Description:
Dorsal spines (total): 1; Dorsal soft rays (total):
7; Anal spines: 1; Anal soft rays: 3 - 4. This species
differs from its congeners inhabiting the Río
de La Plata and coastal basins of southern Brazil,
except A. agostinhoi, A. multispinis, A. mullerae,
A. taunayi and A. formoso, by possessing a maxillary
barbel shorter and not free from its lower lip (vs.
longer and free from lower lip); from the first 4
species, by the width of mandibulary teeth row 13.4-15.5%
of HL (vs. 15.8-19.3%, 15.5-19.4%, 16.5-21.0% and
15.8-23.1%, respectively) and 32.9-37.9% of interorbital
width (vs. 38.4-53.6%, 40.7-53.8%, 39.3-58.0% and
39.4-51.4%, respectively); from A. formoso
by orbital diameter 11.9-15.3% of HL (vs. 8.3-8.7%),
caudal peduncle depth 9.0-10.9% of SL (vs. 7.8-8.7%)
and number of dentary teeth 40-68 (vs. 110). Habitat:
Ancistrus abilhoai is endemic to the Iguaçu
River basin, being more common in the upper and middle
portion of the Iguaçu River (Baumgartner et
al. 2012, Bifi et al. 2009). Aquarium Care:
The Ancistrus genera make good community
fish where they do not grow too big for the aquarium.
Some species have different requirements in the aquarium
so best to read up on the species you have whereas
if they need higher oxygen requirements or not, or
if they prefer cooler waters if they originate from
the southern parts of South America against the species
from further up north. Diet: Vegetable
foods such as cucumber and courgette and also tablet
and meaty foods. Reproduction: The
female lays her eggs in caves or crevices... that
the male has chosen and cleaned.... as a cluster.
The male usually then guards the eggs after ejecting
the female. The fry then cling to the sides of the
cave and when they use up their yolk sac, which is
around the four to seven day period, they will be
ready to feed on infusuria, vegetable matter, brine
shrimp naupli or micro worms. In a community tank
a few will survive if enough hiding places are afforded
to them. Etymology: The specific
name abilhoai: in honour of Vinícius
Abilhoa, curator of fishes, Museu de História
Natural do Capão de Imbuia (Curitiba, Paraná,
Brazil), who collected some of the type series, and
who has been of great assistance to the authors in
this and other studies. Remarks:
No significant threats have been identified that put
the Ancistrus abilhoai population at risk
(IUCN 2009).
Common
Name:
None
Synonyms:
None
Family:
Loricariidae
Distribution:
South America:
Brazil, Iguaçu River basin. Type locality:
Lapa, middle Rio Iguaçu basin, Rio Iguaçu,
25°47'35"S, 50°11'59"W, Paraná
State, Brazil.
Ancistrus
abilhoai Iritim and Padros
rivers, Brazil
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