Neblinichthys, Ferraris, Isbrucker & Nijssen, 1986

Armbruster, Jonathan W. & Taphorn, Donald C., 2013, Description of Neblinichthys peniculatus, a new species of loricariid catfish from the río Paragua drainage of Venezuela, Neotropical Ichthyology 11 (1), pp. 65-72 : 66-67

Key to the species of Neblinichthys

1a. Four or more preadipose plates; 10 or fewer elongate cheek odontodes ................................................... ........ N. roraima

1b. Three or fewer preadipose plates, 20 or more elongate cheek odontodes ................................................................... 2

2a. Abdomen with irregular gray spots and vermiculations on a dark background; no (occasionally one) odontodes on the exposed portion of the opercle; iris operculum absent, internares width 5.0-8.5% HL .............................................. 3

2b. Abdomen usually white or with dark spots or short vermiculations on a light background; 10 or more odontodes on the exposed portion of the opercle, iris operculum present; internares width 7.6-15.5% HL ......... 4

3a. Dorsal-fin base length 18.1-22.8% SL; dorsal-anal distance 13.7-18.3% SL, snout decreasing in steep arc just anterior to eyes and then flattening in area anterior of nares; adpressed dorsal fin not reaching anterior preadipose plate ...................................................................... N. brevibracchium

3b. Dorsal-fin base length 24.3-27.0% SL; dorsal-anal distance 11.9-12.5% SL, snout tapering shallowly and continuously from eyes to snout tip; adpressed dorsal fin reaching anterior preadipose plate .................................... N. echinasus

4a. Usually four anal-fin rays (one examined with five), spots on fins small dashes confined to rays; six to seven columns of spots on caudal fin ................................................. N. yaravi

4b. Five anal-fin rays; spots on fins large and round, extending onto membranes; three to five bands or columns of spots on caudal fin .......................................................................... 5

5a. Caudal peduncle with dark blotches forming mottling; head usually with spots (absent in nuptial males); rectangular blotch at base of caudal fin; nuptial males with relatively short odontodes directed largely upwards (see discussion); internares width 10.5-12.4% HL; postanal length 28.5-30.6% SL ........................................................................ N.peniculatus

5b. Caudal peduncle brown; head without spots; no rectangular blotch at base of caudal fin; nuptial males with very long odontodes directed anteriorly (see discussion); internares width 17.3-20.1% HL; postanal length 32.8-34.9% SL ................................................................................. N. pilosus