Hypostomus is a genus of catfish in the family Loricariidae. They are native to tropical and subtropical South America. H. plecostomus is the popular freshwater aquarium fish formerly known as Plecostomus plecostomus. The taxonomic structure of the Loricariidae is still being expanded by scientists. Hypostomus is a highly species-rich and widely distributed catfish genus.
Otocinclus is a genus of catfish in the family Loricariidae native to South America, commonly known as "dwarf suckers" or "otos". This genus, like other loricariids, is characterized by rows of armour plating covering the body, as well as the underslung suckermouth. They are generally small in size; O. tapirape is the smallest of the species (2.4 cm), while O. flexilis is the biggest (5.5 cm). These species have adaptations that allow them to breathe air. A duct forms at the junction between the esophagus and the stomach and expands into an enlarged, ring-like diverticulum, characteristic of this genus, which allows air-breathing. Otocinclus are popular aquarium fish, and they are often purchased as algae eaters. It is difficult to breed them in captivity, and only wild caught Otocinclus are available to hobbyists. This genus is widely distributed east of the Andes of South America, throughout the lowlands from northern Venezuela to northern Argentina, but are generally absent from the Amazon and the Orinoco lowlands.
Otothyropsis is a genus of armored catfishes native to South America.
The Hypoptopomatinae are a subfamily of catfishes of the family Loricariidae, composed of 17 genera and approximately 80 species. This subfamily represents about one-tenth of all loricariid species.
Hisonotus is a genus of armored catfishes native to South America. Species of Hisonotus and Curculionichthys are the only representatives of the subfamily Otothyrinae having serrae on the posterior edge of the pectoral fin spine. These species are small fishes, generally found in small fast flowing streams, where they grasp to the branches and leaves of aquatic or subaquatic plants. The species of this genus mostly occur in Atlantic coastal streams of southern Brazil and the Paraguay-Paraná system of southern South America. They are also distributed in the Río de La Plata basin and coastal rivers of southeastern Brazil.
Pseudotothyris is a genus of armored catfishes native to South America.
Pareiorhaphis is a genus of catfish in the family Loricariidae native to South America. This genus can be readily distinguished from other neoplecostomines by the unique combination of having fleshy lobes on lateral margins of head ornamented with hypertrophied odontodes on nuptial males, caudal peduncle ovoid in cross section, abdomen usually naked, dorsal fin spinelet ovoid and adipose fin usually present. The color pattern is usually dark brown and mottled with the abdomen white. Most species in to Pareiorhaphis were originally described in Hemipsilichthys. In 1918, Alípio de Miranda-Ribeiro proposed the new genus Pareiorhaphis. Whether Pareiorhaphis is monophyletic or not is currently unknown.
Gymnotocinclus anosteos is a species of armored catfish (Loricariidae) endemic to Brazil, where it is found in the Tocantinzinho River in the Tocantins River basin. This species grows to a length of 4.4 centimetres (1.7 in) SL.
Characidium is a genus of fish in the family Crenuchidae. They are mainly found in South America, but C. marshi is from Panama. They are small, slender fish that live on the bottom in flowing fresh waters and feed on small animals such as insects.
Parotocinclus arandai is a species of catfish in the family Loricariidae. It is native to South America, where it occurs in tributaries of the Jucurucu River and the Buranhém River in Brazil. It is found in clear shallow waters with a depth of around 0.3 m (0.98 ft) and a substrate of sand or gravel. The species reaches 4.3 cm SL.
Parotocinclus jequi is a species of catfish in the family Loricariidae. It is native to South America, where it occurs in the headwaters of the Jequitinhonha River basin in Brazil. It is found in areas with clear water, marginal vegetation, a substrate of rocks or pebbles, and a depth of 0.3 to 1.2 m. The species reaches 5.4 cm SL.
Parotocinclus haroldoi is a species of catfish in the family Loricariidae. It is native to South America, where it is known from the state of Piauí in Brazil, with a 2020 redescription defining its range as the Parnaíba River basin. The species reaches 3.5 cm SL.
Parotocinclus cabessadecuia is a species of catfish in the family Loricariidae. It is a freshwater species native to South America, where it occurs in the Parnaíba River basin of Brazil, alongside its congeners Parotocinclus haroldoi and Parotocinclus cearensis. The species reaches at least 3.32 cm SL. It was described in 2017 by T. P. Ramos, S. M. Lima, and R. T. Ramos. FishBase does not list this species.
Parotocinclus jacumirim is a species of catfish in the family Loricariidae. It is native to South America, where it occurs in the Jacuípe River basin in Bahia, Brazil. The species reaches at least 5.07 cm SL and was described in 2020 by Dario Ernesto da Silva-Junior, Telton Pedro Anselmo Ramos, and Angela Maria Zanata based on fin morphology, dentition, and differences in plate coverage on the snout and abdomen. FishBase does not list this species.
Parotocinclus nandae is a species of catfish in the family Loricariidae. It is native to South America, where it occurs in the Paraguaçu River basin in Bahia, Brazil. The species was described in 2020 by Pablo Lehmann A., Priscila Camelier, and Angela Zanata and is distinguished by its congeners by its unique color pattern and differences in several morphological characteristics. The species reaches at least 4.62 cm SL. Females of this species are noted to have thick and rough skin in the interradial membrane of the pelvic fin, a trait which has not been reported from any other member of the order Siluriformes.
Parotocinclus seridoensis is a species of catfish in the family Loricariidae. It is native to South America, where it occurs in the upper basin of the Piranhas River in Brazil. The specific epithet of this species, seridoensis, refers to the Caatinga ecoregion of Brazil where the species is found, which is reportedly locally known as "Sertão do Seridó". The species reaches 4.3 cm SL.
Parotocinclus variola is a species of catfish in the family Loricariidae. It is native to South America, where it reportedly occurs in a blackwater creek known as Quebrada Tacana, which is a tributary of the Amazon River in Colombia. The species inhabits sandy areas and reaches 2.9 cm SL.
Parotocinclus yaka is a species of catfish in the family Loricariidae. It is native to South America, where it occurs in Brazil, in tributaries of the Tiquié River, which is a tributary of the Vaupés River in the Amazon River basin. The species reaches at least 3.01 cm SL. It was described in 2018 by P. Lehmann A., F. C. T. Lima, and R. E. Reis on the basis of distinctive patterning and cheek morphology.
Parotocinclus hardmani is a species of catfish in the family Loricariidae. It is native to South America, where it occurs in tributaries of the Potaro River, which is part of the Essequibo River basin in Guyana. It was described in February of 2022 by Pablo Lehmann A., Nathan K. Lujan, and Roberto E. Reis on the basis of its distinctive morphology. It is believed to be closely related to its congeners Parotocinclus collinsae and P. halbothi. The species reaches at least 2.43 cm in standard length.
Rhinolekos britskii is a species of catfish in the family Loricariidae. It is native to South America, where it occurs in the Paranaíba River basin in the upper Paraná River system in Brazil. The species reaches 4 cm in standard length. Its specific name, britskii, honors Heraldo A. Britski of the University of São Paulo for his contributions to the ichthyology of the Neotropical realm.
