There are three species in
this genera, K.
subteres Miranda-Ribeiro,
1908, K.
heylandi (Boulenger,
1900), and K. lacerta (Nichols, 1919). Habitat:Inhabits coastal streams with rocky and sandy
bottom. Diet: Kronichthys lacerta
feeds on algae and sediments (Wolff et al. 2013, Bonato
2011). Etymology: The specific name
lacerta: Latin for lizard, allusion not explained,
perhaps referring to the lizard-like appearance. Remarks:
Redescribed in Armbruster & Page (1997: 228).
Common
Name:
None
Synonyms:
Plecostomus lacerta
Family:
Loricariidae
Distribution:
South America:
Baia de Paranaguá and Ribeira de Iguapé
River basin to Santa Catarina State (southern Brazil).
Type locality: Poço Grande (Estado
de São Paulo) Rio Juquia, Brazil.
Size:
7.0cm. (2¾ins)
Temp:
20-24°c (67-75°f)
p.H.
6.0-7.5.
IUCN
Red List
Kronichthys
lacerta has a wide distribution in the drainages
of Paranaguá Bay and the Ribeira de Iguape River
basin, in the states of Paraná and São
Paulo. It is a frequent and abundant species that inhabits
streams with rocky substrate and strong currents. No
threats that could endanger its populations have been
identified. Therefore, Kronichthys lacerta
was categorised as Least Concern (LC), (IUCN 2022).
Reference:
A. Frota, H.J. Message,
R.C. de Oliveira, E. Benedito & W.J. da Graça.
Ichthyofauna of headwater streams from the rio Ribeira
de Iguape basin, at the boundaries of the Ponta Grossa
Arch, Paraná, Brazil.
Armbruster, J.W. and L.M. Page, 1997. Generic
reassignment of the loricariid species Monistiancistrus
carachama Fowler 1940, Plecostomus lacerta
Nichols 1919, and Rhinelepis levis Pearson
1924 (Teleostei: Siluriformes). Copeia 1997(1):227-232. Ferraris, C.J.
Jr., 2007. Checklist of catfishes, recent
and fossil (Osteichthyes: Siluriformes), and catalogue
of siluriform primary types. Zootaxa 1418:1-628. Froese, R. and D. Pauly. Editors.
2025. FishBase. World Wide Web electronic publication.
www.fishbase.org, ( 05/2025 ). Instituto Chico Mendes de Conservação
da Biodiversidade (ICMBio). 2022. Kronichthys
lacerta. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
2022.
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