| Trichomycteridae (Pencil or parasitic catfishes), subfamily: Trichomycterinae |
| 3.13 cm SL (male/unsexed) |
|
benthopelagic; freshwater; pH range: 6.76000022888184 - 7.5; depth range - 0 m |
| South America: pool formed by infiltration of water in the São Bernardo Cave in Brazil. |
|
Dorsal soft rays (total): 9-9; Anal soft rays: 6-6; Vertebrae: 36-36. Distinguished from its epigean and cave congeners by the combination of the following characters: small size (max. 3.13 cm SL); reduced body pigmentation, with very small chromatophores. Dorsal region of head darker than remaining body parts; small integument fold anterior to dorsal fin and prominent posterior to dorsal fin; eye size intermediate between I. bambui and I. epikarsticus, 3.7-4.7% HL; nine pectoral-fin rays; base of laminar surface of urohyal 1.5 times larger than distal extremity, dorsal process long; posterior process of palatine 3/4 of palatine length, with medial concavity slightly rounded; maxilla straight, without medial-posterior projection; fronto-lachrymal as long as maxilla, posteriorly pointed; opercle with 12-13 odontodes, interopercle with 24-25 odontodes; caudal skeleton with the upper hypural plate trapezoidal and the lower trapezoidal to rectangular, neural spine of preural centrum with acute extremity, dorsal procurrent rays 16 and ventral 12 (Ref. 55401).
Description: Dorsal fin with 9 rays ( 3 unbranched, 6 branched); anal fin with 6 rays (2 unbranched, 4 branched); pectoral fin with 9 rays, first ray unbranched and filamentous; pelvic fin with 5 rays, first ray unbranched (Ref. 55401). |
| Occurs in a side pool five meters above the main stream level, formed by water percolating from the rock. A solitary species, swimming on the bottom and displaying rare events of surface swimming (Ref. 55401). Exhibits weak cryptobiotic habits, sometimes hiding under boulders, but not burying in the silt (Ref. 55401). |
|
Vulnerable (VU); Date assessed: 16 May 2022 (D2) Ref. (130435)
|
| harmless |
|
Source and more info: www.fishbase.org. For personal, classroom, and other internal use only. Not for publication.