Classification / Names
Common names | Synonyms | Catalog of Fishes(genus, species) | ITIS | CoL | WoRMS | Cloffa
Teleostei (teleosts) >
Siluriformes (Catfishes) >
Loricariidae (Armored catfishes) > Hypostominae
Etymology: Ancistrus: Greek, agkistron = hook (Ref. 45335); megacanthus: Name 'megacanthus' from the Greek words 'megas' and 'akanthos', meaning 'large, great' and 'thorn, spine', referring to the large pectoral-fin spines of the new species. A noun in apposition.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Freshwater; demersal. Tropical
South America: Brazil.
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm
Max length : 12.4 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 132443)
Short description
Identification keys | Morphology | Morphometrics
Dorsal spines (total): 2; Dorsal soft rays (total): 7; Anal soft rays: 4. This species is distinguished by the following set of characters: well developed snout tentacles, pectoral-fin spine long, and exceeding half length of the pelvic-fin leading ray in males; dorsal and caudal fins plain dark brown to black, without lighter spots or bands; dark brown to black background body color; small white to yellow dots on dorsal surface; four branched rays on the anal fin (Ref. 132443).
Body shape (shape guide): elongated; Cross section: flattened.
Facultative or obligate air-breathing ; The species inhabits creeks at elevations near 100 meters, with swift waters lined with rocks and gravel. These water bodies are located within the Pampa biome, in a savanna landscape dominated by herbaceous vegetation. Trees primarily confined to riverbanks with soils composed of clay and gravel (Ref. 132443).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Widholzer, R.L., J. Borsoi, R.E. Reis and A.P. Lehmann, 2024. A new species of Ancistrus (Siluriformes: Loricariidae), with a redescription of Ancistrus brevipinnis and further evidence of hidden diversity in the laguna dos Patos system, Brazil. Neotrop. Ichthyol. 21(4):e230078. (Ref. 132443)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2025-2)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
Fisheries: of no interest
Tools
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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].
Resilience (Ref.
120179): Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (Preliminary K or Fecundity.).
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): Low vulnerability (10 of 100).
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