Pygidianops

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Pygidianops
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Actinopterygii Order: Siluriformes Family: Trichomycteridae Subfamily: Glanapteryginae Genus: Pygidianops Myers, 1944
Type species
Pygidianops eigenmanni Myers, 1944
Binomial name
Pygidianops cuao Schaefer, Provenzano, de Pinna & Baskin, 2005 Pygidianops eigenmanni Myers, 1944 Pygidianops magoi Schaefer, Provenzano, de Pinna & Baskin, 2005

Pygidianops is a genus of catfishes (order Siluriformes) of the family Trichomycteridae. It includes three species, P. cuao, P. eigenmanni, and P. magoi.^[1]

[edit] Distribution

P. eigenmanni is from the Rio Negro basin in Brazil.^[1] P. cuao is known only from Cuao River drainage basin. P. magoi is known only from lower Orinoco mainstem between Ciudad Bolívar and Barrancas in Venezuela.^[2]

[edit] Description

Species of Pygidianops share the extreme reduction of pigmentation, loss of the dorsal fin, the loss or extreme reduction of pectoral fins, a reduced lateral line, and the reduction or complete loss of eyes in some species. These fish are markedly miniaturized, yet retain a relatively well-ossified skeleton comparable in both bone differentiation and degree of calcification to that observed in larger trichomycterids.^[2]

P. cuao is distinguished from congeners by the presence of diminutive eyes (vs. eyes absent in both other species), posterior naris absent (vs. nares bilaterally paired), and the presence of a triangular skin flap at mouth corner (vs. skin flap absent).^[2] P. magoi is distinguished from all congeners by the absence of pectoral and anal fins (vs. fins present), posterior naris absent (vs. present, nares bilaterally paired), four laterosensory pores on the head (vs. six), and by the presence of 9–10 caudal fin rays (vs. 12–13). With all of its fins lost except the caudal fin, P. magoi represents the most extreme fin loss among ostariophysans.^[2] P. eigenmanni lacks eyes but has its anal and pectoral fins.^[2]

[edit] References

1. ^ ^{a b} Ferraris, Carl J., Jr. (2007). "Checklist of catfishes, recent and fossil (Osteichthyes: Siluriformes), and catalogue of siluriform primary types" (PDF). Zootaxa 1418: 1–628. 
2. ^ ^{a b c d e} Schaefer, Scott A.; Provenzano, Francisco; de Pinna, Mario; Baskin, Jonathan N. (November 29, 2005). "New and Noteworthy Venezuelan Glanapterygine Catfishes (Siluriformes, Trichomycteridae), with Discussion of Their Biogeography and Psammophily" (PDF). American Museum Novitates (3496): 1–27.