Phalloceros harpagos Lucinda, 2008

Fig. 36

Body elongated; greatest depth contained 2.5 to 4.1 and caudal peduncle depth 5.4 to 8.1 times in SL; head length 4.0 to 5.6, predorsal distance 1.6 to 1.8, and gonopodium length 2.6 to 3.1 in SL; snout length 3.2 to 7.6, horizontal orbital diameter 1.9 to 3.0 and least interorbital width 2.3 to 2.4 in HL. Mouth superior, dentary prognathous; premaxilla and dentary with several small teeth. Longitudinal series with 26- 32 scales and transverse series with 7-9 scale rows. Dorsal fin with 7-9, pectoral fin with 11-13, pelvic fin with 5 or 6 and anal fin with 8-10 (males) or 10-12 rays (females) (Graça, Pavanelli, 2007; Lucinda, 2008). Ground color yellowish brown; dark-brown lateral spot, vertically elongated; scales with dark-brown border, conferring reticulate pattern to body.

Maximum standard length. 45.2 mm.

Distribution. Paraná-Paraguay system and coastal drainages from the rio Itaboapana to the rio Araranguá.

Remarks. Phalloceros harpagos was identified as P. aff. caudimaculatus by Graça, Pavanelli (2007). Lucinda (2008), in a systematic study of Phalloceros, described the new species, P. harpagos, from the Paraná-Paraguay system and coastal drainages of Southern Brazil; and restricted the distribution of P. caudimaculatus to the rio Mampituba, Laguna dos Patos and rio Tramandaí drainages, lower río Uruguay and coastal drainages of Uruguay and Argentina.