Hypostomus leucophaeus Zanata & Pitanga, 2016

Family:  Loricariidae (Armored catfishes), subfamily: Hypostominae
Max. size:  15.82 cm SL (male/unsexed)
Environment:  benthopelagic; freshwater
Distribution:  South America: Rio Itapicuru basin in Bahia State, Brazil.
Diagnosis:  Dorsal spines (total): 2-2; Dorsal soft rays (total): 7-7; Anal spines: 1-1; Anal soft rays: 3-4; Vertebrae: 31-31. Hypostomus leucophaeus can be differentiated from most congeners by having the lower caudal-fin lobe distinctly longer than the upper lobe, presence of a roughly triangular patch of platelets on ventral surface of body, and absence of conspicuous dark spots on posterior half of body. It is distinguished from congeners from northeastern coastal Brazilian drainages and the rio São Francisco basin by having the anterior portion of the abdomen completely plated and the posterior portion plated only on a narrow median line, leaving large lateral areas naked, dark spots on anterior portion of trunk similar in size or slightly larger than those on head, absence of conspicuous spots on posterior half of trunk and caudal fin, and absence of keels on head and trunk (Ref. 110236).
Biology:  Collected from the rio Itapicuru and its tributaries, in stretches of up to 50 m wide and 1.8 m deep, with rocky bottom, usually clear water, moderate to fast water current, and at altitudes ranging from 38 to 449 meters above sea level (Ref. 110236).
IUCN Red List Status: Not Evaluated (N.E.) Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless


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