Hypostomus heraldoi, Zawadzki & Weber & Pavanelli, 2008

Zawadzki, Cláudio H., Weber, Claude & Pavanelli, Carla S., 2008, Two new species of Hypostomus Lacépède (Teleostei: Loricariidae) from the upper rio Paraná basin, Central Brazil, Neotropical Ichthyology 6 (3), pp. 403-412 : 408-410

Hypostomus heraldoi , new species

Fig. 5

Hypostomus sp. 1.- Zawadzki, 2001: 61 [photo; rio Corumbá, affluent of rio Paranaíba; comparison to other species of Hypostomus; allozymes].- Pavanelli et al., 2007: 61 [rio Corumbá basin, affluent of rio Paranaíba].

Holotype. MZUSP 98771, 217.9 mm SL, Brazil, Goiás State, Município de Caldas Novas, rio Pirapitinga, tributary to rio Corumbá , rio Paranaíba drainage, 17°43’37”S, 48°32’54”W, 10 Dec 1999, Nupélia.

Paratypes. All from Brazil, upper rio Paraná basin: Goiás State: ANSP 187500 , 1, 152.6 mm SL, rio Corumbá (Corumbá Reservoir), tributary to rio Paranaíba , Município de Caldas Novas , Corumbaíba , 17°58’25”S, 48°31’04”W, 17 Oct 1996, Nupélia ; MHNG 2709.051 , 1, 140.9 mm SL, rio Corumbá (Corumbá Reservoir), tributary to rio Paranaíba basin, Município de Caldas Novas , Corumbaíba , 17°50’51”S, 48°31’54”W, 11 Nov 1996, Nupélia ; NUP 2280, 3, 178.4- 194.6 mm SL, rio Pirapitinga , tributary to rio Corumbá , Município de Caldas Novas , Pires do Rio , 17°43’37”S, 48°32’54”W, 9 Abr 1999, Nupélia ; NUP 2281, 1, 200.8 mm SL, rio Corumbá (Corumbá Reservoir), tributary to rio Paranaíba , Município de Caldas Novas , Ipameri , 17°43’37”S, 48°32’54”W, 9 Apr 1999, Nupélia ; NUP 4042, 1, 141.8 mm SL, rio do Peixe , tributary to rio Corumbá , Município de Caldas Novas , Pires do Rio , 17°34’24”S, 48°29’50”W, 20 May 1996, Nupélia ; NUP 4048, 2, 157.2- 189.3 mm SL, rio Pirapitinga , tributary to rio Corumbá , Município de Caldas Novas , Pires do Rio , 17°43’37”S, 48°32’54”W, 9 Dec 1999, Nupélia ; NUP 4051, 1, 138.3 mm SL, rio Corumbá (Corumbá Reservoir), tributary to rio Paranaíba , Município de Caldas Novas , Ipameri , 17°42’43”S, 48°29’52”W, 25 Dec 1997, Nupélia ; NUP 5623, 5, 138.2- 183.1 mm SL (3, 174.1- 176.6 mm SL), rio Pirapitinga , tributary to rio Corumbá , rio Paranaíba drainage, upper rio Paraná basin, Município de Caldas Novas , 17°43’37”S, 48°32’54”W, 12 Jan 2000, Nupélia ; NUP 5624, 5, 133.2- 207.6 mm SL, rio Pirapitinga , tributary to rio Corumbá , Município de Caldas Novas , Pires do Rio , 17°43’37”S, 48°32’54”W, 25 Jan 1998, Nupélia ; NUP 5625, 4, 138.4- 163.6 mm SL (1, 160.1 mm SL), rio Pirapitinga , tributary to rio Corumbá , Município de Caldas Novas , Pires do Rio , 17°43’37”S, 48°32’54”W, 24 Oct 1997, Nupélia. Non-measured paratypes: Goiás State: NUP 2282, 6, 70.6-192.8 mm SL, rio Corumbá , tributary to rio Paranaíba , Município de Caldas Novas , Pires do Rio , 17°43’37”S, 48°32’54”W, 9 Apr 1999, Nupélia ; NUP 5648, 3, 162.4- 189.4 mm SL, rio Corumbá , tributary to rio Paranaíba , Município de Caldas Novas , Pires do Rio , 17°43’37”S, 48°32’54”W, 20 Sep 1996, Nupélia ; NUP 5650, 1, 146.4 mm SL, rio Corumbá , tributary to rio Paranaíba , Município de Caldas Novas , Pires do Rio , 17°43’37”S, 48°32’54”W, 21 Jun 1997, Nupélia ; NUP 5651, 1, 112.3 mm SL, rio Corumbá , tributary to rio Paranaíba , Município de Caldas Novas , Pires do Rio , 17°43’37”S, 48°32’54”W, 11 Nov 1996. NUP 6049, 5, 36.5-104.0 mm SL, córrego Gameleira , tributary to rio Corumbá , Município de Corumbaíba , 17°59’05”S, 48°29’46”W, 17 Jul 2008, C.H. Zawadzki, B.F. Morales & V. S. Ferreira; NUP 6050, 1, 75.0 mm SL, córrego Libório, tributary to rio Corumbá , Município de Corumbaíba , 17°55’48”S, 48°28’57”W, 17 Jul 2008, C.H. Zawadzki, B.F. Morales & V. S. Ferreira. Minas Gerais State: MZUSP 73222 , 2 , 79.0-84.0 mm SL, rio Piedade (Fazenda Piedade), tributary to rio Grande , Município de Centralina , 18°38’11”S, 49°05’28”W, 2 Aug 2001, P. Gerhard & F.C. T. Lima; MZUSP 73229 , 2 , 226.1 - 236.1 mm SL, rio Piedade (Fazenda Piedade), tributary to rio Grande , Município de Centralina , 18°38’11”S, 49°05’28”W, 3 Aug 2001, P. Gerhard & F.C. T. Lima; NUP 5696, 1, 115.5 mm SL, rio Muzambinho , tributary to rio Grande , Município de Poços de Caldas , 21°44’50”S, 46°28’07”W, 24 Nov 2007, L.H.G. Pereira; NUP 5697, 1, 198.8 mm SL, rio Grande (Funil Reservoir), tributary to upper rio Paraná, Município de Perdões , 21°08’S, 45°01’W, 26 Sep 2002, UFLA collectors .

