Classification / Names
Common names | Synonyms | Catalog of Fishes(genus, species) | ITIS | CoL | WoRMS | Cloffa
Teleostei (teleosts) >
Siluriformes (Catfishes) >
Loricariidae (Armored catfishes) > Lithogeninae
Etymology: Lithogenes: Greek, lithos = stone + Greek, gene = birth, race (Ref. 45335); wahari: Name from the Piaroa name Rúa-Wahari, the god of the creation according to the Piaroa peoples; noun in apposition.
Eponymy: Rúa-Wahari is the god of creation amongst the Piaroa people of Venezuela, where this species occurs. (Ref. 128868), visit book page.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Freshwater; benthopelagic. Tropical
South America: Venezuela.
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ? range ? - ? cm
Max length : 7.8 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 83588); 5.7 cm SL (female)
Short description
Identification keys | Morphology | Morphometrics
Dorsal soft rays (total): 6; Anal soft rays: 6. The species is distinguished from its congeners by the following characters: absence of odontodes on the proximal portion of ventral surface of first pelvic-fin ray (vs. ventral pad covered with embedded odontodes along entire length); no accessory premaxillary teeth; anal fin with intense pigment band along base and diffuse spot at midlength of fin rays (vs. pigment band at base absent, fin rays dusky, without distinct spot); no ossified spine along anterior edge of adipose fin; further differs from Lithogenes villosus by the presence of 9 (vs. 8) branched pectoral-fin rays, no pigment band on snout lateral to nares; dermal plates on caudal peduncle small, irregular, plates of dorsal and ventral series not contacting plates of midline series (vs. large plates, regular in shape, dorsal and ventral series plates contacting those of midline series posteriorly); further differs from L. valencia by having a narrower, deeper head shape, head width 78% HL (vs. 80-95% HL), 7 branched anal-fin rays (vs. 5), 12 premaxillary teeth (vs. 25-28), tooth cusps asymmetrically bifid (vs. symmetrically bifid) (Ref. 83588).
Inhabits moderately high gradient forest streams with clear water, swift current, and exposed bedrock substratum. At the time of collection, the water color of the Río Cuao was clear to light green (Ref. 83588).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Schaefer, S.A. and F. Provenzano, 2008. The Lithogeninae (Siluriformes, Loricariidae): anatomy, interrelationships, and description of a new species. Am. Mus. Novit. 3637:1-49. (Ref. 83588)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2024-2)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
Tools
Special reports
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Internet sources
Estimates based on models
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82804): PD
50 = 0.6250 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.00389 (0.00180 - 0.00842), b=3.12 (2.94 - 3.30), in cm total length, based on all LWR estimates for this body shape (Ref.
93245).
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): Low vulnerability (10 of 100).
