Loricarioidea

Otocinclus affinis

The Loricarioidea are a superfamily of catfish -like ( Siluriformes ). The group includes six popular in South and Central America fish families, the climbing catfish ( Astroblepidae ), the tanks and calluses catfish ( Callichthyidae ), the Nematogenyidae, the spined bullhead ( Scoloplacidae ), the catfishes ( Trichomycteridae ) and the eponymous armored catfishes ( Loricariidae ) in Nelson ( 2006) and the African Quappenwelse ( Amphiliidae ) as basalste group of Loricarioidea. Including the last family includes 156 genera and 1187 species of the superfamily.

Features

Like other catfish that most Loricarioidea barbels. You can be unbeschuppt, or as the armored catfish and calluses, the spined catfish and plecos be armored with bony plates. Most species are flattened, the armored catfish compressed rather sideways. For the diagnosis of Loricarioidea two features are specified, the reduced swim bladder, bone capsule formed by a outgrowths from the first vertebra ( parapophyses ) is enclosed, and the odontodes on their body surface and the fin rays. On the gills of loricariids this odontodes can pierce the skin. The climbing catfish use their odontodes possibly as a sensory organ.

System

The Loricarioidea are traditionally made in the subordination Siluroidei, which includes all catfish families except the primitive catfish ( Diplomystidae ). In a recent molecular biological analysis were as subordination Loricarioidei (without the Quappenwelse ) as the sister group of the primitive catfish and all other catfish families ( suborder Siluroidei ) compared. The Quappenwelse be made in this analysis to a clade called " Big Africa " group, for example, the the Mochokidae ( Catfishes ) and the dither catfish ( Malapteruridae ) belong.

From morphological data it is concluded that the catfishes and Nematogenys diverged to inermis first; both taxa are possibly sister groups. This relationship was never confirmed or refuted using molecular biological studies. Subsequently, the tank and calluses catfish, the spined bullhead and finally harness and climbing catfish developed. Within the Loricarioidea a trend towards an increasingly complex jaw morphology can be observed, which has eventually led to the development of the armored catfish, which have the most modern pine.

A cladogram shows the family relationships:

Catfishes ( Trichomycteridae )

Nematogenys inermis

Tank and calluses catfish ( Callichthyidae )

Spined bullhead ( Scoloplacidae )

Climbing catfish ( Astroblepidae )

Armored catfishes ( Loricariidae )

Distribution and habitat

The Loricarioidea occur in freshwater habitats of the Neotropics, in South America, Panama and Costa Rica. Most species live in fast-flowing waters. Armored catfish and climbing catfish have therefore formed a suction mouth, with which they can attach themselves to the rocky ground. Climbing catfish even have the ability to help their suction mouth and the ventral fins to climb up waterfalls.

Ecology

The Loricarioidea are a very diverse monophyletic group. They show a wide adjustment range with regard to their morphology, colonize many different freshwater habitats and take different positions in the food chain. The group includes herbivores, omnivores, parasites ( Vandelliinae ) and wood- eating species ( pleco ). The armored catfish are about 700 species ( each year are new species discovered ) is by far the richest, most successful and most diverse family in the entire superfamily.

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