Bijdragen tot de Dierkunde, 50 (1): 190-220 — 1980 A review of the genus Corydo ras Lacépède, 1803 (Pisces, Siluriformes, Callichthyidae) by H. Nijssen & I.J.H. Isbrücker Institute of Taxonomie Zoology, University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands Abstract and lectotypes, neotypes are provided as a basis for direct comparison. Measurements and meristic of and of the A review 99 species subspecies genus Corydoras data are taken to the methods described is given. The primary type-material is recorded together with according additional type-specimens deposited in 22 different museum for the of the species genus Aspidoras (Nijssen collections. Two neotypes and 22 lectotypes are designated. & Isbrücker, 1976c: 108). five The species are arranged in groups: 31 species in Ill-known illustrations of of the punctatus-group, 11 in the barbatus-group, 25 in the type-material Cory- 8 in the elegans- and 19 in the acutus- doras aeneus-group, group, species are reproduced. Some type-specimens Measurements and counts of almost all primary type- group. of species, not previously illustrated, are also of specimens are tabulated. Ill-known illustrations type-mate- the often condition rial are included. figured, notwithstanding poor of the material. INTRODUCTION The established Lacé- genus Corydoras was by It its pède (1803). was based on type-species only, and of Descriptions of new species subspecies which was originally and simultaneously described Corydoras are scattered in over 70 publications by Lacépède as Corydoras geoffroy. Together with between The issued 1794 and 1980. dominant Brochis Cope, 1871, and Aspidoras R. von Ihering, language in this literature is English, followed by 1907, Corydoras constitutes the alleged subfamily whereas few in German, descriptions are Portu- Corydoradinae Hoedeman, 1952. This taxon guese, French, or Dutch. belongs to the strictly South American family is of The present paper a review the valid Callichthyidae Gill, 1872, primary freshwater their and names (and synonyms) of the 99 species catfishes, characterized by a double series of large, of this of catfish from South lateral subspecies genus oblong scutes. These entirely cover the America. The is primary type-material recorded, sides of the body posterior to the well-ossified and including 22 lectotypes 2 neotypes herein head, forming a firm, nevertheless flexible cuirass, for first designated the time, together with all allowing lateral movements. available additional and The Brochis and type-specimens (paratypes genera Corydoras, Aspidoras in 22 different differ all paralectotypes), deposited museum at once from other callichthyids in having collections. short rictal barbels, in contrast to the much longer The material listed is as follows: in of the specified ones species genera Callichthys Scopoli, status of the primary type-specimen, abbreviation 1777, Hoplosternum Gill, 1858, Cascadura Ellis, of the museum with the along catalogue number 1913, Dianema Cope, 1872, and Cataphractops which under the specimen is registered, standard Fowler, 1915 (Gosline, 1940: 2, table I, and : 4, length (si), and collecting data, viz.: country- figs. 1-3). province/estado, exact locality, collector(s), and Brochis is easily recognizable by its high number date. numbers more than of dorsal fin 6 Catalogue covering a rays: 10 to 17, against to 8 (usu- are followed the number single specimen by of ally 7) in Corydoras and 6 to 7 (usually 7) in in specimens Two valid of Brochis parentheses. Aspidoras. species are pre- Measurements and counts of the holotypes, sently known (Nijssen & Isbriicker, 1970). BIJDRAGEN TOT DE DIERKUNDE, 50 (l) - 1980 191 Aspidoras differs from both Corydoras and Not mentioned are important data like the fontanels: there is Brochis in having paired an colour pattern (if any was present, or was still anterior (frontal) and a posterior (supraoccipital) visible at the time Lacépède described the speci- and Brochis the fontanel. Corydoras possess a single, men), size, the number of lateral body scutes, fontanel. is known the elongate Aspidoras presently and number of pre-adipose azygous scutes. "11 à from 13 species (Nijssen & Isbriicker, 1976c). Lacépède records, rayons chaque pecto- is the most which and 10 Corydoras prolific callichthyid genus, rale...", may mean one spine valid interest branched "2... à la seconde comprising 95 species. Increasing rays, dorsale", per- in these the last few decades has fishes during haps interprétable as an adipose fin spine preceded resulted in the discovery of numerous previously by one pre-adipose scute, "6... à chaque ventrale", undescribed species. Since Gosline's (1940) revi- "7... à la nageoire de l'anus", and "14... à celle sion the of family Callichthyidae, hardly any new de la queue". callichthyid species have been described in the Valenciennes, in Cuvier & Valenciennes (1840: of Paris genera the subfamily Callichthyinae. However, 318-322, ed.; 236-239, Strasbourg ed.) of