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Meza-Vargas et al. (3) Mark Henry Sabaj (1)

Chaetostoma sp. ‘‘Xingu’’ of Lujan et al. (2015) was first collected during an expedition by the Museu de Zoologia of the University of São Paulo (MZUSP) in 2011, when five specimens of this putatively new Chaetostoma were caught in the Seiko River, a tributary of the Jarauçu River, which is itself a left-bank (western) tributary of the lower Xingu River (Meza-Vargas et al. 2022). Habitat: The Maicuru River locality is 33 m above sea level, 40–60 m wide, and up to 1 m deep. The bottom was composed of pebbles, loose rocks, and boulders; water was clear and the current moderately strong (Meza-Vargas et al. 2022). Colouration: Head with conspicuous dark grey to matte black vermiculate dots along entire dorsal surface, more dotshaped in lateral and anterior border of snout and along slightly darker than branched rays. Caudal fin brown, more lightly coloured than body, branched rays of ventral lobe darker toward distal margin (Meza-Vargas et al. 2022). Aquarium Care: Will need a good water flow in the aquarium with a sand substrate and plenty of hiding places. The Chaetostoma species are not the easiest to maintain as the mountain stream species will need a water current to provide oxygen-rich water. The species that are exported usually originate from warmer waters so are a bit easier to keep than the mountain stream variety. Diet: Great algae eater, but you will have to subsidise this food with algae wafers and vegetable foods such as cucumber, zucchini and lettuce. Will also except tablet and worm foods. Sexual differences: Males have better colour, a broader head and lips and adult males possess longer ventral fins than the females. Etymology: The new species is named Chaetostoma orientale, from the Latin orient-, oriens, orientalis, meaning eastern, from the east, of or belonging to the east, in reference to its easternmost distribution among species of the genus. An adjective in neuter form in agreement with genus gender (Meza-Vargas et al. 2022).

L413, L416, Chaetostoma sp. ‘‘Xingu’’, Chaetostoma sp. ‘‘Rio Maicuru’’

None

Loricariidae

South America: Maicuru and Seiko Rivers, a northern tributary of the lower Amazon River and a tributary of the lower Xingu River, respectively, both in Para´ State, Brazil.

13.5cm. (5¼ins)

23-27°c (73-80°f.)

6.0-7.0.

Vanessa Meza-Vargas, Bárbara B. Calegari, Nathan K. Lujan, Gustavo A. Ballen, Osvaldo T. Oyakawa, Leandro M. Sousa, Lúcia Rapp Py-Daniel, and Roberto E. Reis "A New Species of Chaetostoma (Siluriformes: Loricariidae) Expands the Distribution of Rubbernose Plecos Eastward into the Lower Amazon Basin of Brazil," Ichthyology & Herpetology 110(2), 364-377, (29 June 2022). © 2022 by the American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists.