Brazilian ichthyologists Julio Garavello and Geraldo Santos have described two new species of Leporinus from the Araguaia-Tocantins River system.
The authors name the two new species Leporinus unitaeniatus and L. geminis in the most recent issue of the Brazilian Journal of Biology.
Leporinus unitaeniatus is distinguished from congeners by its colour pattern consisting of a conspicuous longitudinal dark brown bar along the lateral line on the flanks.
It is additionally diagnosed by the following combination of characters: slender snout (its length 38.4"50.6% of head length); small eye (orbital diameter 24.6"30.9% of head length); narrow and elongate body (its depth 17.7"24.6% of standard length); sub-inferior mouth; elongate, incisor-like teeth with a straight cutting edge; and with a fine and straight cutting edge; 42"44 lateral line scales; 6 scale rows above and 5 scale rows below the lateral line; 16 circumpeduncular scales.
This species is named after its unique colour pattern (Latin uni=one and taenia=ribbon).
Leporinus geminis is distinguished from congeners by its colour pattern consisting of an inconspicuous dark bar combined with three large and vertically elongated brown blotches on the trunk.
It is additionally diagnosed by the following combination of characters: blunt snout (its length 39.0"47.6% of head length); large eye (orbital diameter 21.4"27.8% of head length); deep body (its depth 21.6"26.0% of standard length); sub-inferior mouth; large incisor-like teeth forming a curved cutting edge; 40"42 lateral line scales; 5.5 or 6 scale rows above and 5 scale rows below the lateral line; 16 circumpeduncular scales.
This species is named after the resemblance of its juveniles to L. unitaeniatus (Latin geminus=twin).
For more information, see the paper: Garavello, JC and GM Santos (2009) Two new species of Leporinus Agassiz, 1829 from Araguaia-Tocantins system, Amazon basin, Brazil (Ostariophysi, Anostomidae). Brazilian Journal of Biology 69, pp. 109"116.
Unfortunately photographs of the new species were not available for publication.