Australoheros scitulus (Říčan & Kullander, 2003)
Australoheros scitulus
photo by Koerber, S.

Family:  Cichlidae (Cichlids), subfamily: Cichlinae
Max. size:  11 cm SL (male/unsexed)
Environment:  pelagic; freshwater
Distribution:  South America: Río Rosario drainage in the Río de La Plata region of Uruguay, and from the lower Río Uruguay tributaries in Argentina, Uruguay and Brazil.
Diagnosis:  Dorsal spines (total): 16-18; Dorsal soft rays (total): 7-10; Anal spines: 8-9; Anal soft rays: 6-8; Vertebrae: 26-27. Midlateral stripe prominent, vertical bars less intensive; black spots in dorsal, anal, and caudal fin; dark spots on the opercle and anterior flank scales. Distinguished from both C. facetum and C. tembe by having 8-9 anal-fin spines [vs. 6-7 (rarely 5 or 8), 5-7, respectively], 13-14 anal pterygiophores (vs. 12-13, 11-12, respectively), modally 17 dorsal-fin spines (vs. 16), and modally 6 gill rakers on first ceratobranchial (vs. 8, 7-8, respectively). Further distinguished from 'C.' facetum in having 14 caudal vertebrae (vs. 13) and from 'C'. tembe by a shorter caudal peduncle including only one or no vertebral centrum (vs. 3). Jaw teeth lack the second cusp (also in tembe vs. present in facetum (Ref. 51414).
Biology:  Found in a large stream about 10 meters wide, the water mostly shallow, less than 1 meter deep; bottom of mixed rock, sand, and gravel, providing riffles; slightly brownish and turbid. Radiographed specimens reveal considerable amounts of small shells in the guts and intestines. The stout lower pharyngeal bone consistent with a snail diet (Ref. 51414).
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 04 November 2020 Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless


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