Glaphyropoma | |
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Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Actinopterygii |
Order: | Siluriformes |
Family: | Trichomycteridae |
Subfamily: | Copionodontinae |
Genus: |
Glaphyropoma de Pinna, 1992 |
Type species | |
Glaphyropoma rodriguesi de Pinna, 1992 |
Glaphyropoma is a genus of pencil catfishes native to South America.
There are currently two recognized species in this genus:
The single synapomorphy proposed for Glaphyropoma is the marked narrowing of the first hypobranchial, giving the hypobranchial a slender shape.
G. rodriguesi grows to about 5.1 centimetres (2.0 in) SL and originates from the Mucujê River, a tributary of Paraguaçu River in Brazil.
G. spinosum is known to grow as large as 5.8 cm (2.3 in) SL. It is known from subterranean waters in the Diamantina Plateau of the Bahia State in central northeastern Brazil. This is the first-known troglomorphic species in the subfamily Copionodontinae. These fish live in quartzitic caves formed by erosion by rain. The water depth in the creek where the catfish live varies mostly between 10 and 50 cm (4 and 20 in), with moderate current and some spotty accumulation of plant debris where fish are found foraging.