Brazilian scientists have described a new species of darter tetra from the upper Paran River drainage in Brazil.
The new species is named Characidium xanthopterum by Luiz Silveira, Francisco Langeani, Weferson da Graa, Carla Pavanelli and Paulo Buckup in a recent issue of the journal Neotropical Ichthyology.
Characidium xanthopterum is distinguished from other members of the genus in having bright yellow fins (after which the species is named, from the Greek xanthos and pteron, meaning yellow and fin respectively) and the absence of dark bars on the body in individuals larger than 35 mm standard length.
The new Characidium species was collected in streams with riffles and having rocky beds with pebbles and sand.
For more information, see the paper: Silveira, LGG, F Langeani, WJ da Graa, CS Pavanelli and PA Buckup (2008) Characidium xanthopterum (Ostariophysi: Characiformes: Crenuchidae): a new species from the Central Brazilian Plateau. Neotropical Icthyology 6, pp. 169"174.