he Description of a Rare and Critically Endangered Species of Ghost Knifefish from the Amazon Basin (Ostariophysi: Gymnotiformes: Apteronotidae

Author(s)

Wanderley Peixoto, Luiz Antonio ^{[1, 2]} ; Dutra, Guilherme Moreira ^[1] ; Datovo, Alessio ^[1] ; Menezes, Naercio Aquino ^[1] ; De Santana, Carlos David ^[3]

Affiliation

^[1] Univ Sao Paulo, Museu Zool, Av Nazare 481, BR-04263000 Sao Paulo, SP - Brazil

^[2] Univ Fed Para, Nucleo Ecol Aquat & Pesca Amazonia NEAP, Av Perimetral 2651, BR-66077830 Belem, Para - Brazil

^[3] Smithsonian Inst, Dept Vertebrate Zool, Div Fishes, Natl Museum Nat Hist, MRC 159, POB 37012, Washington, DC 20013 - USA

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: ICHTHYOLOGY AND HERPETOLOGY; v. 109, n. 4, p. 1002-1009, DEC 2021.
• Web of Science Citations: 0

Abstract

A new species of ghost knifefish is described from the Rio Uatuma at Cachoeira do Miriti, Amazon basin, Brazil. It is distinguished from all species of Apteronotus by the absence of a clear stripe from the chin to the dorsal portions of the head and/or dorsum, a reduced number of anal-fin rays (118-122), and by having four branchiostegal rays. More specifically, the new species resembles Apteronotus quilombola by the low number of anal-fin rays; however, the number of branchiostegal rays and several additional counts and measurements differentiate the species. Furthermore, the new species co-occurs with A. lindalvae, and it can be distinguished by the number of premaxillary teeth. The occurrence area of the new species was highly impacted after the construction of Balbina dam. Thus, considering the threats to the species and the restricted area of distribution, its conservation status was assessed as critically endangered. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 16/19075-9 - Diversity and evolution of Gymnotiformes (Teleostei, Ostariophysi)
• Grantee: Naercio Aquino Menezes
• Support Opportunities: Research Projects - Thematic Grants
• FAPESP's process: 09/54931-0 - Improvement and management of biological specimen collections at the Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Filosofia, Ciências e Letras de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo
• Grantee: Carlos Alberto Garofalo
• Support Opportunities: Research Infrastructure Program - Biological specimen collections
• FAPESP's process: 18/05084-1 - Evolution of the skeletal musculature of the Gymnotiformes (Teleostei: Ostariophysi)
• Grantee: Luiz Antonio Wanderley Peixoto
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• FAPESP's process: 18/09445-9 - Systematics of the electric fishes of the genus Eigenmannia Jordan & Evermann (Gymnotiformes: Sternopygidae): an integrated approach to morphological and molecular data
• Grantee: Guilherme Moreira Dutra
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral