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Microcambeva ribeirae Costa, Lima & Bizerril, 2004

Image contributors to this species:

Universidade Federal do Rio Grande Do Sul (4 = CC-BY-4.0)

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Other Sources:

Relevant Information:

Description: Microcambeva ribeirae is distinguished from all congeners by having small lateral pointed expansions in median lateral portions of anterior portion of vomer (vs. expansions absent). It differs from M. filamentosa by having first pectoral-fin ray not extended into filament (vs. prolonged as filament). It differs from M. bendego by tips of rictal barbels reaching anterior region of interopercular odontodophore (vs. reaching middle of orbit), and presence of two unbranched dorsal-fin rays (vs. three). It differs from M. caissara by having 34 vertebrae (vs. 32), maxillary barbel tip reaching beyond posterior portion of interopercular odontodophore (vs. reaching anterior portion of interopercular odontodophore), (de Medeiros et al. 2026). Habitat: Microcambeva ribeirae occurs in the upper and middle portions in the Ribeira de Iguape basin, in the Ribeira de Iguape ecoregion. Most sampling sites are in small tributaries of the main channel, characterised by clear water, weak current, substrate composed mostly of sand, clay and a few stones, average depth of 0.5–1 m and width of 2–4 m. Most localities are about 40m above sea level, with extremes varying between 5 and 280m. The climate of the region is classified as Cfb in the Köppen scale, featuring subtropical highland climate (Peel et al., 2007). Colouration: Dorsal and trunk almost translucent, ventral surface of body yellowish, pale. Series of large dark spots distributed along body. Large spots brown circling small black spots. Small melanophores distributed irregularly on body. Mid-lateral, upper lateral and mid-dorsal series of spots similar to those observed in preserved specimens. Head with large dark blotch extending over middle of posterior part of neurocranium. Eyes black, iris orange. Ventral surface of head uniformly yellowish. Slender brownish blotch extending laterally between anterior and posterior nostrils. Base of maxillary barbel silvery; distal portion of barbels hyaline. First pectoral-fin ray silvery. Fins hyaline. Grey vertical bar across caudal-fin base (de Medeiros et al. 2026). Etymology: The Specific name ribeirae: Of the Rio Ribeira do Iguape basin, southeastern Brazil, type locality.

Common Name:

None

Synonyms:

None

Family:

Trichomycteridae

Distribution:

South America: São Lourencinho River, Ribeira de Iguape River basin, Pedro Toledo, São Paulo, Brazil.

Size:

5.0cm. (2ins)

Temp:

20-24°c (67-75°f.)

p.H.

6.0-7.0.

IUCN Red List

Microcambeva ribeirae is endemic to Brazil and occurs in the Ribeira de Iguape River basin in the state of São Paulo and in the Guaraqueçaba River basin in the state of Paraná. The species occurs only in the intermediate sectors of the basin, and while it may be frequent, it is not abundant. Despite its restricted distribution, covering approximately 10,400 km² , there is no evidence that the diffuse threats in the region put its population at risk of extinction in the short term. Therefore, Microcambeva ribeirae has been categorised as Least Concern (LC), (IUCN 2024).

Reference:

Chico Mendes Institute for Biodiversity Conservation (ICMBio). 2024. Microcambeva ribeirae. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2024.
Costa, W.J.E.M., S.M.Q. Lima and C.R.S.F. Bizerril, 2004. Microcambeva ribeirae sp. n. (Teleostei: Siluriformes: Trichomycteridae): a new sarcoglanidine catfish from the Rio Ribeira do Iguape basin, southeastern Brazil. Zootaxa 563:1-10.
de Medeiros, L. S., Souto-Santos, I. C. A., Buckup, P. A., Ferrer, J., Reis, V. J. C., de Pinna, M., & Lima, S. M. Q. (2026). A new catfish species of Microcambeva Costa & Bockmann, 1994 (Siluriformes: Trichomycteridae) from southern Brazil, with a redescription of M. ribeirae Costa, Lima & Bizerril, 2004. Journal of Fish Biology, 1–19.
Fish in the News 2026.
Froese, R. and D. Pauly. Editors. 2025. FishBase. World Wide Web electronic publication. www.fishbase.org, ( 11/2025 ).
The ETYFish Project Fish Name Etymology Database © Christopher Scharpf.

Family: Trichomycteridae Back to Ident-A-Cat Click on Thumbnails

Microcambeva ribeirae
Live Specimen-Brazil, São Paulo State

Microcambeva ribeirae
Lateral view-holotype-São Lourencinho River, Ribeira de Iguape River basin, Pedro Toledo, São Paulo, Brazil

Microcambeva ribeirae
Dorsal view-holotype-São Lourencinho River, Ribeira de Iguape River basin, Pedro Toledo, São Paulo, Brazil

Microcambeva ribeirae
Ventral view-holotype-São Lourencinho River, Ribeira de Iguape River basin, Pedro Toledo, São Paulo, Brazil

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