Trichomycterus Explained

Trichomycterus is a genus of fish in the family Trichomycteridae, the largest genus of its family with over 170 species currently described. This genus is native to freshwater habitats in Central and South America. These fish are generally small, usually about 5to(-) in standard length, although the largest, T. rivulatus, can reach more than twice this size. Species differ from one another primarily in body proportions, fin ray counts and colouration.[1] Despite their relatively small size, some, such as T. punctulatus, support fisheries and are important in the local cuisine.[2]

Taxonomy

This genus is defined by the lack of specializations found in other trichomycterids and is certainly polyphyletic.[3] [4] Although known to contain many species, Trichomycterus is poorly known with many of the known species based on brief descriptions.[3] Many species have been described recently and many more are waiting to be described.[5]

Some authors have tentatively defined putative monophyletic assemblages within the genus Trichomycterus based on the possession of unique morphological features.[3] The Trichomycterus brasiliensis species-complex includes T. brasiliensis, T. iheringi, T. maracaya, T. mimonha, T. pirabitira, T. potschi, T. vermiculatus and several undescribed species apparently endemic to the main river basins draining the Brazilian Shield.[6] However, an assemblage of species from south and southeastern Brazil is also supported that includes T. araxa,[7] T. castroi, T. davisi, T. guaraquessaba, T. immaculatus, T. itatiayae, T. mboycy, T. mirissumba, T. naipi, T. nigricans, T. papilliferus, T. plumbeus, T. stawiarski, T. taroba, T. triguttatus and T. zonatus,[4] T. aguarague, T. alterus, T. belensis, T. boylei and T. ramosus also form a diagnosable species assemblage.[1]

Distribution and habitat

Species of Trichomycterus inhabit a diversity of habitats throughout South and Central America from Costa Rica in the north to Patagonia in the south and from lowland Atlantic rainforest in the east to Andean highland streams in the west.[1] They are, together with Astroblepus and Orestias, among the very few native fish genera at high altitude in the Andes[8] and in some places, for example certain high-elevation localities in western Argentina, Trichomycterus are the only fishes.[9] About 60 nominal species are endemic to the river basins draining the Andes and hills of the Guianan Shield and about 30 species are endemic to river basins draining the Brazilian Shield.[10]

Despite the broad distribution of the genus, most species have limited distributions and usually are restricted to only one river.[11] Wide-ranging species are most likely complexes of species that are difficult to differentiate, such as the T. brasiliensis species-complex.[6] Trichomycterus gorgona, from a small stream on Gorgona Island located west of the Pacific coast of Colombia, is the first known trichomycterid to be endemic to an offshore island.[12] Many species are troglobitic.

Species

There are currently 174 recognized species in this genus:

