Silvinichthys

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Silvinichthys
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Siluriformes
Family: Trichomycteridae
Subfamily: Trichomycterinae
Genus: Silvinichthys
Arratia, 1998
Type species
Trichomycterus mendozensis
Arratia, Chang, Menu-Marque & Rojas, 1978
Binomial name

Silvinichthys bortayro
Fernández & de Pinna, 2005
Silvinichthys mendozensis
(Arratia, Chang, Menu-Marque & Rojas, 1978)

Silvinichthys is a genus of catfishes (order Siluriformes) of the family Trichomycteridae. It includes two species, S. bortayro and S. mendozensis.[1][2]

Contents

[edit] Distribution

S. bortayro is known from artificial wells in the Salta Province, Argentina.[1] S. mendozensis is endemic to the Andean foothill range of Mendoza between 1500–1700 metres (4900–5600 ft) altitude, and is not found underground.[1]

[edit] Description

S. bortayro has many specializations due to its subterranean lifestyle, such as loss of fins, reduction of eyes and pigmentation, and loss of cryptic behavior.[1]

S. bortayro differs from S. mendozensis in having 6 versus 7 or 8 pectoral-fin rays and the absence versus presence of the pelvic fin and pelvic girdle.[1] S. bortayro is known to grow to 2.8 centimetres (1.1 in) SL.[3] S. mendozensis is known to grow to 7.3 cm (2.9 in) SL.[4]

[edit] Ecology

S. bortayro represents the first trichomycterid discovered to occur in phreatic habitats, living in groundwater below the water table. The bottom of the wells is composed of sand and lime, and the water is transparent and less than 1 m (3 ft) deep.[1]

[edit] Conservation

S. bortayro is at risk of extinction and conservation efforts are necessary to prevent contamination of its habitat.[5]

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b c d e f Fernández, Luis; de Pinna, Mario C. C. (2005). "Phreatic Catfish of the Genus Silvinichthys from Southern South America (Teleostei, Siluriformes, Trichomycteridae)". Copeia 2005 (1): 100–108. doi:10.1643/CI-03-158R2. 
  2. ^ Ferraris, Carl J., Jr. (2007). "Checklist of catfishes, recent and fossil (Osteichthyes: Siluriformes), and catalogue of siluriform primary types" (PDF). Zootaxa 1418: 1–628. 
  3. ^ "Silvinichthys bortayro". FishBase. Ed. Ranier Froese and Daniel Pauly. July 2007 version. N.p.: FishBase, 2007.
  4. ^ "Silvinichthys mendozensis". FishBase. Ed. Ranier Froese and Daniel Pauly. July 2007 version. N.p.: FishBase, 2007.
  5. ^ Fernandez, Luis (May 2005). "Risk of Extinction of a Rare Catfish of Andean Groundwater and its Priority for Conservation". AMBIO: A Journal of the Human Environment 34 (3): 269–270. doi:10.1639/0044-7447(2005)034[0269:ROEOAR]2.0.CO;2. 
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