Trichomycterus is a genus of fish in the family Trichomycteridae, the largest genus of its family with over 170 species currently described. This genus is native to freshwater habitats in Central and South America. These fish are generally small, usually about 5 to 15 cm (2–6 in) in standard length, although the largest, T. rivulatus, can reach more than twice this size. Species differ from one another primarily in body proportions, fin ray counts and colouration. Despite their relatively small size, some, such as T. punctulatus, support fisheries and are important in the local cuisine.
The Heptapteridae, or three-barbeled catfishes, are a family of catfish that originate from the Americas. Most species are restricted to South America, but Imparfinis lineatus, Nemuroglanis panamensis and Pimelodella chagresi are native to Panama, and Rhamdia species occur as far north as Mexico. The name Heptapteridae is derived from Greek, hepta meaning seven and pteron meaning fin.
Phreatobius cisternarum is a species of catfish in the genus Phreatobius. This Brazilian fish is one of the few fish species that live underground in phreatic habitats. It has proved problematic in its classification.
Glaphyropoma is a genus of small pencil catfishes native to Bahia in Brazil.
Pimelodella is a genus of three-barbeled catfishes.
Stygichthys typhlops, the blind tetra or Brazilian blind characid, is a species of fish in the family Characidae and the only member of the genus Stygichthys. It is endemic to caves in northern Minas Gerais, Brazil. Like other cave-adapted fish, the Brazilian blind characid is blind and lacks pigmentation. It reaches up to about 4.6 cm (1.8 in) in standard length. It is solitary and when kept together in an aquarium, individuals are indifferent to each other.
Ancistrus claro is a species of armored catfish endemic to Brazil where it is found in the Cuiabá River basin. This species grows to a length of 6.6 centimetres (2.6 in) SL.
Cavefish or cave fish is a generic term for fresh and brackish water fish adapted to life in caves and other underground habitats. Related terms are subterranean fish, troglomorphic fish, troglobitic fish, stygobitic fish, phreatic fish, and hypogean fish.
Eigenmannia vicentespelaea is a species of weakly electric knifefish in the family Sternopygidae. Native to the São Domingos karst area in central Brazil, it is the only known knifefish to exclusively inhabit caves. Measuring up to 21 cm (8.3 in) long, E. vicentespelaea can be distinguished from its relatives by its translucent body and reduced or absent eyes. As some individuals retain well-developed eyes, this fish may have colonized caves only recently in evolutionary time.
Leporacanthicus heterodon is a species of armored catfish endemic to Brazil where it occurs in the Xingu River basin. This species grows to a length of 10.3 centimetres (4.1 in) SL.
Harttia kronei is a species of armored catfish of the family endemic to Brazil where it is found in the Ribeira de Iguape River basin. This species grows to a length of 12 centimetres (4.7 in) SL.
Pareiorhina brachyrhyncha is a species of armored catfish endemic to Brazil where it is known from stony piedmont tributaries of the left bank of Rio Paraíba do Sul, in the State of São Paulo, southeastern Brazil. These streams belong to the Ribeirão Grande, Guameral, and Piagüi sub-drainages. They drain the southeastern slope of Serra da Mantiqueira, a major mountain range that separates the Paraíba do Sul from the upper Paraná River basin. This species grows to a length of 4.21 centimetres (1.66 in) SL.
Pareiorhina rudolphi is a species of armored catfish endemic to Brazil where it occurs in the Paraíba do Sul River near Lorena, São Paulo State, Brazil. This species grows to a length of 4.5 centimetres (1.8 in) TL.
The Ribeira de Iguape River, or simply the Ribeira River, is a river of Paraná and São Paulo states in southeastern Brazil. It flows into the Atlantic Ocean near Iguape. The river is home to several endemic species of fish. So far no dams have been built on the river, although four have been proposed. Although it flows through a relatively sparsely populated region with untouched areas of Atlantic Forest, the river has been contaminated with heavy metals from mining beyond the point where it is considered safe to eat the molluscs found in the river and its estuary.
Sigismund Ernst Richard Krone was a German naturalist, zoologist, spelunker, archaeologist and researcher born on 18 June 1861 in Dresden, Kingdom of Saxony. Having been the discoverer of the Devil's Cave in 1891, he explored and studied the endokarst region of southeast Brazil,. He was influenced by the contributions of the Danish naturalist Peter Lund (1801-1880), leading to the realization of several paleontological and archaeological discoveries in 41 of Iporanga's caves, which he examined between 1895-1906.
Gruta das Areias is a complex of caverns located in the region of Lajeado, in the municipality of Iporanga, São Paulo, Brazil. It is therefore part of the Areias System, located in the southwestern part of the carbonatic area Lajeado-Bombas, on the right bank of the Betari river, in the municipality of Iporanga, southeast of the state. It comprises the caves Ressurgência das Areias (SP-016), the 5.565 meter-long cave Areias de Cima (SP-018) and the Areias de Baixo (SP-019) cave, also popularly called Areias I and II. It is also part of the so-called Açungui group of caverns formed between the Mesoproterozoic and Neoproterozoic, between 1.6 billion and 539 million years ago.
Hemipsilichthys papillatus is a species of loricariid catfish endemic to Brazil, where it is restricted to the Rio Preto, a tributary of the Paraíba do Sul, in the southeastern states of Minas Gerais, Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo. This species grows to a length of 9.2 centimetres (3.6 in) SL.
Ancistrus formoso is a species of catfish in the family Loricariidae. It is native to South America, where it occurs only in the cave of Buraco do Ducho in the Formoso phreatic system in Brazil. It is a stygobitic species that is known to lack eyes and body pigmentation, which indicate a high level of specialization to living in a subterranean, lightless environment. It is one of three known stygobitic members of Ancistrus, alongside A. cryptophthalmus and A. galani. The species reaches 7.9 cm (3.1 in) SL.
Pimelodella brasiliensis is a species of three-barbeled catfish of the family Heptapteridae. It is endemic to the Paraíba do Sul river basin in Brazil, although there are unconfirmed records from elsewhere.
Loricariichthys nudirostris is a species of catfish in the family Loricariidae. It is endemic to Brazil, where it occurs in the Amazon River basin. The species reaches 23.5 centimetres (9.3 in) in standard length, can weigh up to at least 89.6 grams (3.16 oz), and is believed to be a facultative air-breather.
