New species - Astyanax dnophos

A new species of rheophilic characin from Brazil's Rio Xingu has been described by two Brazilian ichthyologists.

Flavio Lima and Jansen Zuanon described the new member of the Characidae as Astyanax dnophos in the journal Neotropical Ichthyology.

The species was found by Jansen Zuanon during a field survey of rapid waters in Brazil's Rio Xingu and is believed to be one of the few characins evolved for life in rapid water outside the Serrasalminae.

A. dnophos is said to live in dark, rocky crevices and has a distinctive colour pattern consisting of broad midlateral longitudinal stripe.

For more details on the new species see the paper: Flvio C.T. Lima and Jansen Zuanon (2004) - A new species of Astyanax (Characiformes: Characidae) from the rapids of the lower rio Xingu, Brazil. Neotropical Ichthyology, Volume 2 Number 3.