Key to the species of Farlowella from Colombia
The following key is partially modified from Retzer & Page (1996), and based on species reported from Colombia in the literature (Retzer & Page, 1996; Galvis et al., 1997; Maldonado-Ocampo, et al., 2008).
1 Five rows of anterior lateral plates........................................................................ 2
- Four rows of anterior lateral plates........................................................................ 3
2 Anterior plates on median row hexagonal in shape.................................................... F. gracilis
- Anterior plates on median row diamond-shaped...................................................... F. nattereri
3 Two complete rows of plates on abdomen.................................................................. 4
- Three complete rows of plates on abdomen................................................................. 9
4 Anterior plates on median row diamond-shaped.................................................. F. yarigui n. sp.
- Anterior plates on median row hexagonal in shape.......................................................... 5
5 Very dark vermiculations on head and snout........................................................ F. amazona
- No dark vermiculations on head and snout................................................................. 6
6 Head with raised mid-dorsal ridge............................................................ F. colombiensis
- Head nearly flat..................................................................................... 7
7 Eyes raised on head, lateral margins of snout nearly straight...................................... F. platorhynchus
- Eyes set at the level of dorsal surface of head, lateral margins of snout noticeably concave............................ 8
8 Breeding odontodes on preorbital ridge............................................................... F. a c us
- No breeding odontodes on preorbital ridge............................................................ F. vittata
9 Breeding odontodes on sides of head, plates in second lateral row thickened and forming a keel....................... 10
- Breeding odontodes on sides of head absent, plates in second lateral row normal and not forming a keel.............. 11
10 Adult males with body depth less than snout-mouth length............................................ F. taphorni
- Adult males with body depth greater than snout-mouth length........................................ F. curtirostra
11 Wide caudal peduncle plates.................................................................. F. oxyrrhyncha
- Narrow caudal peduncle plates.......................................................................... 12
12 Median row of anterior lateral plates diamond-shaped.............................................. F. mariaelenae
- Median row of anterior lateral plates hexagonal....................................................... F. s m i t h i