Cat-eLog Right Auchenipteridae Right Centromochlinae Right Gelanoglanis  |  | 

Down Cat-eLog Data Sheet
Scientific Name Gelanoglanis varii  Calegari & Reis, 2016
Common Name
Type Locality Border between Maranhão and Tocantins States, Tocantins River upstream to the Estreito hydroelectric power plant, Amazon basin, Brazil, 6°30'17"S, 47°25'50"W.
Etymology Gelanoglanis: Greek, gelanes, -es, -es = happy, smiling + Greek, glanis = a fish that can eat the bait without touching the hook; a cat fish. varii: Named after Richard P. Vari, a tribute for his great devotion, fascination and contributions to the study of the Auchenipteridae and other Neotropical fishes, and for his unlimited willingness to help young ichthyologists to develop their careers.
Down Species Information
Identification Diminutive auchenipterid catfishes, distinguished by the following unique combination of characters: Single pair of chin barbels (vs. two pairs); pectoral spine, if present, lacking serrations on anterior margin; posterior nare large and immediately anterior to small eye; oblique, sinuous mouth with free fleshy flange around angle of gape; dorsal, anal, and paired fins short based with few rays; third pectoral-fin radial absent. Other shared traits include: Premaxillary tooth patches laterally oriented and widely separated anteriorly at midline; frontals sutured along midline for entire length; anterior fontanelle absent; vomer absent; mesopterygoid reduced to small round bone; mandibular ramus of lateral-line canal free from dentary.

Key for the species of Gelanoglanis (Calegari, Reis & Vari, 2014; Calegari & Reis, 2017)
1a. Pelvic fin almost reaching to the urogenital opening................ 2
1b. Pelvic fin falling short of the urogenital opening by a distance longer than the anal-fin length................ G. varii
2a. Dorsal and pectoral fins with spine................ 3
2b. Dorsal and pectoral fins lacking spine................ G. nanonocticolus
3a. Adult males with short gonopodium terminating at anal-fin origin; premaxillary teeth occupying two-thirds of length of premaxilla; anterior fontanel absent................ 4
3b. Adult males with long gonopodium extending posteriorly to midlength of base of anal fin; premaxillary teeth restricted to anterior portion of bone, occupying one-half or less of length of premaxilla; anterior fontanel present................ G. pan
4a. Dorsal-fin spine with strong serrae along posterior margin................ G. stroudi
4b. Dorsal-fin spine simple, without serrae along posterior margin................ G. travieso.

Gelanoglanis varii is distinguished from all congeners by the pelvic fin falling short of the urogenital opening by a distance longer than the anal-fin length. Additionally, G. varii lacks a dorsal-fin spinelet; has the first unbranched pectoral and dorsal-fin rays soft; has the adipose fin in adults preceded by a long fleshy tissue ridge, originating close to the end of the dorsal-fin base; and has a shorter maxilla, ending about the middle of the hyomandibula (v. terminating posteriorly forward of the anterior margin or surpassing the middle of operculum).
Sexing Males possess a gonopodium, which is separated from the anal-fin base.
General Remarks In the wild, G. varii were collected in wide, open waters of the middle Tocantins River.
Down Habitat Information
Distribution
Amazon, Lower Amazon, Tocantins, Middle Tocantins (click on these areas to find other species found there)

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IUCN Red List Category Data Deficient, range map and more is available on the IUCN species page. Last assessed 2020.
Down Husbandry Information
Feeding Stomach contents of one wild-caught specimen included dipterans. User data.
Breeding Reports There is no breeding report.
Down Further Information
Reference Journal of Fish Biology v. 90 (no. 5), pp 3 [1704], Figs. 1-3, 4b.
Registered Keepers There is no registered keeper.
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Last Update 2019 Oct 13 08:34 (species record created: 2017 Jul 20 17:18)