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Danté Fenolio (3)

Habitat: This cave dwelling Ancistrus is found together with the Characins, Astanax scabripinnis and Hoplerythrinus unitaeniatus. The species is endemic to a relatively small subterranean waterway in Brazil (Dante Fenolio 2020). This species has one of the hallmark characters of a subterranean fish, no eyes; however, it hasn’t lost its pigment. Typical Ancistrus shape with both sexes sporting bristles to the head area with the male having the larger and more impressive tentacles. Diet: A. cryptophthalmus feeds on biofilms, not algae – interesting to consider in that there is no algae in a dark environment. Etymology: The specific name of cryptophthalmus means hidden (kryptos=hidden) eyes (opthalmus=eyes) and refers to this cave species lack of eyes.

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Loricariidae

South America: São Vicente and Angélica-Bezerra Cave system in upper Paranã River, Tocantins River drainage, Brazil. Type locality: Caverna Passa Três (about 300 m into the cave), Rio São Vicente system, São Domingos, Goias, Brazil.

6.0cm. (2½ins)

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Fenolio, Dante. Pers comm. 2020.
Ferraris, C.J. Jr., 2007. Checklist of catfishes, recent and fossil (Osteichthyes: Siluriformes), and catalogue of siluriform primary types. Zootaxa 1418:1-628.
Froese, R. and D. Pauly. Editors. 2019. FishBase. World Wide Web electronic publication. www.fishbase.org, ( 12/2019 ).
Proudlove S. Graham. Subterranean fishes of the world. An account of the subterranean (hypogean) fishes described to 2003 with a bibliography 1541–200.
Proudlove, G.S., 1997. A synopsis of the hypogean fishes of the world. p. 351-354. In Proceedings of the 12th International Congress of Speleology, La Chaux de Fonds, Switzerland. vol. 3.