basin.
H. latirostris: BMNH 1892.4.20.26-27, 2 syntypes,
137.2-159.3 mm SL; NUP 11014, 4, 113.3-153.3 mm SL;
NUP 12203, 1, 113 mm SL; rio Paraguai basin.
H. luetkeni: NUP 6792, 2, 225.0-280.0 mm SL; NUP
9673, 1, 220.0 mm SL; NUP 9674, 1, 184.5 mm SL; rio
Paraíba do Sul basin.
H. micromaculatus: RMNH 25483, 1 paratype,
171.0 mm SL; Suriname: Suriname river. – RMNH 25938,
1 paratype, 166.0 mm SL; Suriname: Suriname river basin.
H. multidens: NUP 5340, 1 paratype, 157.0 mm SL;
NUP 5340, 1, 157.0 mm SL; NUP 6776, 1, 167.0 mm SL;
upper rio Paraná basin.
H. mutucae: MCP 28669, holotype, 67.7 mm SL;
MZUSP 27694, 2, 75.0-79.4 mm SL; NUP 6641, 13, 52.4-
109.2 mm SL; NUP 6642, 4, 62.1-98.1 mm SL, rio Para-
guai basin.
H. nigropunctatus: MZUSP 106072, holotype, 184.4 mm
SL; NUP 5081, 1 paratype, 84.3 mm SL; NUP 5082, 1
paratype, 171.4 mm SL; NUP 5083, 1 paratype, 208.4 mm
SL; NUP 5084, 2 paratypes, 224.0-230.0 mm SL; NUP
5085, 1 paratype, 200.5 mm SL; NUP 7519, 1 paratype,
224.0 mm SL; rio Iguaçu basin.
H. paucimaculatus: MZUSP 82271, holotype, 177.1 mm
SL; MZUSP 34259, 11 paratypes, 147.5-188.0 mm SL;
rio Itacaiúnas.
H. plecostomus: MCZ 8025, 1, 169.0 mm SL; Suri-
name: exact locality unknown. – RMNH 3102, lectotype
(designated by Boeseman, 1968), 221.3 mm SL; Suri-
name: Suriname river. – ZMA 105.023, 2, 100.5-110.3 mm
SL; Suriname: Mama creek, Brokopondo.
H. rhantos: AUM 42100, 4 of 8 paratypes, 161.5-
176.8 mm SL; MCZ 68123, 1, 35.0 mm SL; Venezuela:
rio Orinoco basin. – LBP 2185, 1, 80.2 mm SL; Venezu-
ela: rio Cataniapo.
H. rondoni: MNRJ 741, holotype, 64.6 mm SL; rio
Tapajós basin.
H. saramaccensis: RMNH 25488, holotype, 124.4 mm
SL; RMNH 25488, 2 paratypes, 87.0-104.6 mm SL; Su-
riname: Saramacca River.
H. strigaticeps: BMNH 1907.7.6.1012, 3 syntypes,
75.7-160.0 mm SL; NUP 4017, 2, 72.8-100.0 mm SL; NUP
4538, 11, 82.0-140 mm SL; rio Tietê basin.
H. surinamensis: RMNH 25491, paratype, 148.2 mm
SL; RMNH 25493, paratype, 149.0 mm SL; RMNH 25497,
holotype, 150.0 mm SL; Suriname: Suriname River.
H. watwata: MNHN A.8919, paralectotype of H. ver-
res Valenciennes, 1940, 194.5 mm SL; MNHN A.9570,
paralectotype of H. verres, Valenciennes, 1840, 93.7 mm
SL; French Guyana: Cayenne River – BMNH 1932.11.10.
31, neotype (designated by Boeseman, 1968), 261.2 mm
SL; Guyana: Berbice River.
Squaliforma emarginata: MNHN A.9447, holotype,
410.0 mm SL; rio Purus basin. – MZUSP 104915, 3,
116.9-159.8 mm SL; Seringal Santo Antônio, Manoel
Urbano. – MZUSP 15310, 1, 143.6 mm SL; Peru: rio
Ucayali basin.
