Myxiops, Zanata & Akama, 2004

Zanata, Angela M. & Akama, Alberto, 2004, Myxiops aphos, new characid genus and species (Characiformes: Characidae) from the rio Lençóis, Bahia, Brazil, Neotropical Ichthyology 2 (2), pp. 45-54 : 46

Myxiops , new genus

Type species. Myxiops aphos , by monotypy and present designation.

Diagnosis. Myxiops is a characid genus of relatively small body size (maximum known SL 56.1 mm). The following combination of derived features distinguishes Myxiops from all other characid fishes: (1) infraorbitals fused in a unique fashion, resulting in less than six autogenous bones; (2) presence of a single tooth row in the premaxilla; (3) presence of “cheirodontin-like teeth”, somewhat pedunculated, expanded and compressed distally, with cusps similar in shape and perfectly aligned along dorsal margin; (4) ventral margin of toothed portion of maxillary curved towards the ventral margin of the premaxilla and maxillary teeth forming a continuous series with premaxillary teeth; (5) margins of pre- and postzygapophyses with projections anteriorly and posteriorly directed; (6) accumulation of epithelial cells forming globular structures distributed over head and scales; and (7) base of anal-fin without scales covering basal portion of unbranched and anterior branched rays.

Etymology. Myxiops from the Greek, myxa for slime, and iops for small fish, in reference to the copious amount of mucous covering the body, which makes the fish very slippery when alive and even for some period after fixation in formalin and storage in alcohol.