Scleronema ibirapuita Ferrer & Malabarba, 2020

Family:  Trichomycteridae (Pencil or parasitic catfishes), subfamily: Trichomycterinae
Max. size:  4.25 cm SL (male/unsexed)
Environment:  demersal; freshwater
Distribution:  South America: the rio Ibirapuitã basin, a tributary to the left bank of rio Ibicuí (Brazil), and in the río Arapey (Uruguay); lower rio Uruguay basin.
Diagnosis:  Dorsal soft rays (total): 8-10; Anal soft rays: 6-6; Vertebrae: 35-36. This species is distinguished from all its congeners except teiniagua by the absence of the pores s1, s2, s3, and s6 of the supraorbital line of the laterosensory system (vs. presence of, at least, the pore s6); differs from teiniagua by having the pore i10 of the infraorbital line of the laterosensory system (vs. pore i10 absent) and with 9 pterygiophores in the dorsal fin (vs. 8) (Ref. 122319).
Biology:  This species inhabits rivers and streams, inhabits rivers and streams with sand- or gravel-bottoms. The species has not been collected with congeners. The stomach of one specimen had immature aquatic insects and unidentified plant remains (Ref. 112319).
IUCN Red List Status: Not Evaluated (N.E.) Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless


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