taxonID	type	description	language	source
6B266771DC6CFFCDFF1777D0FD0FCCB6.taxon	description	urn: lsid: zoobank. org: act: BE 9416 EB-D 046 - 4 E 9 C- 870 F- 9 F 9 B 1 CBC 1 FED (Figs. 2 – 3; Table 3)	en	Ramos, Telton P. A., Abrantes, Yuri G., Nielsen, Dalton T. B., Lima, Sergio M. Q. (2026): A new species of cloud fish of the genus Cynolebias (Cyprinodontiformes: Rivulidae) from the upper rio Jaguaribe basin, in the Brazilian semiarid. Zootaxa 5845 (2): 369-379, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5845.2.9, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5845.2.9
6B266771DC6CFFCDFF1777D0FD0FCCB6.taxon	materials_examined	Holotype. UFPB 15314, 68.8 mm SL, male, Brazil, Ceará State, Penaforte Municipality, temporary pool along the highway BR- 116, rio Jaguaribe basin, 07 ° 47 ’ 18.7 ” S, 39 ° 4 ’ 30.0 ” W, T. P. A. Ramos, L. V. Sorrentino, V. M. M. Lima & L. L. Pessoa, 2 May 2022. Paratypes. All from Brazil, Ceará state, rio Jaguaribe basin: UFPB 14084, 3 males (47.0 – 53.6 mm SL), 5 females (39.9 – 59.6 mm SL) collected with holotype; UFPB 15315, 3 males (47.1 – 53.6 mm SL), 12 females (38.9 – 44.6 mm SL, 2 c & s), same locality as holotype; T. P. A. Ramos & Y. G. Abrantes, 24 Jun 2021.	en	Ramos, Telton P. A., Abrantes, Yuri G., Nielsen, Dalton T. B., Lima, Sergio M. Q. (2026): A new species of cloud fish of the genus Cynolebias (Cyprinodontiformes: Rivulidae) from the upper rio Jaguaribe basin, in the Brazilian semiarid. Zootaxa 5845 (2): 369-379, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5845.2.9, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5845.2.9
6B266771DC6CFFCDFF1777D0FD0FCCB6.taxon	diagnosis	Diagnosis. Cynolebias penaforte can be distinguished from all congeners by absence of contact organs on inner surface of pectoral fin-rays in males (vs. presence). It can be additionally distinguished from species of the C. porosus group by having dorsal-fin origin through base of 8 th anal-fin ray in males (vs. 16 th – 17 th in C. roseus; 9 th in C. obscurus, 5 th – 6 th in C. parnaibensis and C. itapecuruensis, 4 th in C. microphthalmus, C. porosus and C. vazabarrisensis) in males. Cynolebias penaforte differs from C. roseus, C. obscurus and C. vazabarrisensis by presenting lower number of caudal-fin rays (27 – 29 vs. 30 – 31). It differs from C. porosus by lower number of longitudinal series of scales (37 – 39 vs. 40). It differs from C. parnaibensis by higher number of supraorbital scales (28 vs. 11 – 12), anterior rostral (6 vs. 3), otic (9 vs. 6 – 7), and pos-otic neuromasts rows (11 vs. 7). Additionally, C. penaforte can be distinguished from C. microphthalmus by presenting lower transverse series of scales (16 – 18 vs. 18 – 20); 22 scale rows around caudal peduncle (vs. 26 – 30); reddish-brown anal fin (vs. bluish brown), and short anal-fin filaments (vs. long).	en	Ramos, Telton P. A., Abrantes, Yuri G., Nielsen, Dalton T. B., Lima, Sergio M. Q. (2026): A new species of cloud fish of the genus Cynolebias (Cyprinodontiformes: Rivulidae) from the upper rio Jaguaribe basin, in the Brazilian semiarid. Zootaxa 5845 (2): 369-379, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5845.2.9, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5845.2.9
6B266771DC6CFFCDFF1777D0FD0FCCB6.taxon	description	Description. Morphometric data presented in Table 1. Largest male 68.8 mm SL, largest female 59.6 mm SL. Dorsal and ventral profiles in lateral view convex between snout and anterior part of caudal peduncle, nearly straight on caudal peduncle. Body moderately deep, slightly compressed, greatest body depth at level just anterior to pelvic-fin base. Ventral profile in lateral view convex from lower jaw to end of anal-fin base, nearly straight on caudal peduncle. Snout very short, blunt. Dorsal and anal fins slightly pointed in males with small filaments, rounded in females. Pectoral-fin, rounded, tip reaching vertical through base of 4 th and 5 th anal-fin rays in males, and between pelvic-fin origin and anus in females. Tip of pelvic fin reaching between base of 2 nd and 3 rd anal-fin rays in males, 1 st anal-fin rays in females. Pelvic-fin bases medially separated by interspace. Dorsal-fin origin through base of 8 th anal-fin ray in males, and above base of 7 th anal-fin ray in females; dorsal-fin origin between neural spines of vertebrae 17 in both sexes. Anal-fin origin between pleural ribs of vertebrae 14 in males, and pleural ribs of vertebrae 16 in females. Dorsal-fin rays 15 (2), 16 * (2), 17 (3) in males, 14 (5), 15 (7), 16 (2) in females; anal-fin rays 18 (2), 19 * (4) in males, 18 (10), 19 (4) in females; caudal-fin rays 24 * (6) in males, 24 (4), 25 (9) in females; pectoral-fin rays 13 * (7) in males, 13 * (2), 14 (10) in females; pelvic-fin rays 5 * (7) in males, 5 (14) in females. Frontal scales irregularly arranged; 28 (9) small supraorbital scales. Longitudinal series of scales 44 (2), 45 (5), 46 * (3); transverse series of scales 15 * (5), 16 (2), 17 (3); scale rows around caudal peduncle 22 (10). No contact organs on flank. Papillate contact organs absent on inner surface pectoral fin-rays in males. No contact organs on pelvic and unpaired fins. Cephalic neuromasts: supraorbital 29 – 39, parietal 4, anterior rostral 6, posterior rostral 5, infraorbital 4 + 29 – 30, preorbital 3, otic 9, post-otic 11, supratemporal 5, median opercular 3, ventral opercular 3 – 5, preopercular + mandibular 47 – 57, lateral mandibular 8 – 