Brazil, South America

MCP 35627, 1, 101.7 mm SL, BRAZIL, Rôndonia, Presidente Médici. rio Madeira dr., rio Leitão on highway BR-364, about 5 km N of Presidente Médici, -11.1328°, -061.9008°, 15 Jul 2004, R.E. Reis, P.C. Lehmann, F.C. Lima, and E.H.L. Pereira.

ANSP 197614, 2, 60.4–92.5, AUM 65116, 2, 64.1–96.4, MCP 48395, 13, 48.2–97.7, MNRJ 42662, 2, 66.0–89.7, UF 237091, 2, 55.6–82.6, same locality data as holotype.

Peckoltia ephippiata can be separated from P. pankimpuju by having well developed color and eyes; from all other Peckoltia by having no spots or bands in the dorsal fin; from all except P. greedoi by having small, very faint spots on the head (vs. large spots, mottling, short lines, or thick dark areas, always much more intense than the weak spots in P. ephippiata; P. greedoi has a uniformly dark head, but the small faint spots of P. ephippiata can appear uniformly dark without closer inspection); from all Peckoltia except P. furcata, P. greedoi, P. lujani, P. pankimpuju, and P. sabaji by having the dentaries meet at an angle greater than 90°; from P. greedoi and P. lujani by lacking bands in the dorsal fin, rays light and membranes dark (vs. bands present), by having more teeth (P. ephippiata: 39–72 dentary, 41–73 premaxillary; P. greedoi: 16–39 dentary, 20–38 premaxillary; P. lujani: 20–37 dentary, 23–45 premaxillary), by having slight keels on the lateral plates, particularly the median series (vs. keels absent), and by having platelets on the central region of the abdomen posterior to the pectoral girdle present (vs. platelets maximally present below pectoral girdle and in a narrow, lateral column just posterior to pectoral fin, and below pelvic girdle); and from P. lujani by having the pectoral-fin spine relaxed position angled dorsally, pointing at insertion of dorsal fin (vs. pectoral-fin spine angled only slightly dorsally, pointing maximally to dorsal insertion of caudal fin) and by the pectoral-fin spine reaching two or more plates of the ventral series beyond the pelvic base when adpressed ventral to pelvic fin (vs. less than one plate).

Peckoltia ephippiata differs from Etsaputu by having greater than six evertible cheek odontodes, the largest of which extends posterior to the eye (vs. six or fewer, the largest not extending beyond the exposed portion of the opercle). Peckoltia ephippiata can be separated from Hemiancistrus (except ‘H.’ landoni) and Ancistomus by having prominent dorsal saddles (vs. dark or light spots or entirely dark); and from all Hemiancistrus and Ancistomus by having bands in the caudal fin and no free spots (vs. bands absent or present with some free spots). Peckoltia ephippiata can be separated from Peckoltichthys bachi by having small, faint spots on the head (vs. large dark spots or mottling); by having the eyes high on the head with the dorsal rim of the orbit higher than the interorbital space (vs. low on the head, dorsal rim of orbit lower than interorbital space), and by having small plates on the abdomen (vs. relatively large).

Morphometrics in Table 2. Counts and measurements based on 18 specimens. Largest specimen examined 101.7 mm SL. Body moderately elongate. Head and nape forming arc from tip of snout to insertion of dorsal fin. Dorsal slope decreasing in straight line to insertion of dorsal procurrent caudal rays then ascending to caudal fin. Body depth greatest below insertion of dorsal fin. Ventral profile flat to caudal fin. Caudal peduncle triangular in cross section with dorsal surface flattened. Body widest at insertion of pectoral fins, narrowest at insertion of caudal fin. Snout rounded.

Eye moderately sized, dorsal rim of orbit forming tall crest that continues forward to area just anterior of nares as low, rounded ridge. Iris operculum present. Interorbital space largely flat, but with slight, rounded, median hump that is contiguous with rounded ridge on snout formed from mesethmoid. Parieto-supraoccipital pointed posteriorly with the posterior point raised above nuchal region in small crest. Infraorbitals, frontal, nasal, compound pterotic, and parieto-supraoccipital supporting odontodes. Preopercle not supporting odontodes. Opercle generally covered by plates and not supporting odontodes although one to four may be present, particularly in smaller individuals.

Lips covered with short, wide papillae. Lower lip wide, upper lip narrow. Edge of lower lip with small crenulae. Maxillary barbel only barbel present, reaching about one third of distance to gill opening.

