Spatuloricaria

Taxobox
name = "Spatuloricaria"
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Chordata
classis = Actinopterygii
ordo = Siluriformes
familia = Loricariidae
subfamilia = Loricariinae
tribus = Loricariini
genus = "Spatuloricaria"
genus_authority = Schultz, 1944
type_species = Spatuloricaria phelpsi
type_species_authority = Schultz, 1944
subdivision_ranks = Species
subdivision = "S. atratoensis"
"S. caquetae"
"S. curvispina"
"S. euacanthagenys"
"S. evansii"
"S. fimbriata"
"S. gymnogaster"
"S. lagoichthys"
"S. nudiventris"
"S. phelpsi"
"S. puganensis"
synonyms =
*"Euacanthagenys" Fowler, 1945

"Spatuloricaria" is a genus of catfishes (order Siluriformes) of the family Loricariidae. It includes eleven currently recognized species. [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] cite journal|url=http://www.mapress.com/zootaxa/2007f/zt01462p040.pdf|title=The genera of the Neotropical armored catfish subfamily Loricariinae (Siluriformes: Loricariidae): a practical key and synopsis|first=Raphael|last=Covain|coauthors=Fisch-Muller, Sonia|journal=Zootaxa|volume=1462|pages=1–40|year=2007|format=PDF]

"Spatuloricaria" is in need of revision, as species boundaries and distributions are poorly known. The phylogenetic position of "Spatuloricaria" remains uncertain. "Spatuloricaria" has been placed at the base of a clade including representatives of the "Loricaria" and "Pseudohemiodon" groups. Its dentition, with few teeth on the premaxillae, and its abdominal cover consisting of minute disjointed platelets resembles that of some representatives of the "Loricaria" group. Conversely, the papillose surface of the lips and sexually dimorphic features are more characteristic of the "Rineloricaria" group.

This genus is distributed in the northwestern part of the South American subcontinent, in drainages of the Pacific and Atlantic Slopes of the Andes. Several species occur also in the upper Amazon River basin, upper Paraguay, and São Francisco River basins.

Sexual dimorphism includes hypertrophied development of claw-like odontodes along the sides of the head and on the pectoral spines in mature males. Ecological data is unavailable and reproductive biology is unknown for "Spatuloricaria" species.

References