Sistemática dos Peixes da Família Heptapteridae (Teleostei, Ostariophysi, Siluriformes) da Coleção Ictiológica do Museu Paraense Emílio Goeldi (MPEG)

Abstract

The Siluriformes represent the most diverse order of the superorder Ostariophysi. They are popularly known as catfish, being composed of 33 families, approximately 412 genera, and containing more than 2,400 described species. Heptapterídae is a monophyletic group of catfish consisting of about 200 species distributed in approximately 26 genera. Heptapterids are endemic to the Neotropics, being one of the most representative groups of the small Siluriformes distributed in Central and South America. Members of this family occupy freshwater environments from northern Mexico to southern Argentina, also occurring in the São Francisco River and Amazon Basin, where its greatest diversity is concentrated. This study aims to identify fish specimens of the Heptapteridae family from MPEG's collection. Direct and indirect observations were made with stereomicroscopes and measurements for each specimen analyzed were made with the aid of a Mitutoyo pachymeter model to the tenth of a millimeter, for the specific identification some specimens of each genus were diaphanized and prepared for bone and cartilage. So far, 290 fish specimens have been identified, classified in 6 genera and 12 species: Rbamdia quelen (n=66; mcnsurede l l), Rbamdia sp. (n=6; mensurée-í), Rbamdella sp. (n=57; mensurée "10), Mastiglanis asopos (n=96; mensurée 15), Gladioglanis sp. (11=7;measurede Z), Pimelodclla mucosa (n=9; measurede-í), P. hasemani (n=9; measured- S), P. metae (n=lO; measuredeé), P. cristata (n=25; measuredeH), Pimelodella sp. 1 (n=l; measurede l), Pimelodella sp. 2 (11=2;measuredez) and Pbreatobius cisternarum (n=5; measurede-S). The present study provided a thorough analysis of the genera and species belonging to the family Heptapterídae, according to their occurrence or even morphological characteristics specific to each taxon.