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Hans-Georg Evers (1) Adrian Taylor (3) Kiruya Momochi (2)

Habitat: Inhabits streams with rocky and sandy bottom, mostly in shallows and backwaters up to 30 cm deep, with slow water flow (0.5-10 cm/sec). Forages mostly during the day with some night activity also recorded. Grazes on microscopic algae, mostly diatoms and green algae growing on rocks and submersed vegetation; occasionally takes chironomid and simuliid larvae. Before grazing on a patch with dense sediment, it makes wiggling head-down movements to dislodge sediment. When scrapping algae off the substrate, it makes vigorous mouth movements, and moves by jerky movements probably related to its mouth making alternate grazing and attaching to the substrate. Grazing leaves characteristic, parallel and elongated marks on the substrate. Density may reach about 0.09 fish.m-2 in stream stretches shaded by forest canopy and 0.15 fish.m-2 in sunned stretches. Remarks: There is some controversy regarding the correct spelling of the valid name for this species. The name was listed as Microlepidogaster guntheri Miranda Ribeiro (1918d: 634) with a statement in a footnote on that page that the species name was a patronym for a “Sr. F. Gunther.” However, Isbrücker (1980: 85–86) reported that the species was listed as Microlepidogaster güntheri in a later article (Miranda Ribeiro, 1918e: 717) in the same volume of the journal. If the two papers were published simultaneously, the two spellings would need to be treated as alternate spellings that require further action. Isbrücker (1980: 85–86) noted both spellings and treated M. guentheri as valid, and would thereby act as first reviser, if necessary.

None

Microlepidogaster guntheri, Pseudotocinclus ribeiroi

Loricariidae

South America: Brazil, South eastern. Type locality: Praia do Piraíque, Ilha de São Sebastião, Estado de São Paulo.

4.0cm. (1½ins)

23-27°c (73-81°f)

6.0-7.0.

Burgess, W.E. 1989 An atlas of freshwater and marine catfishes. A preliminary survey of the Siluriformes. T.F.H. Publications, Inc., Neptune City, New Jersey (USA). 784 p.
Ferraris, C.J. Jr., 2007. Checklist of catfishes, recent and fossil (Osteichthyes: Siluriformes), and catalogue of siluriform primary types. Zootaxa 1418:1-628.