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

Description: Cambeva oncina differs from all congeners of CAC by the absence of pelvic fin and support (vs. presence); by having 24–26 interopercular odontodes (vs. 20 or 21 in C. alphabelardense and 28–33 in C. dimorphica); presence of a short dowel-like process on the lateral margin of the lateral ethmoid, the presence of a deep cleft on the dorsal margin of the hyomandibular outgrowth; and a colour pattern consisting of dark brown blotches with lighter central portion on the whole flank (vs. only on the dorsum when present). Habitat: Headwaters of a small brook, about 1300 m asl, with small pebbles on silty bottom. Specimens were found concentrated buried in the silty bottom covered by leaf litter, in area with reduced light incidence. 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 oncina: Name derived from the Portuguese oncinha, a small onça, the popular Brazilian name for the panther Panthera onca L. 1758, a reference to the similar colour pattern of the new species.

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Trichomycteridae

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