Microglanis leptostriatus
Encyclopedia
Microglanis leptostriatus is a species of catfish
belonging to the family Pseudopimelodidae
. It appears to be entirely restricted to the middle and upper basin
of the São Francisco River
in Brazil
.
This species is small (up to 43 mm standard length
) but boldly patterned. Its most distinctive feature is a narrow, sinuous pale band running across the top of the otherwise dark head. the rest of the body is marked with pale and dark blotches, though overall it appears darker than many of its congeners as some of the light areas are mottled with darker spots.
Catfish
Catfishes are a diverse group of ray-finned fish. Named for their prominent barbels, which resemble a cat's whiskers, catfish range in size and behavior from the heaviest and longest, the Mekong giant catfish from Southeast Asia and the second longest, the wels catfish of Eurasia, to detritivores...
belonging to the family Pseudopimelodidae
Pseudopimelodidae
Pseudopimelodidae is a small family of catfishes. Some of these fish are popular aquarium fish.-Taxonomy:This family was formerly a subfamily of Pimelodidae. Pseudopimelodidae is a monophyletic group. Previously, the superfamily Pseudopimelodoidea is sister to superfamilies Sisoroidea + Loricarioidea...
. It appears to be entirely restricted to the middle and upper basin
Drainage basin
A drainage basin is an extent or an area of land where surface water from rain and melting snow or ice converges to a single point, usually the exit of the basin, where the waters join another waterbody, such as a river, lake, reservoir, estuary, wetland, sea, or ocean...
of the São Francisco River
São Francisco River
The São Francisco is a river in Brazil. With a length of , it is the longest river that runs entirely in Brazilian territory, and the fourth longest in South America and overall in Brazil...
in Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
.
This species is small (up to 43 mm standard length
Fish measurement
Fish measurement refers to the measuring of the length of individual fish and of various parts of their anatomy. These data are used in many areas of ichthyology, including taxonomy and fisheries biology.-Overall length:...
) but boldly patterned. Its most distinctive feature is a narrow, sinuous pale band running across the top of the otherwise dark head. the rest of the body is marked with pale and dark blotches, though overall it appears darker than many of its congeners as some of the light areas are mottled with darker spots.