L Roebuck
Technical Support
Caving
^V^ Just a caver
Posts: 2,023
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Post by L Roebuck on Oct 15, 2007 7:50:00 GMT -5
Blind cave catfish discovered in BrazilPractical Fishkeeping: fish news A new species of subterranean catfish has been described from the Amazon River drainage by Brazilian scientists. The description of the new species, which belongs to the enigmatic catfish genus Phreatobius, is published in a paper by Oscar Shibatta, Janice Muriel-Cunha and Mário de Pinna in the most recent issue of the journal Papéis Avulsos de Zoologia. The new species, named Phreatobius dracunculus, can be distinguished from P. cisternarum (the only other member of the genus) in lacking eyes, having 11–13 ventral procurrent caudal-fin rays, 52–53 vertebrae, 5 pectoral-fin rays, long pectoral fin, posterior insertion of dorsal fin located more posteriorly with respect to anal fin, first dorsal-fin and first anal-fin pterygiophores more anteriorly place with respect to vertebral column, lack of dark pigmentation, large pseudotympnus, and a different pattern of sensory canal pores on the head. Phreatobius dracunculus is known only from the type locality, a hand-dug well intended for dosmetic use located in the Rio Branco drainage. Full Text
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