Three new species of Neoplecostomus (Teleostei: Siluriformes: Loricariidae) from the Upper Rio Parana basin of southeastern Brazil

In this study, we describe three new species of the genus Neoplecostomus: N. bandeirante, from Salesopolis in the state of São Paulo, N. langeanii from Muzambinho, in the state of Minas Gerais, and N. botucatu from Botucatu, in the state of São Paulo. All of the described species are found in the Upper Rio Parana basin. The new species are different from each other and from their nominal congeners in their mitochondrial DNA sequences (COI), morphology and meristic traits, in addition to their color patterns. Morphologically, N. bandeirante can be distinguished from all congeners by the presence of moderate keels throughout the lateral series of plates and by a naked area between each mid-ventral and ventral plate that is greater in size than the length of these plates. Neoplecostomus botucatu is morphologically distinguished by a reduction of the adipose fin and the presence of dark spots that are distributed along the body. Neoplecostomus langeanii can be morphologically distinguished by the absence of hypertrophied odontodes and a swollen integument on the head, as well as by morphometric characteristics.Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq

Neoplecostomus bandeirante Roxo, Oliveira & Zawadzki, 2012, new species

Neoplecostomus bandeirante, new species Figure 1, Table 1. Neoplecostomus sp. 1. Reusing et al. (2011): 497 [photo; Figure 1 a compares this species with Neoplecostomus sp. 2] Holotype: MZUSP 110363 (1 male, 109.9 mm SL), Brazil, São Paulo state, municipality of Salesópolis, Rio Paraitinguinha, Rio Tietê basin, 23 ° 31 ’ 25 ”S 43 ° 53 ’ 22 ”W, 14 Sep 2006, R. Devidé, J.C.P. Alves, L.R. Paiva. Paratypes: All paratypes are from São Paulo state in Brazil, in the municipality of Salesópolis, Rio Paraitinguinha, Rio Tietê basin. DZSJRP 14881 (2 males, 92.1–95.4 mm SL) collected with holotype. LBP 2861 (8 males, 82.2–106.4 mm SL; 16 unsexed, not measured) 23 ° 31 ’ 37 ”S 45 ° 45 ’ 53 ”W, 20 May 2005, E.R.M. Martinez et al. (GenBank numbers GQ 214793 to GQ 214796, and FJ 434534). LBP 3578 (1 female, 41.3 mm SL; 1 unsexed, not measured), 23 ° 30 ’ 40 ”S 45 ° 51 ’ 32 ”W, 21 Jul 2008, R. Devidé et al. LBP 3921 (3 males, 58.7–94.9 mm SL; 2 females, 59.0– 82.5 mm SL; 5 unsexed, not measured), 23 ° 31 ’ 25 ”S 43 ° 53 ’ 22 ”W, 14 Sep 2006, R. Devidé et al. LBP 4993 (2 females, 40.8–74.3 mm SL; 1 unsexed, not measured), 23 ° 30 ’ 40 ”S 45 ° 51 ’ 32 ”W, R. Devidé et al. MZUSP 59117 (1 male, 46.1 mm SL; 1 female, 56.0 mm SL), 23 ° 31 ’ 37 ”S 45 ° 45 ’ 52 ”W, 17 Dec 1999, L.R. Malabarba et al. MZUSP 59118 (1 female, 58.2 mm SL), 23 ° 35 ’02”S 45 ° 46 ’ 43 ”W, 17 Dec 1999, L.R. Malabarba et al. MZUSP 59139 (1 unsexed, not measured), 23 ° 31 ’ 37 ”S 45 ° 45 ’ 52 ”W, 17 Dec 1999, L.R. Malabarba et al. MZUSP 87141 (6 unsexed, not measured), coordinates unknown, 15 May 1999, M.R. Britto et al. NUP 6103 (1 male, 101.7 mm SL; 1 female, 74.3 mm SL; 18 unsexed, not measured); 23 ° 30 ’ 40 ”S 45 ° 51 ’ 32 ”W, 21 Jul 2008, R. Devidé. Diagnosis: Neoplecostomus bandeirante differs from all other congeners by the presence of moderate keels along each lateral series of plates (vs. keels absent in all series of plates, see Figure 2), and by first plates in the mid-ventral series that are smaller in length than the area surrounding