Researchers from Auburn University have discovered a new remarkable species of suckermouth armoured catfish in southern Ecuador.
Dorsal view of Cordylancistrus santarosensis (Milton Tan)
The study, published on March 22 in the journal Zootaxa, describes a new species of suckermouth armoured catfish, Cordylancistrus santarosensis, on the basis of five specimens collected in the trans-Andean Río Santa Rosa (Gulf of Guayaquil drainage) near the southern coast of Ecuador.
C. santarosensis measures up to 71 mm in length, has wide and depressed head and rounded snout.
“This species can be distinguished from all other members of the Chaetostoma group by having plates on the tip of the snout, but lacking plates laterally on the head,” wrote study authors Milton Tan and Prof. Jonathan Armbruster. “This snout plating condition is intermediate between the fully plated snout of other Cordylancistrus and the unplated snout of Chaetostoma.”
The species name refers to the type locality: the Río Santa Rosa.
Lateral view of Cordylancistrus santarosensis (Milton Tan)
“Specimens preserved in 70% alcohol have a uniformly dark green base color with light markings,” the authors described. “Light line originating from posterior edge of first mid-ventral plate and continuing dorsally to insertion of dorsal fin spine. Body with three dark saddles, divided by two pale bands; the first pale band is below the middle rays of the dorsal fin, and the second below and anterior to the adipose fin insertion. Two pale spots are present on the lateral, posterior end of the caudal peduncle, one dorsal and one ventral.”