  • Trichomycterus mariamole M. A. Barbosa & W. J. E. M. Costa, 2010
  • Trichomycterus mboycy Wosiacki & Garavello, 2004
  • Trichomycterus megantoni L. A. Fernández & Chuquihuamaní, 2007
  • Trichomycterus meridae Regan, 1903
  • Trichomycterus migrans (Dahl, 1960)
  • Trichomycterus mimonha W. J. E. M. Costa, 1992
  • Trichomycterus mimosensis M. A. Barbosa, 2013
  • Trichomycterus minus L. A. Fernández & Vari, 2012[28]
  • Trichomycterus mirissumba W. J. E. M. Costa, 1992
  • Trichomycterus mondolfi (L. P. Schultz, 1945)
  • Trichomycterus montesi Ardila Rodríguez, 2016
  • Trichomycterus motatanensis (L. P. Schultz, 1944)
  • Trichomycterus naipi Wosiacki & Garavello, 2004
  • Trichomycterus nietoi Ardila Rodríguez, 2014[29]
  • Trichomycterus nigricans Valenciennes, 1832
  • Trichomycterus nigroauratus M. A. Barbosa & W. J. E. M. Costa, 2008
  • Trichomycterus nigromaculatus Boulenger, 1887
  • Trichomycterus novalimensis M. A. Barbosa & W. J. E. M. Costa, 2010
  • Trichomycterus ocanaensis Ardila Rodríguez, 2011[30]
  • Trichomycterus oroyae (C. H. Eigenmann & R. S. Eigenmann, 1889)
  • Trichomycterus pantherinus Alencar & W. J. E. M. Costa, 2004
  • Trichomycterus paolence (C. H. Eigenmann, 1917)
  • Trichomycterus papilliferus Wosiacki & Garavello, 2004
  • Trichomycterus paquequerensis (P. Miranda-Ribeiro, 1943)
  • Trichomycterus pascuali Ochoa, G. S. C. Silva, G. J. C. Silva, C. de Oliveira & Datovo, 2017[31]
  • Trichomycterus pauciradiatus Alencar & W. J. E. M. Costa, 2006
  • Trichomycterus payaya Sarmento-Soares, Zanata & Martins-Pinheiro, 2011[32]
  • Trichomycterus perkos Datovo, M. de Carvalho & Ferrer, 2012[33]
  • Trichomycterus pirabitira M. A. Barbosa & Azevedo-Santos, 2012[34]
  • Trichomycterus piratymbara Katz, M. A. Barbosa & W. J. E. M. Costa, 2013[35]
  • Trichomycterus piurae (C. H. Eigenmann, 1922)
  • Trichomycterus plumbeus Wosiacki & Garavello, 2004
  • Trichomycterus poikilos Ferrer & L. R. Malabarba, 2013
  • Trichomycterus potschi M. A. Barbosa & W. J. E. M. Costa, 2003
  • Trichomycterus pradensis Sarmento-Soares, Martins-Pinheiro, Aranda & Chamon, 2005
  • Trichomycterus pseudosilvinichthys L. A. Fernández & Vari, 2004
  • Trichomycterus punctatissimus Castelnau, 1855
  • Trichomycterus punctulatus Valenciennes, 1846
  • Trichomycterus puriventris M. A. Barbosa & W. J. E. M. Costa, 2012[36]
  • Trichomycterus quechuorus (Steindachner, 1900)
  • Trichomycterus ramosus L. A. Fernández, 2000
  • Trichomycterus regani (C. H. Eigenmann, 1917)
  • Trichomycterus reinhardti (C. H. Eigenmann, 1917)
  • Trichomycterus retropinnis Regan, 1903
  • Trichomycterus riojanus (C. Berg, 1897)
  • Trichomycterus rivulatus Valenciennes, 1846
  • Trichomycterus roigi Arratia & Menu-Marque, 1984
  • Trichomycterus romeroi (Fowler, 1941)
  • Trichomycterus rubbioli Bichuette & Rizzato, 2012[37]
  • Trichomycterus rubiginosus M. A. Barbosa & W. J. E. M. Costa, 2010
  • Trichomycterus ruitoquensis Ardila Rodríguez, 2007
  • Trichomycterus sandovali Ardila Rodríguez, 2006
  • Trichomycterus santaeritae (C. H. Eigenmann, 1918)
  • Trichomycterus santanderensis Castellanos-Morales, 2007
  • Trichomycterus septemradiatus Katz, M. A. Barbosa & W. J. E. M. Costa, 2013
  • Trichomycterus sketi Castellanos-Morales, 2011[38]
  • Trichomycterus spegazzinii (C. Berg, 1897)
  • Trichomycterus spelaeus DoNascimiento, Villarreal & Provenzano, 2001
  • Trichomycterus spilosoma (Regan, 1913)
  • Trichomycterus stawiarski (P. Miranda-Ribeiro, 1968)
  • Trichomycterus steindachneri DoNascimiento, Prada-Pedreros & Guerrero-Kommritz, 2014[39]
  • Trichomycterus stellatus (C. H. Eigenmann, 1918)
  • Trichomycterus straminius (C. H. Eigenmann, 1917)
  • Trichomycterus striatus (Meek & Hildebrand, 1913)
  • Trichomycterus taczanowskii Steindachner, 1882
  • Trichomycterus taenia Kner, 1863
  • Trichomycterus taeniops Fowler, 1954
  • Trichomycterus taroba Wosiacki & Garavello, 2004
  • Trichomycterus tenuis Weyenbergh (de), 1877
  • Trichomycterus tete M. A. Barbosa & W. J. E. M. Costa, 2011[40]
  • Trichomycterus tetuanensis L. J. García-Melo, Villa-Navarro & DoNascimiento, 2016[41]
  • Trichomycterus therma L. A. Fernández & Miranda-Chumacero, 2007
  • Trichomycterus tiraquae (Fowler, 1940)
  • Trichomycterus torcoromaensis Ardila Rodríguez, 2016[42]
  • Trichomycterus transandianus (Steindachner, 1915)
  • Trichomycterus trefauti Wosiacki, 2004
  • Trichomycterus triguttatus (C. H. Eigenmann, 1918)
  • Trichomycterus tropeiro Ferrer & L. R. Malabarba, 2011[43]
  • Trichomycterus tupinamba Wosiacki & Oyakawa, 2005
  • Trichomycterus uisae Castellanos-Morales, 2008
  • Trichomycterus unicolor (Regan, 1913)
  • Trichomycterus variegatus W. J. E. M. Costa, 1992
  • Trichomycterus vermiculatus (C. H. Eigenmann, 1917)
  • Trichomycterus vitalbrazili Paulo J. Vilardo, Katz & W. J. E. M. Costa[44]
  • Trichomycterus vittatus Regan, 1903
  • Trichomycterus wapixana Henschel, 2016[45]
  • Trichomycterus weyrauchi (Fowler, 1945)
  • Trichomycterus ytororo Terán, Ferrer, Benítez, F. Alonso, G. Aguilera & Mirande, 2017[46]
  • Trichomycterus yuska L. A. Fernández & Schaefer, 2003
  • Trichomycterus zonatus (C. H. Eigenmann, 1918)