each plate (vs. greater, see Figure 3). These characteristics are more evident in mature males. Additionally, N. bandeirante differs from all other congeners, except N. selenae and N. yapo, due to the presence of odontodes along the snout margin and the ridge over the eyes that are slightly larger than the remaining odontodes on the head (vs. odontodes along the snout margin and ridge over eyes similar in length to the remaining odontodes on the head). Neoplecostomus bandeirante differs from N. selenae and N. yapo by the absence of a swollen integument around the enlarged odontodes on the snout margin and the ridge over the eyes in mature males (vs. presence of swollen integument around the enlarged odontodes on the snout margin and ridge over eyes in mature males). Description: The counts and measurements are presented in Table 1. Body elongated and depressed; greatest width at cleithrum, narrowing to caudal peduncle. Dorsal body profile gently convex, elevating from snout tip to dorsal-fin origin and descending to first procurrent caudal-fin ray; greatest body depth at dorsal-fin origin. Trunk and caudal peduncle dorsally rounded in cross-section; body ventrally flattened to anal-fin origin, flattened to slightly rounded to caudal fin. Dorsal body surface completely covered by dermal plates, except for naked area around dorsal-fin base. Snout tip with small naked area. Ventral head surface naked except for plated area bearing odontodes in front of gill openings; abdomen with conspicuous, small dermal platelets between insertions of pectoral and pelvic fins, forming thoracic shield surrounded by naked areas. Head wide and depressed; head and snout rounded in dorsal view; interorbital space straight to slightly concave in frontal view; median ridge formed by mesethmoid rising from snout tip to area between nares, more evident in larger specimens; pronounced ridge from nares to superior margin of orbit. Snout convex in lateral profile; moderately enlarged odontodes and slightly swollen skin along lateral margins of snout, more evident in mature males. Eye moderately small (6.7–10.8 mm of HL), dorsolaterally placed. Lips well developed and rounded; lower lip far from reaching pectoral girdle and covered with papillae, wider anteriorly; two to three irregular and conspicuous rows of large and transversally flattened papillae, just posterior to dentary teeth; posterior row of papillae distributed along entire dentary ramus. Maxillary barbel short, coalesced, usually its tip not free from lower lip. Teeth long, slender and bicuspid; mesial cusp longer than lateral; dentary ramus forming an angle of approximately 125–130 º. Dorsal-fin origin slightly posterior to vertical passing through pelvic-fin origin; nuchal plate not covered by skin; dorsal-fin spinelet half-moon shaped and slightly wider than dorsal-fin spine base; dorsal-fin locking mechanism absent; dorsal fin with one flexible spine followed by seven branched rays; its posterior margin slightly rounded, not reaching the end of pelvic-fin rays when adpressed. Well-developed and always present adipose fin, preceded by azygous plate. Pectoral fin with one spine and six branched rays; spine depressed and curved inward (more pronounced in larger specimens), shorter than longest branched ray; posterior margin slightly concave, reaching half pelvic-fin ray length when adpressed. Pelvic fin with one unbranched ray