Baryancistrus xanthellus Rapp Py-Daniel, Zuanon & Ribeiro de Oliveira, 2011
Baryancistrus xanthellus
photo by JJPhoto

Family:  Loricariidae (Armored catfishes), subfamily: Hypostominae
Max. size:  29.7 cm TL (male/unsexed); max.weight: 510.0 g
Environment:  demersal; freshwater
Distribution:  South America: Volta Grande do rio Xingu, an area immediately above Belo Monte falls, and rio Iriri, the larger tributary of rio Xingu in Brazil.
Diagnosis:  Dorsal spines (total): 2-2; Dorsal soft rays (total): 7-7; Anal soft rays: 5-5. Distinguished from all its congeners by the presence of broad light band on dorsal and caudal fin distal borders in juveniles, becoming a small dot on dorsal and caudal-fin tips in adults. In addition, this can be separated from all other congeners by the combination of the following characters: presence of light spots on the whole body; naked abdomen; around 60 mandibullary teeth on both maxillae; and presence of bold yellow markings in young individuals, a reason for its popular name in the aquarium trade 'amarelinho' in Portuguese (meaning little yellow) (Ref. 87296).
Biology:  Young individuals form groups of several individuals under flat rocks at the bottom of shallow rapid stretches. Adults occur in larger spaces among and under submerged boulders. Based on three specimens, this species feeds mainly on algae and occasionally on bryozoans and chironomid larvae (Ref. 87296).
IUCN Red List Status: Near Threatened (NT); Date assessed: 07 November 2018 (B1b(iii)) Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless


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