Hassar Eigenmann & Eigenmann, 1888

Birindelli, José L. O., Fayal, Danielle F. & Wosiacki, Wolmar B., 2011, Taxonomic revision of thorny catfish genus Hassar (Siluriformes: Doradidae), Neotropical Ichthyology 9 (3), pp. 515-542 : 516-517

Hassar Eigenmann & Eigenmann, 1888

Hassar Eigenmann & Eigenmann, 1888: 158 [type species: Oxydoras orestis Steindachner 1875 , by subsequent designation by Eigenmann 1910: 394]. Gender masculine. Originally proposed as a subgenus of Hemidoras .

Diagnosis. Hassar is diagnosed by a single exclusive character: basioccipital with a ventral ring-like arch surrounding aorta ( Fig. 1 ); and by the combination of the following non-exclusive characters: 1) dark blotch in the middle to distal region of anterior branched rays of dorsal fin; 2) anteriormost postinfranuchal scutes reduced in size; 3) pores beneath the posterior cleithral process numerous; 4) maxillary barbels with 7 to 16 secondary barbels, and fleshy papillae restricted to anteriormost secondary barbels; 5) elongated mesethmoid, with lanceolate anterior tip and straight to slightly convex dorsal profile; 6) posterior cranial fontanel relatively large, extending posteriorly into the parietosupraoccipital; 7) first infraorbital long and slender, with dilated anterior extremity, articulating with the lateral border of mesethmoid; 8) ossified and extremely well-developed epioccipital process, sutured to the posterior nuchal plate; 9) less than 10 premaxillary teeth; 10) less than 20 dentary teeth; 11) well-developed nuchal foramina; 12) reduced anterior nuchal plate, enclosed by the posterior margin of the parietosupraoccipital and anterior margin of the middle nuchal plate; 13) 30 to 34 midlateral scutes on each side of body. See Discussion for additional notes on the aforementioned diagnostic features.

Etymology. Eigenmann & Eigenmann (1888) did not specify the origin of Hassar , but it possibly refers to the name commonly applied to certain catfishes in Guyana, such as Hoplosternum littorale or Hypostomus watawata ( Eigenmann, 1912) .

Figures

Fig. 1. Anteriormost vertebrae and associated structures, in ventral view, of Hassar orestis, MZUSP 105827, 144.7 mm SL. BAS, basioccipital; CV, complex vertebra; Mr, Müllerian ramus; pEPO, epioccipital process; pTR, transcapular process; SCL, posttemporo-supracleithrum; TRI, tripus. Arrow indicates the ring-shaped ventral arch of the basioccipital. Scale bar = 5 mm