and five branched rays; posterior margin nearly straight, reaching anal-fin insertion in most of the specimens when adpressed; pelvic-fin unbranched ray ventrally flattened, with dermal flap on its dorsal surface in males. Anal fin with one flexible unbranched ray and five branched rays; posterior margin nearly straight. Caudal fin furcate; lower lobe longer than upper; 14 branched rays. Pectoral spine and unbranched pelvic-fin rays with odontodes on lateral and ventral portions; anal-fin unbranched ray with odontodes only ventrally. Color in alcohol: Ground color of dorsal surface of head and body grayish; head, dorsum, flanks and fins covered by some inconspicuous lighter dots of variable sizes. Dorsal color pattern, even in mature larger individuals, retains the generic juvenile color pattern of five transverse dark bands: the first through supraoccipital, the second anterior to dorsal fin, the third posterior to dorsal fin, the fourth at adipose fin, and the last at caudal-peduncle posterior portion. Head usually with two light, short and parallel lines anterior to nares, bordering the naked area on snout tip; a pale spot on naked area of snout tip. Orbital margin slightly lighter, mainly on its superior portion; small pale spot on interorbital space, inconspicuous in some specimens. Lateral portion of body with an upper darker region and a lower lighter one, just below lateral line, not easily visualized in large specimens. Dorsal fin with irregular series of dark spots on rays. Caudal fin irregularly dark at base and distal portion of rays, leaving two lighter areas on median portion and rays tips, in some specimens. Pectoral, pelvic, anal and adipose fins with dark dots forming irregular bands usually diffuse. Ventral surface of head and abdomen mostly unpigmented, except lateral margins of body and from pelvic fin to caudal-fin base. Upper lip dark brown, except for its light narrow margin. Sexual dimorphism: Males bear a papilla in the urogenital opening, and a membrane along dorsal portion of the unbranched pelvic-fin ray (Figure 4). These characters were observed in nominal Neoplecostomus species and in the three new species described herein. Males seem to reach a greater length as seen in the paratypes, and odontodes on head seem to be slightly more evident on larger mature males. Distribution: The species is found only in the type-locality of Rio Paraitinguinha, Rio Tietê basin, in the municipality of Salesópolis, São Paulo state, Brazil (Figure 5). Etymology: This species was named bandeirante in honor of the early explorers of São Paulo, who, from the beginning of the 16 th to the 18 th centuries, ventured into the unmapped interior of Brazil in excursions named “bandeiras”. The purpose of the excursions was to hunt for indigenous people and submit them to enslavement and to search for mineral wealth, such as silver, gold, and diamonds. Despite playing an apparent negative role in history, their work was essential for the establishment of new cities and for the geographic demarcation of the Brazilian territory. A noun in apposition.Published as part of Roxo, Fábio F., Oliveira, Claudio & Zawadzki, Cláudio H., 2012, Three new species of Neoplecostomus (Teleostei: Siluriformes: Loricariidae) from the Upper Rio Paraná basin of southeastern Brazil, pp. 1-21 in Zootaxa 3233 on pages 4-8, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.28038

