Cat-eLog Right Loricariidae Right Hypoptopomatinae Right Parotocinclus  |  | 

Down Cat-eLog Data Sheet
Scientific Name Parotocinclus bahiensis  (Miranda Ribeiro, 1918)
Common Names Bahia Oto
Bahia-dværgsugemalle (Denmark)
Type Locality Rio Itapicuru, on Federal highway BR 407, 8 kilometers north of Senhor do Bonfim to Juazeiro, Bahia State, Brazil, 40°11'01"W, 10°24'49"S.
Synonym(s) Microlepidogaster bahiensis
Pronunciation parr auto SINK luss - baa he en siss
Etymology Parotocinclus: Greek, para in the side of + greek, ous, otis = ear + Greek, kygklos, ou = a fish. bahiensis: Refers to the state of Bahia in Brazil where the fish was found.
Down Species Information
Size 31mm or 1.2" SL. Find near, nearer or same sized spp.
Identification The genus Parotocinclus can readily be distinguished from Otocinclus by the presence of an adipose fin in the former.

Parotocinclus bahiensis can be diagnosed from the other species of the genus, except P. arandai, P. cearensis, P. cesarpintoi, P. jumbo, P. minutus, P. prata, P. spilosoma, P. aff. prata, Parotocinclus sp. 1 and Parotocinclus sp. 2, as it presents bare areas in the belly (vs. having the belly entirely covered with plaques). Parotocinclus bahiensis can be differentiated from P. spilosoma for having the lower portion of the caudal peduncle rounded (vs. flat) and for P. cearensis for having the scapular waist almost completely exposed (vs. the scapular belt exposed only laterally). Parotocinclus bahiensis differs from P. cesarpintoi in the presence of odontodes on the anterior margin of the snout larger than those located in the dorsal region (vs. odontodes on the anterior margin of the muzzle similar in size and shape to those located in the dorsal region) and from P. minutus for having a higher number of median plaques (25-27 vs. 21-22). Parotocinclus bahiensis is distinguished from P. arandai by the absence of a tuft of hypertrophied odontodes in the supraoccipital (vs. presence of a tuft of hypertrophied odontodes in the supraoccipital) and P. jumbo by the presence of an anal plaque (vs. absence of an anal plaque anal). Parotocinclus bahiensis differs from P. prata and P. aff. prata due to the presence in the belly of 5-7 series of large lateral plates and small plates in the center, leaving ample bare areas between them (vs. total absence of plates in the belly). Parotocinclus bahiensis also differs from Parotocinclus sp. 2 for having the muzzle with a strongly curved anterior margin (vs. the anterior muzzle margin without pronounced ventral curvature) and Parotocinclus sp.1 for the presence in the belly of 5-7 large lateral plates and small plates in the center, leaving a wide bare area between them (vs. a belly covered with large plaques, leaving only a small bare area in the central region after the coracoid) and the presence of an adipose fin in all specimens (vs. occasional reduction or even absence of adipose fin). Note: References here to Parotocinclus sp.`1` and Parotocinclus sp.`2` do not appear to be the same fish as so-named on PlanetCatfish. Rather, those designations refer to two undescribed Parotocinclus shown in B.R. Pitanga’s 2012 monograph on the Parotocinclus of Bahia state..
Sexing According to the redescription of the species by Britski & Garavello (2009), male Parotocinculs bahiensis can be distinguished by having pelvic fins that extend beyond the origin of the anal fin and by the development of a skin flap along the dorsal portion of the first pelvic fin radius. In females, the tips of the pelvic fins do not reach the origin of the anal fin and there is no skin flap in the first ray of the pelvic fin. However, Pitanga (2012) said these distinctions are not always evident.
Down Habitat Information
Distribution South America: Bahia, Brazil.
Bahia State Rivers (click on these areas to find other species found there)

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IUCN Red List Category
Least Concern
, range map and more is available on the IUCN species page. Last assessed 2018.
Down Husbandry Information
Breeding Reports There is no breeding report.
Down Further Information
Reference Revista do Museu Paulista v. 10, pp 635 [7].
Registered Keepers There are 4 registered keepers, view all "my cats" data.
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Last Update 2023 Aug 12 05:16 (species record created: 2013 Aug 28 13:26)