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Mark Henry Sabaj (2)

Description: Pseudobunocephalus timbira, new species, is described from streams of the lower Tocantins and the Mearim river drainages, in North and Northeast of Brazil, and can be distinguished from all congeners by having the second hypobranchial and the third basibranchial cartilaginous (vs. ossified). Additionally, it can be dintinguished from P. lundbergi by the following putative apomorphic features within Pseudobunocephalus: posterolateral process of premaxilla present (vs. absent); bony knobs in dorsal lamina of Weberian apparatus absent (vs. present); distal end of posterior margin of 5th parapophysis not enlarged (vs. enlarged); number of ribs three (vs. four or five) and infraorbital sensory canal entering neurocranium via frontal (vs. via sphenotic). It is distinguished from P. bifidus and P. iheringii by having a gracile body not surpassing 34 mm SL (vs. robust body, reaching up to 59 mm SL, respectively); by having the posterior margin of cranial fontanel concave (vs. posterior margin somewhat straight with parieto-supraoccipital extending anteriorly); by having a conspicuous knobby ornamentation on dorsal surface of skull (vs. skull knobs slightly pronounced); by having Weberian ventral blade of hemal canal opened (vs. closed) and by the absence of serrations on the proximal portion of the anterior margin of pectoral-fin spine (vs. serrations covering entire anterior margin of the pectoral spine). Additionally, it can be distinguished from P. amazonicus, P. rugosus and P. quadriradiatus, by having the posterolateral mental barbel with at least one fleshy lobe located proximally along the posterior margin (vs. posterolateral mental barbel simple, not having fleshy lobes). It also differs from P. amazonicus and P. rugosus by having five branchiostegal rays (vs. four). It also can be distinguished from P. amazonicus by having the contact of hyomandibula cartilage with neurocranium limited to the sphenotic (vs. extending to both sphenotic and pterotic); by having the ventral blade of Weberian apparatus open (vs. closed) and by anterior exit of hemal canal in abdominal vertebra (vs. in complex vertebra); from P. rugosus by colouration of proximal portion of caudal fin similar to rest of caudal fin (vs. clear patch) and from P. quadriradiatus by the total number of pectoral fin-rays six (vs. five). Variable characteristics within Pseudobunocephalus species are summarised and comments on the phylogenetic relationships and the disjunct distribution of the new species are made (Leão et.al.). Aquarium Care: Small species that can probably be kept as per other members of this family with a quite tank with sand and plants. Diet: Tablet foods and small live foods. Etymology: The genus name is a combination of the Greek word pseudes, meaning false or deceptive, plus the aspredinid genus Bunocephalus. It alludes to the fact that members of this new genus have previously been mistaken for juveniles of various species of Bunocephalus. The specific name timbira: named for the Timbira indigenous groups who live in the area (lower Tocantins and Mearim river basins in Maranhão, Pará and Tocantins states, Brazil) where this catfish occurs.

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Aspredinidae

South America: Lower Tocantins and the Mearim river drainages, in North and Northeast of Brazil. Type Locality: Jundiá Creek, Mearim River basin, Alto Alegre do Pindaré, Maranhão, Brazil, 3°39'14"S, 45°42'19"W.

6.0cm. (2½ins)

24-28°c (75-83°f.)

Friel, J.P. 2008 Pseudobunocephalus, a new genus of banjo catfish with the description of a new species from the Orinoco River system of Colombia and Venezuela (Siluriformes: Aspredinidae). Neotropical Ichthyology 6(3):293-300.
Leão, Carvalho, Reis & Wosiacki. A new species of Pseudobunocephalus Friel, 2008 (Siluriformes: Aspredinidae) from the lower Tocantins and Mearim river drainages, North and Northeast of Brazil. Zootaxa 4586 (1): 109–126.
The ETYFish Project Fish Name Etymology Database © Christopher Scharpf.