9, paramandibular 1. One neuromast on each scale of lateral line. Two neuromasts on caudal-fin base. Second pharyngobranchial teeth absent. Gill-rakers absent. Vomerine teeth absent. Urogenital papilla cylindrical, small. Total vertebrae 34 (1), 35 (1). Coloration in life. Males (Fig. 2). Flanks light gray with small iridescent white spots. Opercular region golden. Venter cream-orange. Iris brownish yellow, with black vertical bar through center of eye. Dorsal fin light brown with iridescent greenish white spots. Anal fin orange-brown with white iridescent spots on its posterior portion. Caudal fin yellowish brown at base, gradually fading to light gray distally, with small, slightly iridescent pale spots. Pectoral fin hyaline. Pelvic fin orange. Females (Fig. 3). Flanks brownish with faint marbled pattern and golden iridescence. Opercular region pale golden. Dorsal, anal and caudal fins hyalines. Paired fins hyaline.	en	Ramos, Telton P. A., Abrantes, Yuri G., Nielsen, Dalton T. B., Lima, Sergio M. Q. (2026): A new species of cloud fish of the genus Cynolebias (Cyprinodontiformes: Rivulidae) from the upper rio Jaguaribe basin, in the Brazilian semiarid. Zootaxa 5845 (2): 369-379, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5845.2.9, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5845.2.9
6B266771DC6CFFCDFF1777D0FD0FCCB6.taxon	distribution	Geographical distribution. Cynolebias penaforte is only known from its type locality, a temporary pool in the highway BR- 116, in the upper rio Jaguaribe basin, municipality of Penaforte, Ceará State, northeastern Brazil (Fig. 4).	en	Ramos, Telton P. A., Abrantes, Yuri G., Nielsen, Dalton T. B., Lima, Sergio M. Q. (2026): A new species of cloud fish of the genus Cynolebias (Cyprinodontiformes: Rivulidae) from the upper rio Jaguaribe basin, in the Brazilian semiarid. Zootaxa 5845 (2): 369-379, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5845.2.9, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5845.2.9
6B266771DC6CFFCDFF1777D0FD0FCCB6.taxon	biology_ecology	Habitat and ecological notes. The new species was found in a temporary pool with an area of 65.7 m 2, located at an altitude of 491 m above sea level, on the side of a road (Fig. 5). The pool was surrounded by typical Caatinga vegetation, characterized as hyperxerophilic, growing on shallow soils in the region. The substrate of the pool and the water was muddy, with no floating aquatic vegetation. The pool was divided into two by an embankment made for the passage of cars and people. No other species of fish were recorded. Other nearby pool were checked for the species presence, but no specimens of the new species were found at the time.	en	Ramos, Telton P. A., Abrantes, Yuri G., Nielsen, Dalton T. B., Lima, Sergio M. Q. (2026): A new species of cloud fish of the genus Cynolebias (Cyprinodontiformes: Rivulidae) from the upper rio Jaguaribe basin, in the Brazilian semiarid. Zootaxa 5845 (2): 369-379, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5845.2.9, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5845.2.9
6B266771DC6CFFCDFF1777D0FD0FCCB6.taxon	etymology	Etymology. The specific epithet, penaforte, is a tribute to the municipality of Penaforte, in southern Ceará State, the type locality of the new species. A noun in apposition	en	Ramos, Telton P. A., Abrantes, Yuri G., Nielsen, Dalton T. B., Lima, Sergio M. Q. (2026): A new species of cloud fish of the genus Cynolebias (Cyprinodontiformes: Rivulidae) from the upper rio Jaguaribe basin, in the Brazilian semiarid. Zootaxa 5845 (2): 369-379, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5845.2.9, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5845.2.9
6B266771DC6CFFCDFF1777D0FD0FCCB6.taxon	conservation	Conservation status. Cynolebias penaforte is known from a single temporary pool along the margins of the BR- 116 highway. This temporary pool was partially buried when an access for vehicles of a small farm was made, dividing the pool in two. Due to its location along the edge of a major highway, this single temporary pool can be lost, by road duplication, for example. Furthermore, the pool is only 360 m east of the northern axis channel of the rio São Francisco inter-basin water transfer, which may impact the hydrological cycles of the temporary habitats of the seasonal killifishes. Considering ecosystem impacts resulting from the human activity and that sampling efforts carried out 20 km north and south of the locality of C. penaforte did not found any additional record of the species, we suggest that it can be classified as Critically Endangered (CR), B 1 a, b (ii, iii) - due to occupation area <10 km ² (B 1), locations = 1 (a), decline in occupation area (b ii) and in habitat quality (b iii) according to the categories and criteria of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN 2022). In addition, we recommend that more field studies to be carried out in the rio Jaguaribe floodplains to evaluate anthropogenic impacts in the temporary wetlands and search for new localities of Cynolebias.	en	Ramos, Telton P. A., Abrantes, Yuri G., Nielsen, Dalton T. B., Lima, Sergio M. Q. (2026): A new species of cloud fish of the genus Cynolebias (Cyprinodontiformes: Rivulidae) from the upper rio Jaguaribe basin, in the Brazilian semiarid. Zootaxa 5845 (2): 369-379, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5845.2.9, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5845.2.9
