Abstract
Rineloricaria langei and R. maacki, new species, are described from upper and middle regions of the rio Iguaçu basin, a left bank tributary of the rio Paraná basin, southern Brazil. Rineloricaria langei has narrow body and is similar to R. quadrensis, which is found in coastal rivers of Rio Grande do Sul State and is distinguishable by several morphometric characters. Rineloricaria maacki is distinguishable from all other congeners by the shape and extension of the naked area of the ventral region of pectoral girdle and other morphological characters. The presence of a naked region on the abdominal surface is shared with other species from the rio Paraná and rio Uruguay basins and coastal drainages from southeastern and southern Brazil. This may indicate a close phylogenetic relationship among these species. Similarities between the two new species and species from the aforementioned drainages also suggest close biogeographic relationship between the Paraná basin and other Brazilian coastal Atlantic drainages throughout the rio Iguaçu basin.
Highlights
Rineloricaria Bleeker includes 32 valid species inhabiting the rio Paraná basin, rio Uruguay basin, and coastal Atlantic rivers from eastern Brazil to Uruguay (Ferraris, 2007; Ghazzi, 2008; Rodriguez & Reis, 2008)
Its basin extends through a total area about 72,000 km2 occupying the States of Paraná and Santa Catarina in Dorsal spine length
Reis & Cardoso (2001) were the first authors to report the presence of species of Rineloricaria in the rio Iguaçu basin, when they cited the presence of one or two undescribed species
Summary
Rineloricaria Bleeker includes 32 valid species inhabiting the rio Paraná basin, rio Uruguay basin, and coastal Atlantic rivers from eastern Brazil to Uruguay (Ferraris, 2007; Ghazzi, 2008; Rodriguez & Reis, 2008). (Isbrücker, 1979), intraspecific variation of some characters, and the existence of many undescribed species, render Rineloricaria as one of the most complex and poorly understood genera of the subfamily (Reis & Cardoso, 2001). This situation is made worse by the fact that the only revision of the genus was performed more than a century ago by Regan (1904) as part of a comprehensive study of the Loricariidae, which had a very different composition at that time. Isbrücker et al (2001) revalidated Hemiloricaria Bleeker and created two new genera (Fonchiiichthys Isbrücker & Michels and Leliella Isbrücker) in order to allocate many species of Rineloricaria based only on sexual dimorphism differences. In this study two of these species of Rineloricaria are described from the upper and middle/lower courses of rio Iguaçu drainage (sensu Ingenito et al, 2004)
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
