Trichomycterus maculosus Barbosa & Costa, 2010

Family:  Trichomycteridae (Pencil or parasitic catfishes), subfamily: Trichomycterinae
Max. size:  7.69 cm SL (male/unsexed)
Environment:  demersal; freshwater
Distribution:  South America: Upper rio do Peixe drainage, serra da Mantiqueira, upper rio ParaĆ­ba do Sul basin in southeastern Brazil.
Diagnosis:  Dorsal soft rays (total): 11-12; Anal soft rays: 10-10; Vertebrae: 36-37. Closely related to Trichomycterus itatiayae, Trichomycterus nigroauratus and Trichomycterus diabolus, and can be diagnosed from all its congeners from southeastern Brazil by having a broad metapterygoid. Distinguished from these three species by having 45-52 interopercular odontodes; differs from Trichomycterus itatiayae and Trichomycterus diabolus by having seven branchiostegal rays, and 17 to 18 opercular odontodes. Differs further from Trichomycterus itatiayae by the possession of eight pectoral-fin rays, ten anal-fin rays, origin of anal fin in the vertical through the posterior portion of the dorsal-fin base, opercular and interopercular odontodes conical, caudal-fin subtruncate, and color pattern with dark gray row of blotches horizontally elongated along lateral midline of body; from Trichomycterus nigroauratus by having more slender head (head depth 34.9-44.5% of head length vs. 44.8-50.8%), narrower caudal peduncle (caudal peduncle width 1.8-2.4% SL vs. 2.4-3.3%), color pattern showing a dark gray row of blotches horizontally elongated along lateral midline of body and by the absence of golden stripes on the flank; from Trichomycterus diabolus by having caudal fin subtruncate, absence of osseous articulation between metapterygoid and quadrate, presence of filament on pectoral fin and absence of unpigmented zone on proximal region of caudal fin (Ref. 86272).
Biology:  Occurs in stream with clear water, rapid flow and green color. Observed active during the day in shallow places (10-50 cm depth) along the margins, on gravel substrate (Ref. 86272).
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 07 November 2018 Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless


Source and more info: www.fishbase.org. For personal, classroom, and other internal use only. Not for publication.