Diagnosis. Hypostomus heraldoi is distinguished from all congeners, except H. albopunctatus , by having the pectoralfin spine length equal to or smaller than the pelvic-fin spine. From H. albopunctatus , it is distinguished by having roundish dark (vs. pale) spots on body and fins, and generally with more premaxillary teeth, 39-59 per ramus (vs. 32-42; see Table 2).

Description. Counts and measurements in Table 1. Body relatively short with rough plates. Cleithral width greater than head depth. Dorsal profile rising convexly at an angle of approximately 30° from snout tip to dorsal-fin origin, then decreasing linearly to end of caudal peduncle. Head broad and depressed, dorsally covered with dermal ossifications, except for small naked area on snout tip. Anterior profile of snout rounded in dorsal view. Median longitudinal bulge as- slightly convex in frontal view. A pair of weak ridges on dorsociated with mesethmoid usually conspicuous from snout sal surface of head, each one beginning lateral to naris, passtip to transverse line between nares. Eye small (12.0 to 13.7% ing through upper margin of orbit and finishing on central of HL), dorsolaterally placed. Interorbital space straight or portion of pterotic-supracleithrum. Supraoccipital bone without median ridge, and with short and rounded posterior process bordered by partially divided predorsal plate.

Lips small and transversely ellipsoid. Lower lip not reaching transverse line between gill openings, its inner surface covered with numerous small papillae. Maxillary barbel very short, largely coalesced with lower lip but with free tip. Mouth moderate. Teeth medium sized, robust, bicuspid, and curved inward distally; inner cusp with elongated crown, about twice length of lateral cusp. Dentary teeth usually not overlapping medially. Dentary ramus forms angle of approximately 140°.

