Redescription of Pterygoplichthys punctatus and description of a new species of Pterygoplichthys (Siluriformes: Loricariidae)

Abstract

Pterygoplichthys punctatus and P. weberi, new species, are unique among hypostomines in having a medially divided buccal papilla. The two species can be separated from one another by color (small spots in P. punctatus, large in P. weberi), condition of the buccal papilla (deeply divided at all ages in P. punctatus vs. shallowly divided in adults of P. weberi), condition of the lateral keel odontodes (fairly short and directed posteriorly in P. punctatus vs. large and directed almost laterally in P. weberi), and body width (SL/cleithral width 3.6-4.0 in P. punctatus vs. 3.3-3.4 in P. weberi). Pterygoplichthys punctatus is known from the rio Madeira drainage and the rio Urubu of Brazil and has published, but unconfirmed localities in the rio Purus and rio Tocantins basin, and P. weberi is known from the Río Marañon, Río Ucayali, and upper Río Amazonas drainages of Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru. Copyright © 2006 Sociedade Brasileira de Ictiologia.