Description:
Rineloricaria stellata is distinguished from
other species of the genus Rineloricaria
by combination of the tip of the snout with extended
nude area after reaching the previous more pore channel
infraorbital sensory or beyond this; abdomen completely
covered by three to five sets of plates; pectoral
fins reaching just beyond the insertion of the pelvic
fins; the filament in the top radius of caudal fin.
Rineloricaria stellata resembles R. nigricauda
(Regan, 1904) by the caudal filament by bare area
at the muzzle, but differentiates itself by not present
in the posterior caudal a wider dark stripe feature
of this species; It is distinguished from R. longicauda
across the width of the body in first anal (4.5 -6
RADIUS vs. 5.4 -9.8 times in length of peduncle) and
filament caudal fin absent in R. longicauda;
resembles R. cadeae in bare area of the muzzle,
but differentiates itself . This primarily by offering
3-5 vs. three abdominal plates and interorbital distance
largely (22.7- 26.2% vs. 22.9% in CC); differs from
R. pareicantha (Fowler, 1943) by the greater
height of the body at the level ofthe
dorsal fin ( -13 9.4% vs. 9% CP) and greater length
of pectoral fins that reach beyond the base of the
pelvic fins vs. pectoral fins reaching the base of
the pelvis; It differs from R. pentamaculata
Langeni & Aguilar, 1994 at the lowest length of
the dorsal fin ( -5.1 vs. 5 4.2-5.6 times on CC).
In contrast, R. stellata have the fins pelvic
and pectoral extending respectively in addition the
base of the pelvic and anal fins, and in R. pentamaculata
these fins hit the base of the adjacent fins. Reproduction:
The Rineloricaria species are usually cave
spawners, where the female will place their eggs after
the male has cleaned inside. The male will then guard
and fan the eggs until hatching. The eggs will hatch
in 4-5 days whereas the male can now be removed. More
breeding information can be found here in the articles
breeding
section.
Aquarium Care: As with all Rineloricaria
provide long leaved plants or bamboo stalks for them
to hang on to. Etymology: The specific
name stellata, adjective of Latin origin
meaning "starred", given to the species
in allusion to the dark, evident in fins and lateral
line pores. Diet: Omnivore. Vegetable
food such as cucumber and other various foods such
as tablet, flake and frozen.
Remarks:
More information in the referenced paper (Ghazzi,
2008).
Common
Name:
None
Synonyms:
None
Family:
Loricariidae
Distribution:
South America:
Rio Buricá, rio Ijuí, Rio Piratini and
Rio Ibicuí of the Rio Uruguay basin in Brazil.
Size:
11.0cm. (4¼ins)
Temp:
20-24°c (67-75°f)
p.H.
6.0-7.0.
Reference:
Froese, R. and D. Pauly.
Editors. 2011. FishBase. World Wide Web electronic
publication. www.fishbase.org, version. Ghazzi, M.S.,
2008. Nine new species of the genus Rineloricaria
(Siluriformes, Loricariidae) from Uruguay River, southern
Brazil. Iheringia, Ser. Zool. 98(1):100-122. Loureiro M, González-Bergonzoni I,
Teixeira de Mello F. 2023. Freshwater Fishes
of Uruguay. Second edition. Vertebrate Zoology Laboratory,
Faculty of Sciences, University of the Republic.
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