Trichomycterus donascimientoi new species

[lfinley58]

Castellanos-Morales, C.A. 2018. A new species of cave catfish, genus Trichomycterus (Siluriformes: Trichomycteridae), from the Magdalena River system, Cordillera Oriental, Colombia. Biota Colombia, Volume 19, Number 1:117-130.

Abstract:
A new species of troglomorphic catfish is described from de Gedania Cave, located in the middle
Suárez River drainage, Magdalena River system, Colombia. The new species can be distinguished
from its congeners by the combination of the following characters: reduction or loss of the cornea,
reduction of eyes and skin pigmentation, very long nasal and maxillary barbels (maximum of 160%
and 135% of HL, respectively), nine branched pectoral-fin rays, first unbranched ray of the pectoral
fin prolonged as a long filament, reaching 80% of pectoral-fin length, anterior cranial fontanel
connected with the posterior fontanel through an opening of variable length and width, first dorsalfin
pterygiophore inserted between neural spines of free vertebra 13-14 and free vertebrae 33-34. The
presence of troglomorphisms such as regression of the eyes, reduction of skin pigmentation and long
barbels suggest the troglobitic status of this species. A comparative analysis with other species of
Trichomycterus from epigean and hypogean environments is presented.

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http://revistas.humboldt.org.co/index.p ... e/view/533