Neoplecostomus langeanii Roxo, Oliveira & Zawadzki, 2012, new species

Neoplecostomus langeanii, new species Figure 8, Table 1. Neoplecostomus sp. 2. Reusing et al. (2011): 497 [photo; Figure 1 b compares this species with Neoplecostomus sp. 1] Holotype: MZUSP 110365 (1 male, 85.5 mm SL), Brazil, Minas Gerais state, municipality of Muzambinho, Rio São Domingos, tributary of Rio Muzambinho, Rio Grande basin, 21 ° 23 ’ 22 ”S 46 ° 28 ’ 40 ”W, 7 Jan 2008, F. F. Roxo, J. M. Henriques, G. J. Costa e Silva, L. H. G. Pereira. Paratypes: All paratypes are from Minas Gerais state in Brazil, in the municipality of Muzambinho, Rio Muzambinho, Rio Grande basin. DZSJRP 14882 (6 females, 44.8–63.9 mm SL) 21 ° 19 ’ 36 ”S 46 ° 27 ’ 27 ”W, 10 Jan 2008, F. F. Roxo et al. DZSJRP 14880 (2 males, 69.0– 70.6 mm SL) 21 ° 23 ’ 22 ”S 46 ° 28 ’ 40 ”W, 7 Jan 2008, F. F. Roxo et al. LBP 5870 (17 unsexed, 33.4–63.3 mm SL); 21 ° 20 ’ 47 ”S 46 ° 28 ’08”W, 9 Jan 2008, F. F. Roxo et al. LBP 5873 (1 unsexed, 37.9 mm SL); 21 ° 19 ’ 36 ”S 46 ° 27 ’ 27 ”W, 9 Jan 2008, F. F. Roxo et al. LBP 5878 (2 males, 53.1– 84.5 mm SL; 7 females, 48.6–70.7 mm SL); 21 ° 23 ’ 53 ”S 46 ° 28 ’ 45 ”W, 9 Jan 2008, F. F. Roxo et al. LBP 5886 (3 males, 52.9–58.9 mm SL; 7 females, 39.0– 64.7 mm SL; 11 unsexed, not measured); 21 ° 18 ’08”S 46 ° 28 ’ 33 ”W, 9 Jan 2008, F. F. Roxo et al. LBP 5901 (2 males, 61.3 –65.0 mm SL; 1 male, not measured; 5 females, 54.2–62.9 mm SL; 4 females, not measured); 21 ° 17 ’ 37 ”S 46 ° 29 ’06”W, 11 Jan 2008, F. F. Roxo et al. (GenBank numbers GQ 214799 and GQ 214800). LBP 5915 (1 male, 68.3 mm SL, 1 unsexed, not measured); 21 ° 21 ’ 33 ”S 46 ° 28 ’ 32 ”W, 8 Jan 2008, F. F. Roxo et al. LBP 5926 (1 male, 89.2 mm SL; 3 females, 34.6–64.5 mm SL); 21 ° 19 ’ 59 ”S 46 ° 27 ’ 24 ”W, 10 Jan 2008, F. F. Roxo et al. LBP 5931 (4 males, 51.8–69.6 mm SL; 7 females, 48.4–62.8 mm SL; 8 unsexed, not measured); 21 ° 23 ’ 22 ”S 46 ° 28 ’ 40 ”W, 7 Jan 2008, F. F. Roxo et al. LBP 5942 (1 female, 40.9 mm SL), 21 ° 22 ’ 48 ”S 46 ° 28 ’ 29 ”W, 8 Jan 2008, F. F. Roxo et al. LBP 5947 (2 males, 71.6–73.5 mm SL; 6 females, 56.6–67.6 mm SL; 27 unsexed, not measured); 21 ° 19 ’ 36 ”S 46 ° 27 ’ 27 ”W, 10 Jan 2008, F. F. Roxo et al. LBP 5961 (10 females, 37.5– 46.3 mm SL; 6 unsexed, not measured); 21 ° 22 ’ 48 ”S 46 ° 28 ’ 29 ”W, 8 Jan 2008, F. F. Roxo et al. LBP 6142 (2 males, 42.2–45.7 mm SL; 7 females, 38.1–49.2 mm SL); 21 ° 24 ’ 12 ”S 46 ° 34 ’ 33 ”W, 15 Apr 2008, F. F. Roxo et al. LBP 6150 (2 males, 43.0– 60.5 mm SL; 2 females, 41.0– 43.2 mm SL), 21 ° 22 ’ 43 ”S 46 ° 33 ’ 21 ”W, 15 Apr 2008, F. F. Roxo et al. LBP 6155 (11 unsexed, not measured); 21 ° 23 ’ 49 ”S 46 ° 33 ’ 17 ”W, 15 Apr 2008, F. F. Roxo et al. LBP 6160 (3 unsexed, not measured) 21 ° 23 ’04”S 46 ° 32 ’ 22 ”W, 16 Apr 2008, F. F. Roxo et al. LBP 6173 (5 females, 39.7 –47.0 mm SL); 21 ° 21 ’ 41 ”S 46 ° 34 ’ 36 ”W, 16 Apr 2008, F. F. Roxo et al. (GenBank number GQ 214801). LBP 6179 (4 males, not measured; 1 female, not measured; 5 unsexed, not measured); 21 ° 21 ’ 40 ”S 46 ° 33 ’ 22 ”W, 16 Apr 2008, F. F. Roxo et al. LBP 6183 (1 male, 44.4 mm SL); 21 ° 22 ’ 13 ”S 46 ° 32 ’ 11 ”W, 16 Apr 2008, F. F. Roxo et al. LBP 6195 (1 male, 68.0 mm SL; 5 females, 35.1 –68.0 mm SL; 1 unsexed, not measured), 21 ° 22 ’ 15 ”S 46 ° 32 ’ 35 ”W, 18 Apr 2008, F. F. Roxo et al. (GenBank numbers GQ 214797 and GQ 214798). LBP 6210 (1 unsexed, not measured). 