Paraloricaria

Paraloricaria
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Siluriformes
Family: Loricariidae
Subfamily: Loricariinae
Tribe: Loricariini
Genus: Paraloricaria
Isbrücker, 1979
Type species
Loricaria vetula
Valenciennes, 1836
Species

Paraloricaria is a genus of catfishes (order Siluriformes) of the family Loricariidae. It includes three species, P. agastor, P. commersonoides, and P. vetula.[1]

This genus is distributed in the southern part of the South American continent.[2] P. agastor originates from the Paraguay River basin. P. commersonoides is found in the Uruguay River basin. P. vetula inhabits the Río de la Plata basin.[1]

It shows a strongly flattened body, weak postorbital notches, long and ramified maxillary barbels, and overall, conspicuous fringed barbels.[2] P. agastor grows to about 10.8 centimetres (4.3 in) SL.[3] P. commersonoides reaches a length of about 37 cm (15 in).[4] P. vetula has a maximum size of about 48 cm (19 in).[5]

Male Paraloricaria are abdomino-lip brooders.[2]

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. http://silurus.acnatsci.org/ACSI/library/biblios/2007_Ferraris_Catfish_Checklist.pdf. 
  2. ^ a b c Covain, Raphael; Fisch-Muller, Sonia (2007). "The genera of the Neotropical armored catfish subfamily Loricariinae (Siluriformes: Loricariidae): a practical key and synopsis" (PDF). Zootaxa 1462: 1–40. http://www.mapress.com/zootaxa/2007f/zt01462p040.pdf. 
  3. ^ Froese, Rainer, and Daniel Pauly, eds. (2007). "Paraloricaria agastor" in FishBase. July 2007 version.
  4. ^ Froese, Rainer, and Daniel Pauly, eds. (2007). "Paraloricaria commersonoides" in FishBase. July 2007 version.
  5. ^ Froese, Rainer, and Daniel Pauly, eds. (2007). "Paraloricaria vetula" in FishBase. July 2007 version.