Propimelodus

Taxobox
name = "Propimelodus"
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Chordata
classis = Actinopterygii
ordo = Siluriformes
familia = Pimelodidae
genus = "Propimelodus"
genus_authority = Lundberg and Parisi, 2002
subdivision_ranks = Genera
binomial = "Propimelodus araguayae"
binomial_authority = Rocha, de Oliviera & Rapp Py-Daniel, 2007
binomial2 = "Propimelodus caesius"
binomial2_authority = Parisi, Lundberg & Donascimiento, 2006
binomial3 = "Propimelodus eigenmanni"
binomial3_authority = (van der Stigchel, 1946)

"Propimelodus" is a genus of South American catfish of the family Pimelodidae.

Taxonomy

The type species of this genus, "P. eigenmanni", was first described in 1946 under the genus "Pimelodus". In 2002, the genus "Propimelodus" was described for this species.cite journal|url=http://www.bioone.org/archive/0097-3157/152/1/pdf/i0097-3157-152-1-75.pdf|title="Propimelodus", new genus, and redescription of "Pimelodus eigenmanni" Van der Stigchel 1946, a long-recognized yet poorly-known South American catfish (Pimelodidae: Siluriformes)|last=Lundberg|first=John G.|coauthors=Parisi, Béatrice M.|journal=Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia|volume=152|pages=75–88|year=2002|format=PDF|doi=10.1635/0097-3157(2002)152 [0075:PNGARO] 2.0.CO;2|doilabel=10.1635/0097-3157(2002)152[0075:PNGARO]2.0.CO;2] Shortly after, in 2006, the species "P. caesius" was described to this genus and in 2007 another new species, "P. araguayae" was described. Other species will be described in the future.cite journal|url=http://www.bioone.org/archive/0097-3157/155/1/pdf/i0097-3157-155-1-67.pdf|title="Propimelodus caesius" a new species of long-finned pimelodid catfish (Teleostei: Siluriformes) from the Amazon Basin, South America|last=Parisi|first=Béatrice M.|coauthors=Lundberg, John G.; Donascimiento, Carlos|journal=Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia|volume=155|pages=67–78|year=2006|format=PDF|doi=10.1635/i0097-3157-155-1-67.1]

"Propimelodus" is classified under the "Calophysus-Pimelodus" clade". Within this clade, it is considered a part of the "Pimelodus-group" of Pimelodids, which also includes "Pimelodus", "Exallodontus", "Duopalatinus", "Cheirocerus", "Iheringichthys", "Bergiaria", "Bagropsis", "Parapimelodus", "Platysilurus", and "Platystomatichthys".

Distribution

"P. eigenmanni" originate from the lower Amazon River as well as large tributaries such as the Xingu, Trombetas, Jari River, and lower Madeira River in Brazil, and the Kourou and Oyapock Rivers in French Guiana. "P. caesius" has the largest range of the genus. "P. caesius" is also found in many of these regions, with tributary range including Tocantins, Pará, Jari, Xingu, Trombetas, Madeira, Negro, Purus, Japurá, Juruá, and Içá rivers. "P. araguayae" is only known from the middle Araguaia River.cite journal|last=Rocha|first=Marcelo S.|coauthors=Oliveira, Renildo R. de; Rappy Py-Daniel, Lúcia H.|title=A new species of "Propimelodus" Lundberg & Parisi, 2002 (Siluriformes: Pimelodidae) from rio Araguaia, Mato Grosso, Brazil|journal=Neotrop. ichthyol.|year=2007|volume=5|issue=3|pages=279-284|url=http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1679-62252007000300007&lng=en&nrm=iso]

Appearance and anatomy

These fish have three pairs of barbels. Like other pimelodids, these whiskers are extremely long; the maxillary barbels extend past the base of the caudal fin. "Propimelodus" species have a rather long adipose fin. Unlike it's congeners, "P. araguayae" has a black spot on its on its dorsal fin.

"P. eigenmanni" grows not much longer than 20 centimetres (8 in). "P. eigenmanni" is a pale blue-gray to tan. "P. caesius" also has an attractive blue coloration.

Ecology

"Propimelodus" lives in swiftly flowing waters of open channels of the Amazon River and many of its large tributaries; "P. caesius" is one of the most common fish in these habitats.

"P. eigenmanni" associate with mud or detritus substrates. "P. caesius" is found in turbid, blackwater habitats over sand, clay, and detritus substrates. "P. eigenmanni" is nocturnal, found in tidally influenced freshwater habitats on mud substrate and near dense vegetation. "P. araguayae" has been found near the edge of rivers among macrophytes.

References