Acanthobunocephalus scruggsi new species (Aspredinidae)

[lfinley58]

Tiago P. Carvalho and Roberto E. Reis, 2020. A New Miniature Species of Acanthobunocephalus (Silurifomes: Aspredinidae) from the Lower Purus River Basin, Amazon Basin, Brazil. Copeia108, Number 2: 347-357.

A second species of Acanthobunocephalus is described from tributaries of the lower Purus River in the Amazon Basin,Brazil. Acanthobunocephalus scruggsi, new species, is distinguished from all other aspredinid species by its reduced number of fin rays: four pectoral-fin rays (vs. five or more), two dorsal-fin rays (vs. three or more, except Amaralia hypsiura), five pelvic-fin rays (vs. six), four to five anal-fin rays (vs. six or more, except Bunocephalus verrucosus), and nine caudal-fin rays (vs. 10, except Hoplomyzontinae, Amaralia, Platystacus, Bunocephalus chamaizelus, and Bunocephalus minerim). Osteological aspects of the new species of Acanthobunocephalus are described using cleared and stained specimens and high-resolution x-ray computed tomography (HRXCT), and compared with Acanthobunocephalus nicoi and other aspredinids. Generic assignment is based on putative apomorphic shared features and a morphological diagnosis for Acanthobunocephalus is presented.

[Dave Rinaldo]

Named for Earl Scruggs (1924–2012) who was a banjo player!

[bekateen]

Acanthobunocephalus scruggsi

https://doi.org/10.1643/CI-19-309

https://bioone.org/journals/Copeia/volu ... -309.short

[lfinley58]

Thank you gentlemen for the additions!
Lee

[lfinley58]

Hi all.
There have been some discussions regarding the species name for this fish (Huh?). So to flesh it out, I below offer up the etymology as noted in the paper.

"Etymology.—Acanthobunocephalus scruggsi in named after Earl Scruggs, a prominent American banjo player known for popularizing a three-finger banjo picking style, also known as‘‘Scruggs style", which is characteristic of bluegrass music. The name of the species also makes an allusion to the common name given to aspredinid species in general (banjo catfishes), and the remarkable resemblance of the new species with this musical instrument."

You may not know of Earl, but you might very well know what is probably his most famous piece of music - "Dueling Banjos". With just about everyone still in at least semi-inside mode it might be a good time to watch the movie Deliverance again...or for the first time if you haven't seen it.

Lee