Ixinandria Isbruecker & Nijssen, 1979

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 : 30

Ixinandria Isbruecker & Nijssen, 1979 .

Type species: Loricaria steinbachi Regan, 1906 .

Lectotype: BMNH 1906.5.31: 37 , Argentina, Rio Salado drainage at Salta .

Gender: feminine.

Distribution includes rivers of the Atlantic slope of the Andes in Bolivia and Argentina. According to Gladys Monasterio de Gonzo (pers. comm.), Ixinandria steinbachi occurs in Salta province in mountainous areas at high altitudes ranging from around 1000 to 2900 meters above sea level. This rheophilic species lives in fast flowing and very oxygenated waters. Its color pattern reflects mimicry with stoned bottoms. Fertilized eggs have been found on the hidden surface of a stone, suggesting that I. steinbachi could be a cavity spawner. Sexual dimorphism includes hypertrophied odontodes around the head margin and on the pectoral spines of mature males. The phylogenetic position of Ixinandria within Loricariini remains uncertain. Reis & Cardoso (2001) suggested that Ixinandria could be synonym of Rineloricaria . This hypothesis seems plausible considering the weakness of the diagnostic feature given for Ixinandria , its naked belly, and several species of Rineloricaria from South-East Brasil or Argentina with the belly partly covered such as R. maquinensis , R. aequalicuspis or R. misionera . Nevertheless, the typology of Rineloricaria lima needs clarification prior to further investigations on the taxonomy of Ixinandria . Two valid species are currently recognized (Ferraris 2003).