21 º 23 ’ 31 ”S 46 º 30 ’ 11 ”W, 18 Apr 2008, F. F. Roxo et al. LBP 6244 (3 males, 68.7 –79.0 mm SL); 21 ° 19 ’ 44 ”S 46 ° 30 ’04”W, 19 Apr 2008, F. F. Roxo et al. MZUSP 110361 (1 male, 83.4 mm SL); 21 ° 17 ’ 37 ”S 46 ° 29 ’06”W, 11 Jan 2008, F. F. Roxo et al. MZUSP 110360 (1 male, 54.0 mm SL; 5 females, 46.0– 55.5 mm SL); 21 ° 19 ’ 36 ”S 46 ° 27 ’ 27 ”W, 10 Jan 2008, F. F. Roxo et al. NUP 6102 (2 males, not measured; 5 females, not measured) 21 ° 20 ’ 47 ”S 46 ° 28 ’08”W, 9 Mar 2008, F. F. Roxo et al. NUP 11988 (1 male, 85.5 mm SL) 21 º 17 ’ 37 ”S 46 º 29 ’06”W, 11 Jan 2008, F. F. Roxo et al. Diagnosis: Neoplecostomus langeanii differs from N. bandeirante by the absence of keels along each lateral series of plates (vs. presence of moderate keels). Neoplecostomus langeanii differs from N. botucatu and N. paranensis, by having a well-developed adipose fin (vs. adipose fin reduced or absent). Neoplecostomus langeanii differs from N. franciscoensis and N. ribeirensis, by having a dorsal-fin spinelet larger than dorsal-fin spine (vs. dorsal-fin spinelet absent to vestigial and more slender than dorsal-fin spine). Neoplecostomus langeanii differs from N. granosus, N. microps, and N. variipictus by the presence of five conspicuous dark bands on dorsum and lacking evident dark spots (vs. conspicuous dark spots all over body and fins and dorsal bands not evident) characteristics that are more evident in mature adults. Neoplecostomus langeanii is distinguished from N. selenae by lacking enlarged odontodes and a distinct, swollen integument along lateral margins of snout and along ridges anterior to eyes (vs. having enlarged odontodes and distinct swollen integument along lateral margins of snout and along ridges anterior to eyes). Neoplecostomus langeanii is distinguished from N. corumba by having smaller orbital diameter 8.3- 11.4 % in head length, 12.9–18.5 % in snout length, and 27.0– 35.7 % in interorbital length (vs. 12.2–13.05 %, 18.4– 20.1 %, and 36.7–41.5 %, respectively); from N. yapo, by having a smaller interdorsal length, ranging from 14.8– 19.5 % in SL (vs. 20.7 –23.0%), greater caudal peduncle depth 19.8 –29.0% in caudal peduncle length (vs. 17.6– 19.6 %), smaller orbital diameter 8.3–11.4 % in head length (vs. 11.9–21.4 %); from N. espiritosantensis, by having greater cleithral width 25.6 –30.0% in SL (vs. 19.0–21.0%). Description: Counts and measurements are presented in Table 1. Body elongated and depressed; greatest width at cleithrum, narrowing to caudal peduncle. Dorsal body profile gently convex, elevating from snout tip to dorsal-fin origin and descending to first caudal-fin procurrent ray. Greatest body depth at dorsal-fin origin; trunk and caudal peduncle dorsally rounded in cross-section. Body ventrally flattened to anal-fin origin, flattened to slightly rounded to caudal fin. Dorsal body surface completely covered by dermal plates, excepting for a naked area around dorsal-fin base. Snout tip with a small naked area. Ventral head surface naked except for one plate bearing odontodes in front of gill openings; abdomen with conspicuous, small dermal platelets between insertions of pectoral and pelvic fins, forming a thoracic shield surrounded by naked areas; in some specimens some isolated platelets are present near pectoral-fin base. Head wide and depressed; head and snout rounded in dorsal view; interorbital space straight to slightly concave in frontal view; slight median ridge formed by the mesethmoid rising from snout tip to area between nares, not evident in some specimens. Weak ridge from nares to superior margin of orbit; snout gently convex in lateral profile; mature males with moderately enlarged boomerang-like (curved backward) odontodes, from snout tip to post-orbital region. Hypertrophied odontodes not surrounded by distinct swollen skin along dorsal and ventral lateral margin of snout. Eye moderately small (8.3–11.4 % of HL), dorsolaterally placed. Lips well developed and rounded; lower lip not reaching pectoral girdle and covered with papillae, wider anteriorly; two or three irregular and conspicuous rows of large and transversally flattened papillae, just posterior to dentary teeth; posterior row of papillae distributed along entire