SCOTCAT.COM  

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

Description: Cambeva metagalactica is distinguished from all other species of CBS1 by having a unique flank colouration in larger specimens, about 55–60 mm SL, comprising pale purplish to brownish grey with yellowish white vermiculation pattern (vs. never a similar colour pattern); a distinctively broad anterior position of the mesethmoid (vs. never so broad) and a hypertrophied metapterygoid (vs. not hypertrophied). Cambeva metagalactica is also distinguished from other species of CBS1 by the presence of pelvic fin (vs. absence in C. diegoi); 37 or 38 vertebrae (vs. 39 in C. diegoi); eight branchiostegal rays (ten in C. diegoi); 33–37 interopercular odontodes (vs. 16 in C. diegoi, 22–23 in C. minima sp. nov. and 28–32 in C. curvilineata); 38–46 premaxillary teeth (vs. 30–37 in C. curvilineata); 37–40 dentary teeth (vs. 30–31 in C. curvilineata); presence of anterior infraorbital canal (vs. absence in C. minima sp. nov.); the lateral process of the parurohyal short, with broad basal portion (vs. long with moderately wide or narrow basal portion in C. diegoi, and C. minima sp. nov., respectively). Habitat: Headwaters of small brooks, between about 1000 and 1080 m asl, with fine gravel, small pebbles and leaf litter and other vegetal debris on the bottom. Specimens were found buried in the leaf litter and other vegetal debris. 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 metagalactica: From the Greek prefix meta (adjacent) and galactica, the specific epithet of the name of a congener occurring in another basin of the same region, that is superficially similar but not closely related to new species

None

None

Trichomycteridae

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

6.5cm. (2½ins)

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.