Notes and References

  1. Fernández, L. & Osinaga, K. (2006): A New Trichomycterus (Siluriformes: Trichomycteridae) from Aguarague National Park of the Bolivian Preandean Region, with Comments on Relationships within of the Genus. Environmental Biology of Fishes, 75 (4): 385–393.
  2. Web site: Zocchi, D.M. . Linares, C.W.D. . FondazionesLowFood . Monsefú Life . 2017.
  3. Alencar, A.R. & Costa, W.J.E.M. (2006): Trichomycterus pauciradiatus, a new catfish species from the upper rio Paraná basin, southeastern Brazil (Siluriformes: Trichomycteridae). Zootaxa, 1269: 43–49.
  4. Wosiacki, W.B. (2005): A new species of Trichomycterus (Siluriformes: Trichomycteridae) from south Brazil and redescription of T. iheringi (Eigenmann). Zootaxa, 1040: 49–64.
  5. Lima, S.M.Q., Lazzarotto, H. & Costa, W.J.E.M. (2008): A new species of Trichomycterus (Siluriformes: Trichomycteridae) from lagoa Feia drainage, southeastern Brazil. Neotropical Ichthyology, 6 (3): 315–322.
  6. Bockmann, F.A. & Sazima, I.(2004): Trichomycterus maracaya, a new catfish from the upper rio Paraná, southeastern Brazil (Siluriformes: Trichomycteridae), with notes on the T. brasiliensis species-complex. Neotropical Ichthyology, 2 (2): 61–74.
  7. Costa, W.J.E.M., Mattos, J.L.O., Sampaio, W.M.S, Giongo, P., de Almeida, F.B. & Katz, A.M. (2022): Phylogenetic relationships of a new catfish of the genus Trichomycterus (Siluriformes, Trichomycteridae) from the Brazilian Cerrado, and the role of Cenozoic events in the diversification of mountain catfishes. Zoosystematics and Evolution, 98 (1): 151–164.
  8. Book: Nelson, J.S. . Grande, T.C. . Wilson, M.V.H. . 2016 . Fishes of the World, Fifth Edition . John Wiley & Sons . 752 . 978-1-118-34233-6 .
  9. Fernández, L. & Vari, R.P. (2004): New Species of Trichomycterus from Midelevation Localities of Northwestern Argentina (Siluriformes: Trichomycteridae). Copeia, 2004 (4): 876–882.
  10. Alencar, A.R. & Costa, W.J.E.M.(2004): Description of two new species of the catfish genus Trichomycterus from southeastern Brazil (Siluriformes: Trichomycteridae). Zootaxa, 744: 1–8.
  11. Lima, S.M.Q. & Costa, W.J.E.M. (2004): Trichomycterus giganteus (Siluriformes: Loricarioidea: Trichomycteridae): a new catfish from the Rio Guandu basin, southeastern Brazil. Zootaxa, 761: 1–6.
  12. Fernández, L. & Schaefer, S.A. (2005): New Trichomycterus (Siluriformes: Trichomycteridae) from an Offshore Island of Colombia. Copeia, 2005 (1): 68–76.
  13. Dutra, G.M., Wosiacki, W.B. & Pinna, M.C.C.d. (2012): Trichomycterus anhanga, a new species of miniature catfish related to T. hasemani and T. johnsoni (Siluriformes: Trichomycteridae) from the Amazon basin, Brazil. Neotropical Ichthyology, 10 (2): 225–231.
  14. Lezama, A.Q., Triques, M.L. & Santos, P.S. (2012): Trichomycterus argos (Teleostei: Siluriformes: Trichomycteridae), a new species from the Doce River Basin, Eastern Brazil. Zootaxa, 3352: 60–68.
  15. Ardila Rodríguez, C.A. (2016): Cinco nuevas especies de peces Trichomycterus para la región Caribe - Colombia. Barranquilla, Departamento del Atlántico, 2: 1-26.
  16. Ferrer, J. & Malabarba, L.R. (2013): Taxonomic review of the genus Trichomycterus Valenciennes (Siluriformes: Trichomycteridae) from the laguna dos Patos system, Southern Brazil. Neotropical Ichthyology, 11 (2): 217–246.
  17. Ardila Rodríguez, C.A. (2011): Trichomycterus ballesterosi (Siluriformes: Trichomyceridae), especie nueva de la cuenca alta del Río Sinú, Colombia. Dahlia, 11: 3-12.