valid has added the the number Corydoras species been important information on holotype of almost tripled. Corydoras geoffroy. First, he records to have at The of in- from present generic concept Corydoras hand a specimen Surinam, identified by which been In cludes some species previously have him as Callichthys punctatus (Bloch, 1794). other his he that assigned to genera. description states the pectoral fin The nominal type-species of Corydoras, Cory- spine is: emended C. doras geoffroy (sometimes to geof- "légèrement âpre au bord externe, finement dente- described in lée à de dents froyi) was originally by Lacépède l'interne, et façon que ses sont rather and so that la A la dorsale il d'abord vague confusing terms, positive dirigées vers pointe. y a with- specific identification seems hardly possible la très-petite épine [predorsal spine], puis l'épine examination of the The aussi forte la dentelée out an holotype. original ordinaire, que pectorale et description includes characters allowing identi- de même en arrière..." fication of the "D. C. genus (1803: 148-149): 1/7, dont le dernier double, -1; A. 8; 14; "Nous trouvé dans la collection donnée P. V. 6. La série des dorsales de avons par 1/9; plaques est for removed la Hollande à et celle des ventrales de [euphemism from] vingt une, plaques vingt; la un individu de cette encore in- au bout de série il a trois arrondies: France, espèce chaque y en des naturalistes. Le voit trois de connue nom générique par on en impaires en avant l'adipeuse." devoir la individu du lequel nous avons cru distinguer, indique "Notre de Surinam, provenu Cabinet la cuirasse et la de la du d'un fauve et casque qu'elle a reçus nature; Stadhouder, paraît uniforme, a cui- les (‘Corys, en grec, signifie casque; et doras, nageoires blanches et transparentes..." les recherches rasse')"... "D'après longues que nous avons "Les M. lames qui garantissent chaque côté de cet faites pour retrouver le corydoras de de Lacé- osseux sont deux elles sont nous nous sommes convaincus c'est disposées sur rangs; pède, que de membrane l'individu dont de plus très-larges et hexagones. Une sans taches nous venons parler, assez les deux soutien- été de son article sur le longue sépare rayons qui qui a l'objet genre cory- nent la seconde du dos. Le doras nageoire premier rayon y • • de chaque pectorale est hérissé de très-petites "Nos échantillons [viz., the one from Surinam, Le second de la and another which pointes. rayon première nageoire specimen was sent by d'Orbigny du d'un Le from Montevideo in dos est dentelé seul côté. premier 1827, to be identified as de cette même n'ont deux et [the predorsal spine] nageoire Corydoras paleatus'] que pouces n'offre de il même très-court: demi à trois pas dentelure; est pouces..." mais narine on peut remarquer sa force. Chaque According to Mohr (1938) this size corre- deux On voit au-des- with = a orifices. une grande lame sponds 2.5 to 3 X 27.072 mm 67.68 to de 81.216 This sus chaque pectorale." mm. agrees with the total length that many Corydoras can reach. 192 H. NIJSSEN & I. J. H. ISBRUCKER - REVIEW OF CORYDORAS the able the nomenclatural it is Unfortunately, holotype of Corydoras from point of view, a is lost and its is still geoffroy now identity not junior synonym of Corydoras. certain. Valenciennes is the last author who exam- Scleromystax Günther (1864: 225) was origi- ined the which he established within specimen, regarded conspecific nally as a subgeneric group with Cataphractus punctatus. Corydoras geoffroy Callichthys Scopoli, 1777; its type-species, by has of and is been accepted as a junior synonym Cata- original designation monotypy, Callichthys phractus punctatus ever since, resulting in the barbatus Quoy & Gaimard, L824. Gastrodermus establishment of the name combination Corydoras Cope (1878: 681) was proposed which became of the without of Gosline punctatus, type-species genus designation a lype-species. Corydoras by senior synonymy. (1940: 19) designated Corydoras elegans Stein- For the sake of completeness we must note that dachner, 1877, as its type-species. Lacépède listed (1803: 125) Bloch's Cataphractus Osteogaster Cope (1894: 102) was established in his unnamed "second with punctatus sous-genre" of Corydoras eques Steindachner, 1877, as type- the "les without genus cataphractes", recognition species by original designation. that this identical with subgenus was his Cory- Microcorydoras Myers (1953: 268-270) was doras. originally proposed as a subgenus of Corydoras, based Valenciennes, in d'Orbigny (1847: 8) listed on Corydoras hastatus C. H. Eigenmann & fish R. S. a he named Callichthys punctatus, Val., Eigenmann, 1888. the remark: "Cette été im- We the adding espèce a fort propose to arrange 94 Recent species à elle servi à in five viz.: portante rapporter, car a expliquer groups, de entendait with 31 ce que M. Lacépède par son Corydoras punctatus-group species, with Geoffroy, décrit d'après un exemplaire mal con- barbatus-group 11 species, with servé".