Five rows of slightly spinulose plates on side of body. Predorsal region and all plates in lateral series usually without conspicuous keels. Dorsal series of plates starting at vertical through dorsal-fin origin. Mid-dorsal series interrupted by first plate of dorsal series. Median series bearing lateral line; interrupted by ventrally oriented expansions of plates in mid-dorsal series in region just below dorsal-fin base. Midventral series without keel or with very weak keel restricted to first three plates. Plates in ventral series weakly angled transversely on caudal peduncle; angle more pronounced posteriorly. Caudal peduncle roughly triangular in cross section.

Ventral surface of head mostly covered with minute platelets except beneath lower lip and along outer edge of upper lip. Abdomen covered with minute platelets, even in smaller specimens, except for small naked areas near pectoral and pelvic-fin insertions and surrounding urogenital opening in some specimens. Preanal plate partially exposed.

Dorsal-fin origin situated two lateral plates anterior to vertical through pelvic-fin origin. Dorsal fin small with flexible spine and seven branched rays; two posteriormost rays touching second plate anterior to azygous pre-adipose plate. Adipose-fin spine well developed in most specimens, straight or slightly curved inward. Pectoral fin with slightly inwardcurved spine and six branched rays; posterior margin straight. Pectoral-fin spine covered with poorly-developed odontodes; odontodes more developed distally in larger specimens. Pectoral fin inserted on same horizontal plane as pelvic fin such that pectoral spine, when adpressed, lies on top of and reaches between basal one-fourth to one-third of pelvic-fin spine. Pelvic fin with flexible and slightly inward-curved spine and five branched rays; distal margin straight. Pelvic-fin spine slightly flattened ventrally; when adpressed, tip reaches to distal one-third of anal-fin spine. Anal fin with flexible spine and four branched rays; spine tip reachs to sixth plate posterior to its origin. Caudal fin slightly forked, with two outer spines and 14 inner branched rays; ventral lobe longer than dorsal lobe.

Color in alcohol. Background color of dorsal and lateral surfaces of head and trunk brown and covered by darker spots. Spots closely to moderately spaced, and slightly faded in some specimens. Dark spots smaller, more compact and numerous on head, becoming slightly larger, and more dispersed posteriorly. Background color of ventral surfaces of head and body lighter than superior portions. Upper lip uniformly dark except for lighter border. Spots on ventral surface of head and body present but vary in conspicuousness among specimens. Ventral spots roundish and isolated in some specimens; spots merged into vermiculations in others. Caudal peduncle region with very faded dark spots ventrally.

Dorsal, pectoral, pelvic and caudal fins with roundish dark spots on spines and rays; spots weakly aligned to form five to seven transverse bands. Dorsal fin sometimes with dark spots merging to form irregular bands on interradial membranes paralleling rays. Adipose fin spotless or with irregular dark spots. Anal fin with dark spots generally merged into two or three transverse bands.

Distribution and habitat. Hypostomus heraldoi is known from the rio Corumbá and rio Grande drainages, upper rio Paraná basin ( Fig. 4 ). The Corumbá Reservoir and its tributary rio Pirapitinga are the main sites where H. heraldoi was collected. The water was turbid, substrates rocky with sand, and riparian vegetation variable and remnant. This species was not found associated with woody debris, and, like H. denticulatus , occurs syntopically with H. ancistroides , H. iheringii, H. margaritifer, H. regani and Hypostomus sp.

Etymology. Hypostomus heraldoi is named in honor of Heraldo Antônio Britski, MZUSP (Museu de Zoologia da Universidade de São Paulo), for his extensive contributions to our knowledge of neotropical fish diversity.

Figures

Fig. 5. Hypostomus heraldoi, holotype, Brazil, Goiás State, Município de Caldas Novas, rio Pirapitinga, MZUSP 98771, 217.9 mm SL. Dorsal, lateral, and ventral views.

Fig. 4. Map of southeastern South America showing geographic distribution and type-locality (numbers) of Hypostomus heraldoi (dots; 1 = rio Pirapitinga), and H. denticulatus (squares; 2 = rio do Peixe).