Median plates 25–26 (mode 26). Plates unkeeled, but first four or five plates of mid-ventral series bent to form slight ridge. Five caudal peduncle plate rows. Plates on all dorsolateral surfaces of body except for extreme edge of snout that only has a narrow column of platelets on either side of the snout tip. Throat mostly covered in platelets except for area right below lower lip. Abdomen covered in platelets except for broad region just anterior to level of pelvic-fin spine insertions, laterally below pelvic girdle, and small region around anus. Evertible cheek plates supporting hypertrophied odontodes that can be everted perpendicular to head. Cheek odontodes 18–40 (mode 32). Longest evertible cheek odontode reaching to about level of posterior edge of pectoral-fin spine. Hypertrophied cheek odontodes relatively weak. Odontodes slightly longer than average body odontodes present along dorsal-, adipose-, pelvic-, caudal-, and pectoral-fin spines; larger individuals with hypertrophied odontodes at tip of pectoral spine.

Dorsal fin ii,7; dorsal spinelet V-shaped, dorsal-fin locking mechanism present, last ray of dorsal fin not reaching preadipose plate when adpressed. Adipose fin with single preadipose plate and moderately long spine. Caudal fin i,14,i; caudal fin forked, ventral lobe longer than dorsal lobe; dorsal and ventral procurrent caudal rays five. Pectoral fin i,6; pectoral-fin spine reaching just posterior to pelvic fin when adpressed ventral to pelvic fin. Pelvic fin i,5; pelvic-fin spine extending to posterior end of base of anal fin when adpressed. Anal fin i,4; anal-fin spine slightly shorter than first ray.

Teeth bicuspid with lateral lobe three-quarters length of medial lobe and distal tip of lateral cusp one-half width of tip of medial cusp. 39–72 left dentary teeth (mode 56). 41–73 left premaxillary teeth (mode 64).

Base color red brown, intensity of red greater in smaller specimens. Head and nape almost completely dark brown with some extremely small spots faintly visible on posterodorsal surface of head and nape, many of the spots combining to form vermiculations. Compound pterotic slightly lighter than rest of head and small spots slightly more evident. Pectoral fin dark brown with faint, large, oblong spots along leading edge. Pelvic fin as pectoral but lighter. Dorsal fin with oblong spots along spine, rays red brown, and membranes dark. Caudal fin with three to five bands that may be regular (contiguous along height of fin) or irregular (ventral and dorsal parts offset); lighter interspaces red brown, usually slightly narrower than dark bands (the largest individual examined has the light interspaces much narrower than the bands, which are very irregular). Body with four saddles, first below middle of dorsal fin, second with anterior half below posterior end of dorsal fin and posterior half behind dorsal fin, third beginning one to two plates anterior of preadipose plate to about posterior third of adipose-fin membrane, and fourth beginning just posterior to adipose fin to end of caudal peduncle; first and second saddles and usually third connected at median plate series; saddles appear to be formed of two bars each that fuse as specimens get older, and connection between bands form because the ventral sides appear to get darker with age. Ventral surface uniformly light except for the present of blotches from anterior insertion of anal fin to caudal fin, which may or may not be extensions of the saddles onto the ventral surface.

It appears that some of the larger specimens (presumably male) are slightly more hispid, suggesting that nuptial males may develop hypertrophied odontodes on the lateral plates; however, no specimens have hypertrophied odontodes. The larger specimens also have the odontodes on the pectoral-fin spines moderately hypertrophied, which may also be a nuptial male characteristic.

Known only from the type locality in the rio Madeira drainage of Brazil (Fig. 3).

Ephippiata is Latin for saddled and refers to the presence of saddles in this species.

Many of the specimens in the type series contain a significant load of larval Neascus-type metacercariae (visible as black spots on the body and fins in Figure 2). This type of trematode burrows in the skin as larvae and the host mounts a response whereby pigment cells surround the cyst, making the cysts black (C. Sunderman and K. Hayden, pers. comm.).

Figure 2. 

Dorsal, lateral, and ventral views of holotype of Peckoltia ephippiata sp. n., MCP 35627, 101.7 mm SL. Photos by J. W. Armbruster.

Brazil, South America

MCP 21972, 78.0 mm SL, BRAZIL, Pará, río Gurupi on BR 316 at border of Pará and Maranhão, -01.8003°, -046.3167°, 23 Jul 1998, R. Reis, J. P. Silva, E. Pereira, J. Montoya.

