A new species of the catfish genus <em>Cambeva</em> from the Paranapanema river drainage, southeastern Brazil (Siluriformes: Trichomycteridae)

Abstract

The recently described catfish trichomycterid genus Cambeva comprises about 25 valid species, occurring mostly in river basins of south-eastern and southern Brazil. Fifteen species are endemic to the Paraná river basin, of which three are endemic to the Paranapanema river drainage. Herein we describe a fourth new species, Cambeva guareiensis n. sp., known only from the Guareí river. Cambeva guareiensis is similar to C. brachykechenos, C. cubataonis, C. diabola, C. davisi, C. diatropoporos, C. pascuali, C. poikilos and C. stawiarski by having a colour pattern consisting of dark brown spots scattered on the flank and can be differentiated by an exclusive combination of characters, including: the shape of the autopalatine; number of branchiostegal, anal-fin, dorsal-fin, dorsal and ventral caudal procurrent, and pectoral-fin rays; number of interopercular and opercular odontodes; number of vertebrae; and, insertion of anal fin, pelvic fin and urogenital papillae. This study indicates the potential for discovering a greater still unknown trichomycterid species diversity in the Paraná river basin.