Dentectus Martin Salazar, Isbruecker & Nijssen, 1982

Raphael Covain & Sonia Fisch-Muller, 2007, The genera of the Neotropical armored catfish subfamily Loricariinae (Siluriformes: Loricariidae): a practical key and synopsis., Zootaxa 1462, pp. 1-40 : 28

Dentectus Martin Salazar, Isbruecker & Nijssen, 1982 .

Type species: Dentectus barbarmatus Martin Salazar, Isbruecker & Nijssen, 1982 .

Holotype: MBUCV V-12780 , Venezuela, State of Cojedes, Rio Salinas drainage, tributary of the Rio Pao Viejo, northeast of El Baul .

Gender: masculine.

This monotypic genus occurs in the upper Orinoco drainage. Ecological and behavioral data are unavailable. Although it has been placed within the Pseudohemiodon group based on its strongly depressed body, its filamentous lips with long fringed barbels, and its spoon shaped and size reduced dentition, Dentectus also shows unique derived features such as the presence of plates along the outer margin of its maxillary barbels, and a unique mouth structure that distinguish it from all other genera.