Priocharax marupiara Mattox, Britz, Souza, Casas, Lima & Oliveira, 2023

Family:  Characidae (Characins; tetras), subfamily: Characinae
Max. size:  1.72 cm SL (male/unsexed)
Environment:  benthopelagic; freshwater
Distribution:  South America: Brazil.
Diagnosis:  Dorsal soft rays (total): 9-10; Anal soft rays: 18-23; Vertebrae: 32-34. This species is distinguished from its congeners except P. britzi by having fewer maxillary teeth 21-27 mode 23 (vs. 27-58, modes 29, 35, 36, 39, 42); differs from P. britzi by the fewer branched anal-fin rays 18-23, mode 20 (vs. 22-27, modes 25 and 26) and the colour pattern, melanophores in different parts of the head, on the pelvic-fin base and forming a vertical black line extending from vent along the anterior portion of the first anal-fin pterygiophore (vs. body mostly translucent, with pattern consisting of melanophores forming thin lines along posterior portion of anal-fin base); further differs from P. nanus and P. varii by pelvic-fin rays i,5 (vs. i,6); differs from P. ariel and P. varii by fewer dentary teeth 27-36 (vs. 35-55 and 37-46, respectively); differs from P. nanus and P. toledopizae by the absence of the claustrum (vs. presence) (Ref. 128833).
Biology:  This species was found along banks of aquatic plants (e.g., Elodea sp.) in a blackwater pond approximately 10 × 5 m, separated during the dry season by only a few meters from the stream, with both connected in the rainy season. They were very abundant and found with the arowana tetra Gnathocharax steindachneri; the aphyoditeine tetra Axelrodia stigmatias; the tetras Hemigrammus bellottii, H. microstomus, H. vorderwinkleri, Hyphessobrycon bentosi, an unidentified Hyphessobrycon sp.; the freshwater hatchetfish Carnegiella strigata; the toothless characin Curimatopsis macrolepis; juvenile wolffish Hoplias malabaricus; the pencilfish Nannostomus marginatus, Pyrrhulina sp.; the miniature thorny catfish Physopyxis lyra; the callichthyid armoured catfishes Megalechis picta, M. thoracata; the loricariine armoured catfish Rineloricaria sp.; the bigeye cichlid Acaronia nassa; juvenile saddled cichlid Aequidens tetramerus; the pike cichlid Crenicichla sp. Despite sampling efforts in all mesohabitats other than the pond, this was not found in the main channel. In the 2021 expedition, the pond was littered with a large amount of garbage (e.g., bottles, plastic bags) (Ref. 128833).
IUCN Red List Status: Not Evaluated (N.E.) Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless
Country info:   
 


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