Hirtella Pereira, Zanata, Cetra & Reis, 2014

Pereira, Edson H. L. & Reis, Roberto E., 2017, Morphology-based phylogeny of the suckermouth armored catfishes, with emphasis on the Neoplecostominae (Teleostei: Siluriformes: Loricariidae), Zootaxa 4264 (1), pp. 1-104 : 71-72

Genus Hirtella Pereira, Zanata, Cetra & Reis, 2014

Hirtella Pereira, Zanata, Cetra & Reis, 2014: 673 . Type species: Hirtella carinata Pereira, Zanata, Cetra & Reis, 2014 . Type by original designation.

Included species. Hirtella carinata Pereira, Zanata, Cetra & Reis, 2014 .

Diagnosis. Hirtella is diagnosed by the following non-exclusive autapomorphies: Lateral ethmoid at posterior rim of nasal opening covered by skin (Char. 8.0), short parieto-supraoccipital with its width being larger than its length (Char. 14.0), medium-sized palatine splint, never reaching anterior border of nasal fossa (Char. 60.1), posterior margin of hyomandibula with small area of contact with compound pterotic (Char. 73.1), crest for insertion of levator arcus palatini long, extending to margin of hyomandibula (Char. 78.1), articulation between posterior margin of metapterygoid and hyomandibula by means of incomplete suture (Char. 90.1), exposed area of preopercle narrow, limited to breadth of laterosensory canal (Char. 94.1), ventral process of complex centrum long and surrounding articulation of sixth centrum and its rib (Char. 114.2), distal tip of rib in sixth centrum slightly expanded (Char. 130.1), ribs posterior to sixth centrum connected to respective centra by means of ligament (Char. 135.2), nuchal plate not articulated to transverse process of second pterygiophore (Char. 138.1), two dorsal-fin pterygiophores posterior to second pterygiophore with transverse processes (Char. 140.1), adipose fin absent (Char. 147.1), numerous preadipose azygous plates (Char. 149.0), first branched ray of pectoral fin distinctly longer than pectoral-fin spine in adult males (Char. 173.1), distal tip of anterolateral process of basipterygium straight (Char. 179.0), anteromesial and anterolateral processes of basipterygium fused to each other, making anterior portion of basipterygium wide and continuous lamina (Char. 185.0), anterolateral and anteromesial processes of basipterygium not convergent and not forming paired fenestrae (Char. 191.0), first anal-fin pterygiophore with wide lateral process for articulation of lateral plates of ventral series (Char. 212.1), lobes of hypural plate asymmetrical, with ventral lobe extending slightly beyond posterior margin of dorsal lobe (Char. 216.1), central region of abdomen covered by numerous small plates (Char. 241.1), ventral region of body between insertions of pelvic and anal fins covered by small plates (Char. 243.1).

Comparisons. Hirtella is distinguished from all remaining neoplecostomines by the unique pattern of secondary sexual dimorphism present in mature males, where hair-like, highly hypertrophied odontodes form five conspicuous rows on the head, predorsal area, and lateral plates of the body. Hirtella is also distinguished from all other neoplecostomines and most loricariids by the anterior position of the pelvic fin, which originates anterior to a vertical from the anterior margin of the nuchal plate, and by an elongate ridge of 15–17 azygous plates at the middorsal line, between the dorsal and caudal fins.

Geographic distribution. Hirtella is known from a single locality in lower Rio Pardo , a coastal river located in southern Bahia State, Brazil.