Loricariichthys Bleeker, 1862

Raphael Covain & Sonia Fisch-Muller, 2007, The genera of the Neotropical armored catfish subfamily Loricariinae (Siluriformes: Loricariidae): a practical key and synopsis., Zootaxa 1462, pp. 1-40 : 33

Loricariichthys Bleeker, 1862 .

Type species: Loricaria maculata Bloch, 1794 .

Lectotype: ZMB 3163 , type locality restricted to Surinam ( Isbrücker 1971).

Gender: masculine.

Loricariichthys is widely distributed in the Amazon basin, the Paraná system, and coastal rivers of the Guyana and Brazilian Shields. These species occur in a large diversity of habitat over sandy and muddy bottoms. Like other members of the Loricariichthys group, Loricariichthys species are lip brooders. Sexual dimorphism includes hypertrophied development of the lips, which are used by the male to incubate the eggs. During the spawning period, the first function of this organ (mainly adherence to the substrate) is reoriented toward a new reproductive function. Although this genus is well diagnosed, the species are very similar and difficult to identify. Moreover, missing holotypes and type localities has led to uncertain taxonomic status for several species which would benefit from a generic revision. Loricariichthys seems to be intermediate between Limatulichthys and Pseudoloricaria on one hand, and Furcodontichthys and Hemiodontichthys on the other. Concerning the karyotypic characteristics of Loricariichthys , Kavalco et al. (2005) reported a diploid number of 2n = 56 for the two species characterized. A ZZ/ZW sex chromosome system was also reported for L. platymetopon by Kavalco et al. (2005) and Centofante et al. (2006). Seventeen valid species are assigned to this genus (Ferraris 2003). A key to the southern species is available in Reis & Pereira (2000).