  18. Barbosa, M.A. & Costa, W.J.E.M. (2010): Seven new species of the catfish genus Trichomycterus (Teleostei: Siluriformes: Trichomycteridae) from Southeastern Brazil and redescription of T. brasiliensis. Ichthyological Exploration of Freshwaters, 21 (2): 97-122.
  19. Ardila Rodríguez, C.A. (2017): Trichomycterus casitaensis, sp. nov. (Siluriformes: Trichomycteridae) una nueva especie de pez del río Tarra, cuenca alta del río Catatumbo departamento de Norte de Santander – Colombia. Barranquilla, Departamento del Atlántico, 3: 1-23.
  20. Katz, A.M. & Barbosa, M.A. (2014): Re-description of Trichomycterus cubataonis Bizerril, 1994 (Siluriformes: Trichomycteridae) from the Cubatão river basin, southern Brazil. Vertebrate Zoology, 64 (1): 3–8.
  21. Rizzato, P.P., Costa, E.P.D.Jr., Trajano, E. & Bichuette, M.E. (2011): Trichomycterus dali: a new highly troglomorphic catfish (Silurifomes: Trichomycteridae) from Serra da Bodoquena, Mato Grosso do Sul State, Central Brazil. Neotropical Ichthyology, 9 (3): 477-491.
  22. Barbosa, M.A. (2013): Description of two new species of the catfish genus Trichomycterus (Teleostei: Siluriformes: Trichomycteridae) from the coastal river basins, southeastern Brazil. Vertebrate Zoology, 63 (3): 269–275.
  23. Barbosa, M.A. & Katz, A.M. (2016): A new species of the catfish genus Trichomycterus (Teleostei: Siluriformes: Trichomycteridae) from the Paranaíba basin, Central Brazil. Vertebrate Zoology, 66 (3): 261–265.
  24. Donin. Laura M.. Ferrer. Juliano. Carvalho. Tiago P.. 2020. Taxonomical study of Trichomycterus (Siluriformes: Trichomycteridae) from the Ribeira de Iguape River basin reveals a new species recorded in the early 20th century. Journal of Fish Biology. en. 96. 4. 886–904. 10.1111/jfb.14278. 32039475. 2020JFBio..96..886D . 211072424. 1095-8649.
  25. Barbosa, M.A. & Costa, W.J.E.M. (2012): Trichomycterus macrophthalmus (Teleostei: Siluriformes: Trichomycteridae), a new species of catfish from the Paraíba do Sul river basin, southeastern Brazil. Vertebrate Zoology, 62 (1): 79–82.
  26. Barbosa, M.A. & Costa, W.J.E.M. (2010): Description of a new species of the catfish genus Trichomycterus (Teleostei: Siluriformes: Trichomycteridae) from the rio Paraíba do Sul basin, southeastern Brazil. Vertebrate Zoology, 60 (3): 193-197.
  27. Ardila Rodríguez, C.A. (2011): Trichomycterus maldonadoi (Siluriformes: Trichomyceridae), especie nueva de la cuenca alta del Río Sinú, Colombia. Dahlia, 11: 13-22.
  28. Fernández, L. & Vari, R.P. (2012): New Species of Trichomycterus (Teleostei: Siluriformes) from the Andean Cordillera of Argentina and the Second Record of the Genus in Thermal Waters. Copeia, 2012 (4): 631–636.
  29. Ardila Rodríguez, C.A. (2014): Trichomycterus nietoi sp. nov. (Siluriformes: Trichomycteridae) una nueva especie de pez del río Guachaca Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta. Departamento del Magdalena – Colombia. Barranquilla, Departamento del Atlántico, 1: 1-23.
  30. Ardila Rodríguez, C.A. (2011): Trichomycterus ocanaensis sp. nov. (Siluriformes: Trichomycteridae) una nueva especie de pez del Río Tejo, cuenca alta del Río Catatumbo. Departamento de Norte de Santander – Colombia. Barranquilla, Departamento del Atlántico, 1: 1-16.
  31. Ochoa, L.E., Silva, G.S.C., Silva, G.J.C.e., Oliveira, C. & Datovo, A. (2017): New species of Trichomycterus (Siluriformes: Trichomycteridae) lacking pelvic fins from Paranapanema basin, southeastern Brazil. Zootaxa, 4319 (3): 550-560.
