Neoplecostomus botucatu is a species of freshwater ray-finned fish belonging to the family Loricariidae, the suckermouth armoured catfishes, and the subfamily Hypoptopomatinae, the cascudinhos. This catfish is endemic to Brazil.
| Neoplecostomus botucatu | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Siluriformes |
| Family: | Loricariidae |
| Genus: | Neoplecostomus |
| Species: | N. botucatu |
| Binomial name | |
| Neoplecostomus botucatu | |
Taxonomy
editNeoplecostomus botucatu was first formally described in 2012 by the ichthyologists Fábio Fernandes Roxo, Claudio de Oliveira and Cláudio Henrique Zawadzki with its type locality given as the stream of Åguas de Madalena, a tributary of the Pardo River, in the Paranapanema basin at 22°59'25"S, 48°25'37"W, in the Municipality of Botucatu, in the Brazilian state of São Paulo.[2] Eschmeyer's Catalog of Fishes classifies the genus Neoplecostomus in the subfamily Hypoptopomatinae, the cascudinhos, within the suckermouth armored catfish family Loricariidae.[3]
Etymology
editNeoplecostomus botucatu is classified within the genus Neoplecostomus, this name prefixes neo-, for "new" onto plecostomus, as this genus was proposed as a subgenus of Plecostomus, now known as Hypostomus and classified in the subfamily Hypostominae. The specific name, botucatu, refers to the type locality, the Municipality of Botucatu in São Paulo state.[4]
Description
editNeoplecostomus botucatu has a single spine and 7 soft rays in its dorsal fin and 6 soft rays in its anal fin. It can be told apart from almost all other species in its genus by its poorly developed adipose fin, combined with the obvious dark spots all over its body and lack of bands on the back. These spots are not present in Neoplecostomus paranensis which has a banded back, the other Neoplecostomus with a poorly developed adipose fin. This species has an elongated body shape and it reaches a standard length of 10.2 cm (4.0 in).[5]
Distribution
editNeoplecostomus botucatu is endmeic to Brazil where it is known only from its type locality, the Åguas de Madalena stream in Botucatu, São Paulo, and despite intensive sampling elsewhere in the Pardo River system has not been found anywhere else.[1]
Conservations status
editNeoplecostomus botucatu is, as far as is known, restricted to a single small stream and the catfishes in this genus require well oxygentated, fast flowing streams with rocky substrates. A dam is planned for the Pardo River upstream from the stream where this species occurs and this may have an effect on the water quality downstream. The International Union for Conservation of Nature have, therefore, classified N. botocatu as Crtitcally Endangered.[1]
References
edit- 1 2 3 Instituto Chico Mendes de Conservação da Biodiversidade (ICMBio) (2023). "Neoplecostomus botucatu". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (in Brazilian Portuguese). 2023 e.T140546065A140546072. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2023-1.RLTS.T140546065A140546072.pt. Retrieved 6 May 2026.
- 1 2 Fricke, Ron; Eschmeyer, William N. & van der Laan, Richard (eds.). "Species in the genus Neoplecostomus". Catalog of Fishes. California Academy of Sciences. Retrieved 6 May 2026.
- ↑ Fricke, Ron; Eschmeyer, William N. & van der Laan, Richard (eds.). "Genera in the family Hypoptopomatinae". Catalog of Fishes. California Academy of Sciences. Retrieved 6 May 2026.
- ↑ Christopher Scharpf (28 February 2026). "Family LORICARIIDAE: Subfamily HYPOPTOPOMATINAE Eigenmann & Eigenmann 1890 (Cascudinhos)". The ETYFish Project Fish Name Etymology Database. Christopher Scharpf. Retrieved 6 May 2026.
- ↑ Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.). "Neoplecostomus botucatu". FishBase. February 2026 version.