Rhinodoras

Rhinodoras is a genus of thorny catfishes native to South America.

Rhinodoras
Temporal range: Late Miocene - Recent
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Siluriformes
Family: Doradidae
Subfamily: Doradinae
Genus: Rhinodoras
Bleeker, 1862
Type species
Doras (Oxydoras) dorbignyi
Kner, 1855

Species

There are currently five recognized species in this genus:[1]

Fossil record

Rhinodoras has been identified in the fossil record from the late Miocene Urumaco Formation (about 9 million years of age), Falcón State, Venezuela. R. thomersoni may have a minimum age of 8 million years.[2]

Appearance and anatomy

Rhinodoras species are distinguished from other doradids by a unique combination of coloration (sides darkly mottled, usually with wide dark bars, light midlateral stripe absent) and lip shape (labial tissue thick, fleshy, considerably expanded at corners of mouth forming rounded flap-like extensions with entire margins, all surfaces rugose with low, rounded, and tightly spaced papillae, and distal margin of lower lip draped over bases of outer and inner jaw barbels, at times nearly encircling the latter).[2]

References
  1. Froese, Rainer and Pauly, Daniel, eds. (2011). Species of Rhinodoras in FishBase. December 2011 version.
  2. Sabaj, Mark H.; D. Taphorn; O. Castillo (2008). "Two New Species of Thicklip Thornycats, Genus Rhinodoras (Teleostei: Siluriformes: Doradidae)". Copeia. 2008: 209–226. doi:10.1643/CI-05-143.
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