  32. Sarmento-Soares, L.M., Zanata, A.M. & Martins-Pinheiro, R.F. (2011): Trichomycterus payaya, new catfish (Siluriformes: Trichomycteridae) from headwaters of rio Itapicuru, Bahia, Brazil. Neotropical Ichthyology, 9 (2): 261-271.
  33. Datovo, A., Carvalho, M. & Ferrer, J. (2012): A new species of the catfish genus Trichomycterus from the La Plata River basin, southern Brazil, with comments on its putative phylogenetic position (Siluriformes: Trichomycteridae). Zootaxa, 3327: 33–44.
  34. Barbosa, M.A. & Azevedo-Santos, V.M. (2012):A new species of the catfish genus Trichomycterus (Teleostei: Siluriformes: Trichomycteridae) from the rio Paraná basin, southeastern Brazil. Vertebrate Zoology, 62 (3): 357–362.
  35. Katz, A.M., Barbosa, M.A. & Costa, W.J.E.M. (2013): Two new species of the catfish genus Trichomycterus from the Paraná river basin, southeastern Brazil (Teleostei: Trichomycteridae). Ichthyological Exploration of Freshwaters, 23 (4): 359–366.
  36. Barbosa, M.A. & Costa, W.J.E.M. (2012): Trichomycterus puriventris (Teleostei: Siluriformes: Trichomycteridae), a new species of catfish from the rio Paraíba do Sul basin, southeastern Brazil. Vertebrate Zoology, 62 (2): 155–160.
  37. Bichuette, M.E. & Rizzato, P.P. (2012): A new species of cave catfish from Brazil, Trichomycterus rubbioli sp.n., from Serra do Ramalho karstic area, São Francisco River basin, Bahia State (Silurifomes: Trichomycteridae). Zootaxa, 3480: 48–66.
  38. Castellanos-Morales, C.A. (2011): Trichomycterus sketi: a new species of subterranean catfish (Siluriformes: Trichomycteridae) from the Andean Cordillera of Colombia. Biota Colombiana, 11 (1-2): 33-41.
  39. DoNascimiento, C., Prada-Pedreros, S. & Guerrero-Kommritz, J. (2014): A new catfish species of the genus Trichomycterus (Siluriformes: Trichomycteridae) from the río Orinoco versant of Páramo de Cruz Verde, Eastern Cordillera of Colombia. Neotropical Ichthyology, 12 (4): 717–728.
  40. Barbosa, M.A. & Costa, W.J.E.M. (2011): Description of a new species of the catfish genus Trichomycterus (Teleostei: Siluriformes: Trichomycteridae) from the rio de Contas basin, northeastern Brazil. Vertebrate Zoology, 61 (3): 307-312.
  41. García-Melo, L.J., Villa-Navarro, F.A. & DoNascimiento, C. (2016):A new species of Trichomycterus (Siluriformes: Trichomycteridae) from the upper río Magdalena basin, Colombia. Zootaxa, 4117 (2): 226–240.
  42. Ardila Rodríguez, C.A. (2016): Trichomycterus torcoromaensis sp. nov. (Siluriformes: Trichomycteridae) una nueva especie de pez de la quebrada Torcoroma, cuenca del río Magdalena. Departamento de Norte de Santander – Colombia. Barranquilla, Departamento del Atlántico, 2: 1-22.
  43. Ferrer, J. & Malabarba, L.R. (2011): A new Trichomycterus lacking pelvic fins and pelvic girdle with a very restricted range in Southern Brazil (Siluriformes: Trichomycteridae). Zootaxa, 2912: 59-67.
  44. Vilardo PJ, Katz AM, Costa WJEM. 2020. Relationships and description of a new species of Trichomycterus (Siluriformes: Trichomycteridae) from the Rio Paraíba do Sul basin, south-eastern Brazil. Zool Stud 59:53. doi:10.6620/ZS.2020.59-53
  45. Henschel, E. (2016): A new catfish species of the Trichomycterus hasemani group (Siluriformes: Trichomycteridae), from the Branco river basin, northern Brazil. Vertebrate Zoology, 66 (2): 117-123.
  46. Terán, G.E., Ferrer, J., Benitez, M., Alonso, F., Aguilera, G. & Mirande, J.M. (2017): Living in the waterfalls: A new species of Trichomycterus (Siluriformes: Trichomycteridae) from Tabay stream, Misiones, Argentina. PLoS ONE, 12 (6): e0179594.