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Costa, W. J. et al. 2026 (3)

Description: Cambeva dimorphica is distinguished from all other congeners by having two distinct flank colour patterns in adult specimens, the first one comprising irregularly shaped dark brown blotches, often coalesced to form large dark brown zones and the second one comprising small rounded dark brown spots with lighter brown centre (vs. never simultaneously having these two distinct colour patterns). Cambeva dimorphica also differs from all other species of CAC by having the dorsal-fin origin at a vertical anterior to the middle of the dorsal-fin base (vs. posterior); five pelvic-fin rays (vs. four in C. alphabelardense and pelvic fin absent in C. oncina); 9 opercular and 28–33 interopercular odontodes (vs. 6 or 7 opercular, 20 or 21 interopercular odontodes in C. alphabelardense, 7 or 8 opercular, 24–26 interopercular odontodes in C. oncina); a long lacrimal, its length about equal to sesamoid supraorbital length and mesethmoid cornua sharply pointed. Habitat: Headwaters of small brook, about 1230 m asl, with small pebbles and gravel on the bottom. Most specimens were concentrated within mats of marginal amphibious plants, whereas a few ones were found under small pebbles near marginal amphibious plants. Diet: will feed on most aquarium fare such as tablet, frozen and live foods. Etymology: The genus name Cambeva: vernacular name for trichomycterids in southern and southeastern Brazil, derived from the Tupi a’kãg, head, and pewa, flat, referring dorsally flattened head. The specific name dimorphica: From the Greek di (two) and morphe (relative to shape), referring to the two colour patterns of adult specimens.

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Trichomycteridae

South America: Upper Rio Chapecozinho subdrainage, Rio Chapecó drainage southern Brazil.

4.0cm. (1½ins)

22-26°c (71-79°f.)

6.0-7.0.

Costa, W. J. E. M., Feltrin, C. R. M., Amorim, P. F., Mattos, J. L. O., & Katz, A. M. (2026). A Riverine Species Flock? A Remarkably High Diversity of Endemic Fossorial Catfishes, Genus Cambeva (Siluriformes: Trichomycteridae), in a Small Mountain Drainage of Southern Brazil. Taxonomy, 6(3), 49.
Fish in the News 2026.