M. iheringi

[The.Dark.One]

Thanks Shane

This is where Mees discusses (and figures) the ID of Colombian 'iheringi' though I don't think this is the last word on the subject:

http://www.repository.naturalis.nl/document/149895

[Shane]

Looks like I'll have time to find the paper in the morning. Got the airport tonight and they informed me that the Brussels to Luanda fight was cancelled until the 9th. It was either have a four day layover in Brussels... or just turn around and come come.
-Shane

[Shane]

Did a good search of my paper holdings and came to two conclusions, 1) I can't locate the paper I was thinking of and 2) My paper holdings are a complete mess.

What literature I did find, mostly river system surveys, were all over the place. They either claim that M. iheringi is restricted to the Lake Valencia system or is widely spread through the llanos (Orinoco feeders). I can state from my own collections that it also occurs in the Rio Tuy system, but could not find this published anywhere. It really should not be a suprise though as probably 80% or more of the fish fauna is shared between the two drainages. My understanding is that they were connected even in historic times.

I do not think we will get any clarity on this until someone surveys these fish and sorts them all out.
-Shane

[The.Dark.One]

Hi Shane

Yes, I agree. Someone needs to do a paper on the northern species and sort it out.
Steve

[Jools]

Key to the species of

Microglanis

from the rio Amazon basin from "Two new species of Microglanis (Siluriformes: Pseudopimelodidae) from the upper-middle rio Araguaia basin, Central Brazil", William Benedito Gotto Ruiz; Oscar Akio Shibatta

1. Absence of light transverse band on nape; presence of melanophores surrounding the neuromasts of superficial lines, forming series of black dots ....................................... 2
1'. Presence of a light transverse band on nape; absence of melanophores surrounding the neuromasts of superficial lines .......................................................................................... 3
2. Dark brown trunk with light brown stripes imparting a ground color similar to tree bark; absence of light marks on nape; snout length 11.4-12.9% SL ........

Microglanis xylographicus

2'. Light brown trunk with dark brown saddles below dorsal and adipose fins; light cordiform blotch on nape; snout length 9.1-10.7% SL ..............................

Microglanis robustus

3. Very wide dark-brown stripes on fins ................... ......................................................

Microglanis pellopterygius

3'. Dark brown stripes on fins absent or narrow ..................... 4

4. Lateral line long, reaching the vertical line through middle of adipose fin; number of pores 14-20 ........................ ..................................................................

Microglanis iheringi

4'. Lateral line short, not reaching the vertical line through middle of adipose fin; number of pores 3-9 ......................... 5
5. Tip of pectoral-fin spine bifurcated ...................... ...............................................................

Microglanis secundus

5'. Tip of pectoral-fin spine undivided ................................... 6
6. Caudal fin rounded; all anterior serrae of the pectoral spine retrorse, except the last antrorse ...........

Microglanis zonatus

6'. Caudal fin slightly bilobed; upper lobe of caudal fin more developed than lower lobe; anterior serrae of pectoral-fin spine antrorse and retrorse, with a single Y-shaped serration in between ............................................................ 7
7. Lateral line reaching the vertical through middle of dorsal-fin base; 5-7 total gill rakers in the first branchial arch; 6 pleural ribs; i,12,i caudal-fin rays ........................... .................................................................

Microglanis poecilus

7'. Lateral line reaching the vertical through base of dorsal-fin spine; 3-6 total gill rakers in the first branchial arch; 4-5 pleural ribs; i,10,i or i,11,i caudal-fin rays ..................... .................................................................

Microglanis oliveirai

And today I learnt that cordiform means heart-shaped!

Jools