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Paravandellia oscarleoni Henschel, Baskin, Collins & Lujan, 2024 |
| Family: | Trichomycteridae (Pencil or parasitic catfishes), subfamily: Vandelliinae | |||
| Max. size: | 1.86 cm SL (male/unsexed) | |||
| Environment: | benthopelagic; freshwater | |||
| Distribution: | South America: Venezuela. | |||
| Diagnosis: | Dorsal spines (total): 1-1; Dorsal soft rays (total): 8-9; Anal spines: 2-2; Anal soft rays: 5-6; Vertebrae: 38-39. This species is distinguished by the following set of characters: broadly convex hook-shaped flange extending anteriorly from the parietosupraoccipital into the cranial fontanel; teeth on median premaxilla 10; medial teeth on premaxilla 2; scalpelloid teeth 4; dentary teeth 2; posteriorly directed opercular odontodes; opercular odontodes 11-15; slightly forked distal margin of maxilla; free branchiostegal membrane across the isthmus; an anterior osseous flange on the ascending process of opercle; median premaxilla as wide as long; median premaxilla connected to mesethmoid main axis via bilateral dorsal flanges; absence of an anteromedial notch on the mesethmoid; first anal-fin pterygiophore at vertical anterior to haemal spine of 22nd vertebra; vertebrae 38-39; principal dorsal-fin rays 9; parasphenoid being 3× longer than wide; absence of an anteromedial process on autopalatine (Ref. 137619). | |||
| Biology: | This species is found in rivers with substrate composed of cobble and gravel or bedrock and sand (Ref. 137619). | |||
| IUCN Red List Status: | Not Evaluated (N.E.) Ref. (130435) | |||
| Threat to humans: | harmless | |||