Pseudoloricaria

Pseudoloricaria laeviuscula is the only species of the monotypic genus Pseudoloricaria, a genus of the family Loricariidae of catfish (order Siluriformes).[1] The phylogenetic position of Pseudoloricaria is uncertain.[1]

Pseudoloricaria laeviuscula
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Actinopterygii
Order:	Siluriformes
Family:	Loricariidae
Subfamily:	Loricariinae
Tribe:	Loricariini
Genus:	Pseudoloricaria Bleeker, 1862
Species:	P. laeviuscula
Binomial name
Pseudoloricaria laeviuscula (Valenciennes, 1840)
Synonyms
Loricaria laeviuscula Valenciennes, 1840

This species is endemic to Brazil where it is found in the middle and lower Amazon basin, including the Negro and Branco Rivers.[1][2] P. laeviuscula is found over sandy bottoms, in clear waters, in the main flow of rivers, and in neighboring temporary ponds.[1]

Pseudoloricaria laeviuscula reaches a length of 30.5 centimetres (12.0 in) SL.[2] Although reproductive habits are unknown, this species is probably a lip brooder.[1] Sexual dimorphism includes hypertrophied development of the lower lip suggesting that P. laeviuscula is a lip brooder.[1] This species shows derived features such as a reduction in size and number of teeth, premaxillary teeth absent, a circular head shape, and eyes reduced in size without iris operculum.[1]

References

1. Covain, Raphael; Fisch-Muller, Sonia (2007). "The genera of the Neotropical armored catfish subfamily Loricariinae (Siluriformes: Loricariidae): a practical key and synopsis" (PDF). Zootaxa. 1462: 1–40.
2. Froese, Rainer and Pauly, Daniel, eds. (2011). "Pseudoloricaria laeviuscula" in FishBase. December 2011 version.