Hypostomus hondae (Regan 1912)

Jonathan W. Armbruster, 2003, The species of the Hypostomus cochliodon group (Siluriformes: Loricariidae)., Zootaxa 249, pp. 1-60 : 32-35

Hypostomus hondae (Regan 1912)

(Figs. 13, 14A)

Plecostomus hondae Regan 1912 : 666, pl. 76 Fig. 4.

Hypostomus pospisili Schultz 1944 : 312-313, pl. 11 C-D.

Material examined: COLOMBIA. Río Sinu dr. Lorica, CAS 149472, 1, 1 cs, (81.7) . Probably Río Sinú, Lorica, CAS 6417, 1, (177.0) . Atrato: Quibdo market, STRI 1530, 1, (207.9) and STRI 1531, 1, (205.9) . Caldas: Río Samana La Miel, Río Magdalena dr. at or near junction of Río Samana La Miel near La Dorada, CAS 150373, 1, (104.7) . Santander: caño Tigre, Río Sogamosa - Río Magdalena dr. SIUC 34909, 1, (119.0) . Sucre: Pozo del Chorro, Sinclejo, CAS 149472, 4, (81.7-107.4) and USNM 175305, 2, (79.5-102.1) . Tolima: Honda, Colombia, BMNH 1909.7.23.43 (60.8, holotype) and BMNH 1909.7.23.44 (58.4, paratype) . VENEZUELA. Merida: Río Escalante, Lago Maracaibo dr. at bridge of highway 1, 08°31’N, 71°47’W, MCNG 24843, 3, (75.0-81.4) and INHS 59864 . Tributary, Río Gavilan - Lago Maracaibo dr. 3 km E Capazon, 08°49’75”N, 71°25’61”W, INHS 59881 . Zulia: Maracaibo Expedition, MBUCV V-23883, 3, (92.5- 110.5) . Caño La Playa, Lago Maracaibo dr. Hacienda San Jose, MCNG 33504, 1, (85.5) . Lagunas de Tule, Río Cachiri dr. MCNG 7487, 1, (226.6) . Río Cachiri, Lago Maracaibo dr. MCNG 7419, 1, (92.6) . Río Cachiri, Lago Maracaibo dr. at Santa Marta bridge, MCNG 33526, 1, (119.8) . Río Catatumbo, Lago Maracaibo dr. at bridge on road to Machiques, MBUCV V-18491, 1, (81.0) . Río Machango, Lago Maracaibo dr. 20 km above bridge, S Of Lagunillas, UMMZ 142488, 1, (57.4, paratype H. pospisili ) . Río Negro, Río Santa Ana - Lago Maracaibo dr. 12 km S Machiques on road to Tucuco, INHS 59945 . Río Negro, Río Santa Ana - Lago Maracaibo dr. Bridge ca. 8 km SW Alturnitas, 09°41’30”N, 72°25’47”W, INHS 35436, 1, (130.7) . Río Palmar, Lago Maracaibo dr. in Hacienda el Milagro NW of the village of Rosario, MBUCV V-18206, 2, (153.2-188.0) . Río Palmar, Lago Maracaibo dr. Sierra de Perija, NW Lago Maracaibo, Hacienda el Milagro, MBUCV V-18411, 1, (168.6) . Río Santa Rosa, Río Santa Ana - Lago Maracaibo dr. Highway 6 bridge, 09°39’06”N, 72°35’00”W, INHS 35466, 1, (75.9) . Río Yasa, Lago Maracaibo dr. 5 km S Machiques, INHS 60463, 1, 1 cs, (102.2) and MCNG 25011, 1, (82.0) . Río Zulia, Lago Maracaibo dr. MCNG 7486, 1, (237.9) . Zulia, Tulé Reservoir, Lago Maracaibo dr. lagoon, 10°53’N, 71°12’W, MCNG 746 .

Diagnosis: Most Hypostomus hondae can be distinguished from all other members of the H. cochliodon group by the presence of more plates in the skin between the dorsal fin and the lateral plates anterior of the dorsal-fin spine (Fig. 6B; Table 7; some Colombian specimens do not have a large number of plates around the dorsal fin). The number of plates in this area depends on the size of the fish, some very small specimens lack plates in this region, but most small specimens have at least one or more isolated odontodes present. Hypostomus hondae is most similar to H. pagei and H. plecostomoides . Hypostomus hondae further differs from H. pagei by having spots on the caudal-fin spines (except in very melanistic specimens), by having darker coloration, a different juvenile coloration (Fig. 14A vs. Fig. 14B; see description of H. pagei ), and by having the pectoral-fin spine reach 2-3 plates beyond the pelvic fin when depressed ventral to the pelvic fin (vs. 0-1). No additional characters can distinguish H. hondae from H. plecostomoides .

Description: See Hypostomus cochliodon group description for more details. Morphometric data given in Table 2. Body dark brown with round spots present almost everywhere; most specimens with spots fading posteriorly with none present on caudal peduncle. Size of spots on body from medium to large, size increases posteriorly. Some specimens (particularly juveniles) with four dorsal saddles visible: first below anterior rays of dorsal fin, second below posterior rays of dorsal fin and slightly posterior to dorsal fin, third below adipose fin and slightly anterior to adipose fin, and fourth at base of caudal fin; dark bar also present between the eyes. Caudal fin always with spots except in strongly melanistic specimens in which caudal fin appears almost black. Caudal fin often lighter basally than distally. Abdomen slightly lighter than sides in adults; in juveniles, abdomen much lighter than sides and spots may be faint or absent.

Dorsal fin usually short, when depressed in most specimens, not reaching preadipose plate. Depressed pectoral-fin spine ventral to pelvic fin reaches 2-3 plates beyond pelvicfin rays. Tip of pectoral-fin spine of nuptial males with stout, recurved, hypertrophied odontodes.

Keels weak to moderately developed. Orbit forming ridge distinctly raised above medial surface of head; ridges of dorsal and lateral aspect of head well-developed. Longitudinal ridge on pterotic-supracleithrum beginning at posterodorsal corner of eye formed from raised bone and slightly larger odontodes absent. Opercle distinctly exposed, always supporting much more than ten odontodes. Nuptial body odontodes absent (Fig. 2A). Plates in skin anterior to dorsal-fin spine almost always present and more numerous than in comparatively-sized specimens of other species of the H. cochliodon group (Fig. 6B; Table 7). Most specimens less than 70 mm SL with at least one or two free odontodes in skin anterior to dorsal-fin spine; some Colombian specimens lack this characteristic.

Each jaw with 8-22 teeth (mode = 11), teeth almost always large and spoon-shaped, some individuals with smaller, more numerous teeth. Average angle between dentaries 65° (SD = 8°; range: 48°-86°; N=27). Lateral line plates 27-29; dorsal plates 8-10; interdorsal plates 6-8; adipose caudal plates 8-10.

Range: Lago Maracaibo drainage of Colombia and Venezuela, and the Río Magdalena, Río Sinú, and Río Atrato drainages of Colombia (Fig. 11). Hypostomus hondae is allopatric to all other species of the H. cochliodon group.