Rhinelepis

Taxobox
name = "Rhinelepis"
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Chordata
classis = Actinopterygii
ordo = Siluriformes
familia = Loricariidae
subfamilia = Hypostominae
tribus = Rhinelepini
genus = "Rhinelepis"
genus_authority = Agassiz, 1829
subdivision_ranks = Binomial name
subdivision =
"Rhinelepis aspera"
Spix & Agassiz, 1829
"Rhinelepis strigosa"
Valenciennes, 1840

"Rhinelepis" is a genus of South American catfish (order Siluriformes) of the family Loricariidae. It contains two species, "R. aspera" and "R. strigosa".cite journal|url=http://silurus.acnatsci.org/ACSI/library/biblios/2007_Ferraris_Catfish_Checklist.pdf|title=Checklist of catfishes, recent and fossil (Osteichthyes: Siluriformes), and catalogue of siluriform primary types|first=Carl J., Jr.|last=Ferraris|journal=Zootaxa|volume=1418|pages=1–628|year=2007|format=PDF] It is one of three genera in the tribe Rhinelepini.cite journal|title=Phylogenetic Relationships of the Suckermouth Armored Catfishes of the Rhinelepis Group (Loricariidae: Hypostominae)|first=Jonathan W.|last=Armbruster|journal=Copeia|year=1998|issue=3|pages=620–636|doi=10.2307/1447792|volume=1998]

Distribution

"Rhinelepis" species originate from tropical South America. "R. aspera" is found in the São Francisco River, while "R. strigosa" is found in the Paraná River. "Rhinelepis" also exist in the Paraíba do Sul, where they reached by a past connection to the Paraná River that no longer exists. "R. strigosa" is also known from the Uruguay River basin.FishBase species|genus=Rhinelepis|species=strigosa|year=2007|month=May] "Rhinelepis" are also present in a reservoir near Fortaleza in Ceará where it probably was introduced.

Appearance and anatomy

"Rhinelepis" species are large and heavily plated, though the plates on the abdomen (belly) develop later than in "Pseudorinelepis". They are generally charcoal gray without any markings. The head is long and fat. The fins are short and the adipose fin is entirely absent. The gill opening is much larger than that of most loricariids. The cheeks lack elongate odontodes.cite journal|title=Phylogenetic Relationships of the Suckermouth Armored Catfishes of the Rhinelepis Group (Loricariidae: Hypostominae)|first=Jonathan W.|last=Armbruster|journal=Copeia|year=1998|issue=3|pages=620–636|doi=10.2307/1447792|volume=1998] "R. aspera" reaches about 33 centimetres (13 in) TL.FishBase species|genus=Rhinelepis|species=aspera|year=2007|month=May] "R. strigosa" reaches about 40 cm (16 in) SL.

References