Batrochoglanis

Oscar Akio Shibatta & Carla Simone Pavanelli, 2005, Description of a new Batrochoglanis species (Siluriformes, Pseudopimelodidae) from the rio Paraguai basin, State of Mato Grosso, Brazil., Zootaxa 1092, pp. 21-30 : 22

[[ Genus Batrochoglanis ]]

The genus Batrochoglanis was proposed by Gill (1858) for Pimelodus raninus Valenciennes . However, due to a series of later taxonomic mistakes, such as the lack of designation of a type-species (e.g. Gill, 1861; Bleeker, 1862) and incorrect identifications, this nominal genus was considered a synonym of Pseudopimelodus Bleeker , until its revalidation by Shibatta (2003a). According to this author, species of this genus have rounded, wider than deep bodies; large heads, rounded in dorsal view; pelvic fins originating at vertical line through dorsal-fin end; short caudal peduncles, with caudal-fin procurrent rays close to adipose and anal fins; emarginated caudal fins, with rounded lobes, or completely rounded; postcleithral processes surpassing pectoral-fin base, but not reaching vertical through dorsal-fin origin; axillary pore absent; incomplete lateral lines, sometimes surpassing the adipose-fin end, but never reaching caudal fin; premaxillary dentigerous plates with lateral margins posteriorly prolonged.

Currently, four Batrochoglanis species are known and distributed throughout the Amazon basin, rivers of the Ecuadorian and Colombian Pacific coast, and the northern region of South America (Shibatta, 2003a). No species has been described or mentioned from the rio Paraguai basin, a region with a different icthyofauna compared to the basins mentioned above. In recent samples from the rio Paraguai basin, five specimens of the genus Batrochoglanis , which belong to a new species, were captured. This new species is described herein.