Scientists have completed a massive study of the South American Whale catfish subfamily Cetopsinae.
Richard Vari, Carl J Ferraris Jr and Mario de Pinna (who some may have seen on the recent BBC series Amazon Abyss) have just published their study in the latest issue of the journal Ichthyological Exploration of Freshwaters.
It shows that the team recognises 37 species in the Cetopsinae, and includes descriptions of a new genus called Cetopsidium, and 17 new species including Cetopsidium ferrarai; C. pemon; C. roae; Cetopsis arcana; C. caiapo; C. fimbriata; C. montana; C. pearsoni; C. sandrae; C. sarcodes; C. starnesi; C. umbrosa; Denticetopsis epa; D. iwokrama; D. seducta; Paracetopsis atahualpa and P. esmereldas.
The mammoth paper runs to a total of 111 pages and includes the full details of the taxonomy and identificiation of the all of the species of catfish in the group.
For further information see: Vari, RP., Ferraris, CJ. and MCC de Pinna (2005) - The Neotropical whale catfishes (Siluriformes: Cetopsidae: Cetopsinae) a revisionary study. Neotropical Ichthyology, 3 (20): 127-238.