Classification / Names
Common names | Synonyms | Catalog of Fishes(genus, species) | ITIS | CoL | WoRMS | Cloffa
Teleostei (teleosts) >
Siluriformes (Catfishes) >
Trichomycteridae (Pencil or parasitic catfishes) > Trichomycterinae
Etymology: Trichomycterus: Greek, thrix = hair + Greek, mykter, -eros = nose (Ref. 45335).
Eponymy: Salvador Dali (1904–1989) was a Spanish surrealist artist, noted for his long moustache. This species has very long barbels. (Ref. 128868), visit book page.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Freshwater; benthopelagic. Tropical
South America: Brazil. Known exclusively from subterranean waters in at least three caves in Serra da Bodoquena karst area: Buraco das Abelhas, Saracura and Morro do Jericó caves. (Ref. 87887)
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ? range ? - ? cm
Max length : 7.9 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 87887)
Short description
Identification keys | Morphology | Morphometrics
Trichomycterus dali is readily distinguished from epigean and hypogean congeners by the presence of two conspicuous, ridge-like adipose folds lining dorsally throughout the body, one anterior (pre-dorsal) and one posterior (post-dorsal) to the dorsal fin, both distinctive autapomorphies in the genus. Other characters that easily distinguish the new species, although not exclusive, are: highly reduced skin pigmentation (except for T. gorgona and caverestricted congeners, T. chaberti, T. itacarambiensis, T. spelaeus, T. sandovali, T. santanderensisand T. uisae); total loss of eyes, not visible externally (except for T. sandovali and T. spelaeus); barbels long, especially the nasal (99.3- 143.5% HL) and the maxillary (97.0-131.3% HL) (except for T. longibarbatus and T. spelaeus); scapulocoracoid with a conspicuous anterior process projected forward (except for T. sandovali, T. spelaeus and T. uisae), with a narrow base, a wide apex and a rounded distal margin; and pectoral-fin ray count reaching I,9 (except for T. hualco). Characters possibly exclusive, but about which many taxa lack information, are listed as complementary diagnoses: cranial fontanel unique, extending from the posterior half of supraoccipital to the posterior region of the frontal bones, with a conspicuous constriction on the meeting point of supraoccipital and the two frontal bones; supraorbital long and cylindrical, without projections, with a needle appearance; 27-29 interopercular and 16-19 opercular odontodes (Ref. 87887).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Rizzato, P.P., E.P.D. Costa Jr. and M.E. Bichuette, 2011. Trichomycterus dali: a new highly troglomorphic catfish (Silurifomes [sic!]: Trichomycteridae) from Serra da Bodoquena, Mato Grosso do Sul State, Central Brazil. Neotrop. Ichthyol. 9(3):477-491. (Ref. 87887)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2024-1)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
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Estimates based on models
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82804): PD
50 = 0.5000 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.01122 (0.00514 - 0.02450), b=3.04 (2.87 - 3.21), in cm total length, based on all LWR estimates for this body shape (Ref.
93245).
Trophic level (Ref.
69278): 3.2 ±0.4 se; based on size and trophs of closest relatives
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): Low vulnerability (10 of 100).
