Lithogenes is a genus of South American catfish of the family Loricariidae. It is the only genus within the subfamily Lithogeneinae.

Lithogenes
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Siluriformes
Family: Loricariidae
Subfamily: Lithogeneinae
Genus: Lithogenes
Eigenmann, 1909

Taxonomy

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Lithogenes is the only genus within the subfamily Lithogeneinae. This genus and subfamily, the most basal group in Loricariidae, is the sister group to the rest of the family.[1] Relative to an undescribed species of Lithogeneinae, L. valencia has sister group relationship to L. villosus.[2]

Species

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The three recognized species in this genus are:[3]

Appearance and anatomy

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As members of the family Loricariidae, all Lithogenes species have a suckermouth. However, unlike most loricariids, species of the genus Lithogenes possess armor plating only on the latter half of the body. Their eyes are small and their bodies flattened.[2][1]

Distribution and habitat

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L. villosus originates from the Essequibo River drainage of the Guiana Shield.[4] An undescribed species of Lithogenes is known from the Orinoco basin of the Guiana Shield.[2] L. valencia has only been known from six specimens collected in the 1970s from tributaries of the Lake Valencia in northern Venezuela; however, this area has since been polluted and this species possibly is now extinct.[2]

L. villosus lives in habitats dominated by rapids over bedrock, and L. valencia likely does, as well.[2][1]

References

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  1. ^ a b c Schaefer, Scott A. (2003). "Relationships of Lithogenes villosus Eigenmann, 1909 (Siluriformes, Loricariidae): Evidence from High-Resolution Computed Microtomography" (PDF). American Museum Novitates (3401). American Museum of Natural History: 1–55. doi:10.1206/0003-0082(2003)401<0001:ROLVES>2.0.CO;2. ISSN 0003-0082. S2CID 36180254.
  2. ^ a b c d e Provenzano R., Francisco; Schaefer, Scott A.; Baskin, Jonathan N.; Royero-Leon, Ramiro (2003). Buth, D. G. (ed.). "New, Possibly Extinct Lithogenine Loricariid (Siluriformes, Loricariidae) from Northern Venezuela" (PDF). Copeia. 2003 (3). American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists: 562–575. doi:10.1643/CI-02-160R1. S2CID 9191738.
  3. ^ Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.). "Species in genus Lithogenes". FishBase. December 2011 version.
  4. ^ Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.). "Lithogenes villosus". FishBase. May 2007 version.