dentary ramus. Maxillary barbel short and coalesced with lower lip; its tip not free from lower lip. Teeth long, slender and bicuspid; mesial cusp longer than lateral; dentary ramus forming an angle of approximately 125–130 º. Dorsal-fin origin slightly posterior to vertical passing through pelvic-fin origin; nuchal plate not covered by skin; dorsal-fin spinelet short and wider than dorsal-fin spine base; dorsal-fin locking mechanism absent; dorsal-fin with one flexible spine, followed by seven branched rays; its posterior margin straight or slightly furcate, not reaching the end of pelvic-fin rays when adpressed. Well-developed and always present adipose fin, not preceded by azygous plate. Pectoral fin with one spine and six branched rays; spine depressed and curved inward (more curved in larger specimens), shorter than longest branched ray; its posterior margin emarginate, reaching about half pelvicfin unbranched ray length when adpressed. Pelvic fin with one unbranched ray and five branched rays; its posterior margin straight to nearly straight, surpassing anal-fin insertion when adpressed. Pelvic-fin unbranched ray ventrally flattened, with dermal flap on its dorsal surface in males. Anal fin with one flexible unbranched ray and five branched rays; its posterior margin slight emarginated to straight. Caudal fin furcate; lower lobe slightly longer than upper; 14 branched rays. Pectoral spine and pelvic-fin unbranched ray with odontodes on lateral and ventral portions; anal-fin unbranched ray with odontodes only ventrally. Color in alcohol: color of dorsal surface of head and body yellowish. Dorsal color pattern, even in mature larger individuals, retains the generic juvenile color pattern of five transverse dark bands: the first through supraoccipital, the second anterior to dorsal fin, the third posterior to dorsal fin, the fourth at adipose fin, and the last at caudal-peduncle posterior portion. Head usually with two clear, short and parallel inconspicuous lines anterior to nares, bordering the naked area on snout tip. Orbital margin slightly lighter, mainly on its superior portion; small pale spot on interorbital space, inconspicuous in some specimens. Lateral portion of body with upper darker region and lower lighter one, just below lateral line, not easily visualized in large specimens. Dorsal fin with irregular series of dark marks or bands on rays. Caudal fin with two to three faded and irregular dark bands at base, at middle portion, and at distal portion of rays, leaving two interspaced lighter areas among dark bands. Pectoral, pelvic, and anal fins with dark marks forming irregular bands, usually diffuse. Adipose fin generally dark on spine and pale on the membrane portion. Ventral surface of head and body mostly depigmented, except on lateral body margins and from pelvic fin to caudal-fin base. Upper lip dark brown, except for its light narrow margin. Sexual dimorphism: Mature males have a papilla in the cloaca and a slender membrane in the pelvic fin. Both characteristics are absent in females (Figure 4). Distribution: The species is found in the drainages of Rio Muzambinho in the municipality of Muzambinho, Minas Gerais state, Brazil (Figure 5). Etymology: The specific name, langeanii, is in honor of researcher Francisco Langeani Neto from Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Instituto de Biociências, Letras e Ciência Exatas, in recognition of his dedication and contributions to the study of Neotropical fishes.Published as part of Roxo, Fábio F., Oliveira, Claudio & Zawadzki, Cláudio H., 2012, Three new species of Neoplecostomus (Teleostei: Siluriformes: Loricariidae) from the Upper Rio Paraná basin of southeastern Brazil, pp. 1-21 in Zootaxa 3233 on pages 12-15, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.28038

