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

Description: Cambeva minima differs from all other congeners of CBS1 by the absence of anterior infraorbital canal (vs. presence), 22–24 dentary teeth (vs. 30–45) and a unique colour pattern on the flank that is yellowish white with small dark grey to black dots dorsally and on the caudal peduncle, with the anteroventral portion white, without dark dots (vs. never a similar colour pattern). Cambeva minima also differs 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); seven or eight branchiostegal rays (ten in C. diegoi); 22–23 interopercular odontodes (vs. 16 in C. diegoi, 33–37 in C. metagalactica and 28–32 in C. curvilineata); and 27–37 premaxillary teeth (vs. 38–46 in C. metagalactica). Habitat: Small streams at about 740–825 m asl. Specimens were found in the stream bottom composed of small pebbles, fine gravel and sand, with some specimens also found buried in amphibious marginal vegetation. 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 minima: From the Latin, minima (minimum) referring to the small size of the new species, the smallest in the genus, barely reaching 40 mm SL.

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Trichomycteridae

South America: Middle Rio Chapecó and Middle Rio Chapecozinho drainages, Rio Uruguai basin, 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.