Habitat:
Denticetopsis praecox is described from the Río
Baria system at the base of Cerro de la Neblina, southern
Venezuela. This species is most similar to C.
plumbea (Schultz, 1944), from the Río
Orinoco system but has fewer vertebrae, a greater
number of branchiostegal rays, and a colour pattern
otherwise unknown in the family. Specimens of Denticetopsis
praecox were captured in a cobblepebble habitat
of black water streams that ranged in pH from 4.3-5.0.
Description: Dorsal spines (total):
1; Dorsal soft rays (total): 6; Anal soft rays: 25
- 30; Vertebrae: 39 - 40. Colouration:
Readily distinguished from other members of the genus
by its colour pattern consisting of a dark brown dorsum,
speckled to dark sides, light venter, pale fins and
a large dark spot on the basal half of the dorsal
fin. Diet: Feeds mostly in their
natural habitat on aquatic insects. Remarks:
Among the smallest species in the family, maturing
between 30-40 mm SL.
Common
Name:
None
Synonyms:
Pseudocetopsis praecox
Family:
Cetopsidae
Distribution:
South America:
Venezuela; Baria River, Upper Negro River basin. Type
locality: Neblina base camp, Río Mawarinuma
of the Río Baria drainage, Territorio Federal
Amazonas, southern Venezuela, 0º55'N, 66º10'W,
elevation 120 m.
Size:
5.5cm. (2¼ins)
Temp:
22-26°c (71-79°f)
p.H.
5.0-6.5.
Reference:
Vari, R.P., C.J. Ferraris,
Jr. and M.C.C. de Pinna
2005 The neotropical whale catfishes (Siluriformes:
Cetopsidae: Cetopsinae), a revisionary study. Neotrop.
Ichthyol. 3(2):127-238. Ferraris, C.J. Jr., 2007. Checklist
of catfishes, recent and fossil (Osteichthyes: Siluriformes),
and catalogue of siluriform primary types. Zootaxa
1418:1-628.
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