A new unicuspid-toothed species of HypostomusLacépède, 1803 (Siluriformes: Loricariidae) from the rio Paraguai basin

A new unicuspid-toothed armored catfish species of Hypostomus is described from the Bodoquena Plateau, rio Paraguai basin, Mato Grosso do Sul State, Brazil. The new species is distinguished from its congeners, with exception of H. fonchii, by having unicuspid teeth (vs.bicuspid teeth); from H. fonchii it is distinguished by having median series of lateral plates with 26-27 (vs. 28); by lower number of premaxillary and dentary teeth (7-10 vs. 18-21; 8-13 vs. 18-25, respectively); for possessing more depressed head (head depth 15.8-18.1% SL vs. 19.1-22.0% SL); and by the presence of median buccal papilla (vs. absence)

Molecular Phylogeny and Biogeographic History of the Armored Neotropical Catfish Subfamilies Hypoptopomatinae, Neoplecostominae and Otothyrinae (Siluriformes: Loricariidae)

The main objectives of this study are estimate a species-dense, time-calibrated molecular phylogeny of Hypoptopomatinae, Neoplecostominae, and Otothyrinae, which together comprise a group of armoured catfishes that is widely distributed across South America, to place the origin of major clades in time and space, and to demonstrate the role of river capture on patterns of diversification in these taxa. We used maximum likelihood and Bayesian methods to estimate a time-calibrated phylogeny of 115 loricariid species, using three mitochondrial and one nuclear genes to generate a matrix of 4,500 base pairs, and used parametric biogeographic analyses to estimate ancestral geographic ranges and to infer the effects of river capture events on the geographic distributions of these taxa. Our analysis recovered Hypoptopomatinae, Neoplecostominae, and Otothyrinae as monophyletic with strong statistical support, and Neoplecostominae as more closely related to Otothyrinae than to Hypoptopomatinae. Our time-calibrated phylogeny and ancestral-area estimations indicate an origin of Hypoptopomatinae, Neoplecostominae, and Otothyrinae during the Lower Eocene in the Atlantic Coastal Drainages, from which it is possible to infer several dispersal events to adjacent river basins during the Neogene. In conclusion we infer a strong influence of river capture in: (1) the accumulation of modern clade species-richness values; (2) the formation of the modern basin-wide species assemblages, and (3) the presence of many low-diversity, early-branching lineages restricted to the Atlantic Coastal Drainages. We further infer the importance of headwater stream capture and marine transgressions in shaping patterns in the distributions of Hypoptopomatinae, Neoplecostominae and Otothyrinae throughout South America.Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP

Molecular systematics of the armored neotropical catfish subfamily Neoplecostominae (Siluriformes: Loricariidae)

Morphological and molecular studies in the family Loricariidae have revealed that the relationships among its members are not yet well resolved, and the present study was conducted with the main objective of improving our knowledge about this highly diversified group of catfishes. Maximum parsimony and Bayesian analysis were conducted on a matrix of 53 terminal taxa and 4676 characters with partial sequences of the genes COI, CytB, 16S rRNA, 12S rRNA and F-reticulon 4. As outgroups, samples of the species Hemipsilichthys gobio and H. papillatus (subfamily Delturinae), Rineloricaria jaraguensis (subfamily Loricariinae), Hypostomus nigromaculatus (subfamily Hypostominae), Hypoptopoma inexpectatum (subfamily Hypoptopomatinae), and Corumbataia cuestae (subfamily Otothyrinae) were used. The results showed that the subfamily Neoplecostominae is monophyletic, including Pseudotocinclus, and three clades were recognized. The first one is composed of Pareiorhina rudolphi, P. cf. rudolphi and Pseudotocinclus. The second is composed of Isbrueckerichthys, Pareiorhaphis, Kronichthys and Neoplecostomus ribeirensis. The third is composed of the remaining species of the genera Neoplecostomus, except N. ribeirensis, Pareiorhina carrancas, P. cf. carrancas, Pareiorhina sp. 1 (possible new species) and an undescribed taxon referred to in this paper as new genus and species 2. In our analyses, Pareiorhina and Neoplecostomus are paraphyletic taxa.Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES

Evolutionary and biogeographic history of the subfamily Neoplecostominae (Siluriformes: Loricariidae)

Freshwater fish evolution has been shaped by changes in the earth's surface involving changes in the courses of rivers and fluctuations in sea level. The main objective of this study is to improve our knowledge of the evolution of loricariids, a numerous and adaptive group of freshwater catfish species, and the role of geological changes in their evolution. We use a number of different phylogenetic methods to test the relationships among 52 representative taxa within the Neoplecostominae using 4676 bps of mitochondrial and nuclear DNA. Our analysis revealed that the subfamily Neoplecostominae is monophyletic, including Pseudotocinclus, with three lineages recognized. The first lineage is composed of part of Pareiorhina rudolphi, P. cf. rudolphi, and Pseudotocinclus; the second is composed of Isbrueckerichthys, Pareiorhaphis, Kronichthys, and the species Neoplecostomus ribeirensis; and the third is composed of Pareiorhina carrancas, P. cf. carrancas, Pareiorhina sp. 1, a new genus, and all the species of the genus Neoplecostomus, except N. ribeirensis. The relaxed molecular clock calibration provides a temporal framework for the evolution of the group, which we use for a likelihood-based historical biogeographic analysis to test relevant hypotheses on the formation of southeast Brazil. We hypothesize that headwater capture events and marine regressions have shaped the patterns of distribution within the subfamily Neoplecostominae throughout the distinct basins of southeast Brazil.Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES