RESEARCH ARTICLE Aspidoras mephisto, new species: The first troglobitic Callichthyidae (Teleostei: Siluriformes) from South America Luiz Fernando Caserta Tencatt1*, Maria Elina Bichuette2 1 Departamento de Biologia, NuÂcleo de Pesquisas em Limnologia, Ictiologia e Aquicultura, Programa de PoÂs-GraduacËão em Ecologia de Ambientes AquaÂticos Continentais, Universidade Estadual de MaringaÂ, MaringaÂ, ParanaÂ, Brazil, 2 Departamento de Ecologia e Biologia Evolutiva, LaboratoÂrio de Estudos SubterraÃneos, Universidade Federal de São Carlos, São Carlos, São Paulo, Brazil a1111111111 a1111111111 *
[email protected] a1111111111 a1111111111 a1111111111 Abstract Aspidoras mephisto n. sp. is described from the AneÂsio-Russão cave system, upper Tocan- tins River basin, GoiaÂs, Brazil. The species can be readily distinguished from its congeners OPEN ACCESS by troglomorphic features and also by presenting the following combination of features: Citation: Tencatt LFC, Bichuette ME (2017) infraorbital 1 generally with well-developed ventral laminar; or moderately developed; Aspidoras mephisto, new species: The first poorly-developed serrations on posterior margin of pectoral spine; nuchal plate not exter- troglobitic Callichthyidae (Teleostei: Siluriformes) nally visible; dorsal fin, even in conspicuously colored specimens, with only dark brown or from South America. PLoS ONE 12(3): e0171309. black chromatophores concentrated on rays, forming spots in some specimens; mem- doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0171309 branes hyaline; or sparse dark brown or black chromatophores on membranes, not forming Editor: Riccardo Castiglia, Universita degli Studi di any conspicuous pattern; and inner laminar expansion of infraorbital 1 moderately devel- Roma La Sapienza, ITALY oped. Information about its habitat, ecology, behaviour and conservation status are provided Received: October 11, 2016 and also a brief description of the juvenile stage.