Parotocinclus prata Ribeiro, Melo & Pereira, 2002

Family:  Loricariidae (Armored catfishes), subfamily: Hypoptopomatinae
Max. size:  4.95 cm SL (male/unsexed)
Environment:  demersal; freshwater
Distribution:  South America: Rio da Prata, a tributary of the Rio Sao Francisco basin in southeastern Brazil.
Diagnosis:  Total absence of platelets on the abdomen in specimens of all sizes; and by having rostral plates reduced in extent with anterior margins that fall short of the anterior of the rostral margin of the snout, lacking a ventral curvature (Ref. 47265). Further distinguished from other Parotocinclus species with naked areas on the abdomen by having 25-29 median plates and by having the pectoral girdle exposed only on small areas on each side (Ref. 47265).
Biology:  Found in clear water creeks surrounded by dense gallery forest, with bottom composed of rocks, pebbles and sand, with submerged litter only at the bottoms of the larger and deeper pools. Also occurs in larger water bodies with scarce marginal vegetation and the substrate composed solely of sand. Feeds on diatoms, cyanobacteria, green algae and organic matter (Ref. 47265).
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 07 November 2018 Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless
Country info:   
 


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