Acknowledgments
We are grateful to David de Santana for comments and
suggestions on the manuscript. Jansen Zuanon (INPA)
for help in the field. Scott Schaefer (AMNH), Jonathan
Armbruster (AUM), Patrick Campbell (BMNH), David
Catania (CAS), Tomio Iwamoto (CAS), Mary Anne
Rogers (FMNH), Kevin Swagel (FMNH), Claudio Ol-
iveira (LBP), Fábio Roxo (LBP), Carlos Lucena (MCP),
Margarete S. Lucena (MCP), Karsten Hartel (MCZ),
Patrice Pruvost (MNHN), Paulo Buckup (MNRJ), Mar-
celo Britto (MNRJ), Osvaldo Oyakawa (MZUSP), Ron-
ald Vonk (RMNH) and Ronald de Ruiter (RMNH) for
the loan of comparative material and hosting museum
visits, Weferson Graça for meristic and morphometric
data of the syntypes of Hypostomus plecostomus. Nupélia
and INPA provided logistical support. Visit to museum
collections by CHZ were funded by the All Catfish
Species Inventory (DEB-0315963). CHZ was funded by
CNPq (310733/2013-8); LRP benefited from CNPq fi-
nancial support through processes n. 562215/2010-7
and 474236/2004-8.
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Copyright © Verlag Dr. Friedrich Pfeil
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Received 16 May 2014
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Accepted 18 February 2015
Zawadzki et al.: Hypostomus melanephelis

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INSTRUCTIONS TO CONTRIBUTORS
Ichthyological Exploration of Freshwaters
An international journal for field-orientated ichthyology

Articles appearing in this journal are indexed in:
AQUATIC SCIENCES and FISHERIES ABSTRACTS
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CAMBRIDGE SCIENTIFIC ABSTRACTS
CURRENT CONTENTS/AGRICULTURE, BIOLOGY & ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES and SCIE
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C O N T E N T S
Freyhof, Jörg, Golnaz Sayyadzadeh, Hamid Reza Esmaeili and Matthias Geiger: Review of
the genus Paraschistura from Iran with description of six new species (Teleostei: Nema-
cheilidae) ...................................................................................................................................... 1
Zawadzki, Cláudio H., Andreza S. Oliveira, Renildo R. de Oliveira and Lúcia Rapp Py-
Daniel: Hypostomus melanephelis, a new armored catfish species from the rio Tapajós
basin, Brazil (Teleostei: Loricariidae) ...................................................................................... 49
Lalramliana, Samuel Lalronunga, Lalnuntluanga and Heok Hee Ng: Exostoma sawmteai,
a new sisorid catfish from northeast India (Teleostei: Sisoridae) ....................................... 59
Endruweit, Marco: Homatula change, a new nemacheilid loach from the upper Black River
basin in Yunnan, China (Teleostei: Nemacheilidae) ............................................................. 65
Oliveira, Renildo R. de, Jansen Zuanon, Claudio H. Zawadzki and Lucia Rapp Py-Daniel:
Ancistrus maximus, a new species of red-dotted armored catfish from rio Branco,
Roraima State, Brazilian Amazon (Siluriformes: Loricariidae) ........................................... 73
Lasso, Carlos A., Carlos DoNascimiento, Mónica A. Morales-Betancourt and Oscar M.
Lasso-Alcalá: Parasitism of freshwater stingrays (Potamotrygonidae) by hematophagous
catfishes (Vandelliinae) .............................................................................................................. 83
Van der Zee, Jouke R., Rainer Sonnenberg and José J. Mbimbi Mayi Munene: Hypsopanchax
stiassnyae, a new poeciliid fish from the Lulua River (Democratic Republic of Congo)
(Teleostei: Cyprinodontiformes) .............................................................................................. 87
Ichthyological Exploration of Freshwaters
An international journal for field-orientated ichthyology
Volume 26
•
Number 1
•
June 2015
Cover photograph
Ancistrus maximus (photograph by Efrem G. Ferreira)
Renildo R. de Oliveira, Jansen Zuanon, Claudio H. Zawadzki and Lucia Rapp Py-Daniel
(this volume pp. 73-82)