ANSP 197617, 2, 56.0–67.4, AUM 65117, 2, 57.6–71.9, MCP 48396, 23, 46.3–75.8, MNRJ 42663, 2, 55.2–71.5, same locality data as holotype.

Peckoltia greedoi can be separated from P. pankimpuju by having well developed color and eyes; from all other Peckoltia except P. ephippiata by having the head uniformly colored (vs. large spots, mottling, short lines, or thick dark areas; faint spots are present in P. ephippiata, but are not obvious); from all Peckoltia except P. braueri, P. capitulata, P. compta, P. lujani, P. oligospila, P. otali, and P. stimulata by having the abdomen largely naked posterior to the pectoral girdle (vs. only small naked patches at insertions of pelvic fins); from all Peckoltia except P. ephippiata, P. furcata, P. lujani, P. pankimpuju, and P. sabaji by having the dentaries meet at an angle greater than 90°; from P. ephippiata by having fewer teeth (P. greedoi: 16–39 dentary, 20–38 premaxillary; P. ephippiata: 39–72 dentary, 41–73 premaxilary), by having faint spots forming bands in the dorsal fin, and by having platelets maximally present below pectoral girdle and in a narrow, lateral column just posterior to pectoral fin, and below pelvic girdle (vs. platelets on the central region of the abdomen posterior to the pectoral girdle present); and by lacking slight keels on the lateral plates (vs. keels present, strongest on median series); from P. lujani by having no spots on the posterodorsal surface of head and nape (vs. large spots), and by having the pectoral-fin spine relaxed position angled dorsally, pointing at insertion of dorsal fin (vs. pectoral-fin spine angled only slightly dorsally, pointing maximally to dorsal insertion of caudal fin) and pectoral-fin spine reaching two or more plates of the ventral series beyond the pelvic base when adpressed ventral to pelvic fin (vs. less than one plate).

Peckoltia greedoi differs from Etsaputu by having greater than six evertible cheek odontodes, the largest of which extends posterior to the eye (vs. six or fewer, the largest not extending beyond the exposed portion of the opercle). Peckoltia greedoi can be separated from Hemiancistrus (except ‘H.’ landoni) and Ancistomus by having prominent dorsal saddles (vs. dark or light spots or entirely dark); and from all Hemiancistrus and Ancistomus by having bands in the caudal fin and no free spots (vs. bands absent or present with some free spots) and bands in the dorsal fin (vs. spots or no markings). Peckoltia greedoi can be separated from Peckoltichthys bachi by having no spots on the head (vs. large dark spots or mottling); by having the eyes high on the head with the dorsal rim of the orbit higher than the interorbital space (vs. low on the head, dorsal rim of orbit lower than interorbital space), and by having small plates on the abdomen (vs. relatively large).

Peckoltia greedoi is very similar to P. vittata. It differs from P. vittata by having the dentaries meeting at an angle >90° (vs. <90°), by having a shallower slope of the head (~30° from snout tip to orbit, vs. >45°), no change in slope of head from anterior margin of orbit to tip of parieto-supraoccipital (vs. angle becoming much shallower beyond orbits), head appearing narrower and longer when placed side-by-side with similar size specimens, abdomen without platelets between pectoral and pelvic girdles (vs. platelets present), pectoral-fin spine reaching two or more plates beyond pelvic-fin base when adpressed ventral to pelvic fin (vs. less than one plate).

Morphometrics in Table 3. Counts and measurements based on 30 specimens. Small to medium-sized loricariids, largest specimen examined 78.0 mm SL. Body moderately elongate. Head and nape forming arc from tip of snout to insertion of dorsal fin. Dorsal slope decreasing in straight line to insertion of dorsal procurrent caudal rays then ascending to caudal fin. Body depth greatest below insertion of dorsal fin. Ventral profile flat to caudal fin. Caudal peduncle triangular in cross section with dorsal surface flattened. Body widest at insertion of pectoral fins, narrowest at insertion of caudal fin. Snout rounded.

Eye moderately sized, dorsal rim of orbit forming tall crest that continues forward to area just anterior of nares as low, rounded ridge. Iris operculum present. Interorbital space flat anteriorly, but with slight, rounded, median hump posteriorly that is contiguous with ridge of parieto-supraoccipital. Parieto-supraoccipital pointed posteriorly with the posterior point raised above nuchal region in small crest. Infraorbitals, frontal, nasal, compound pterotic, and parieto-supraoccipital supporting odontodes. Preopercle not supporting odontodes. Opercle generally covered by plates and not supporting odontodes although one to four may be present, particularly in smaller individuals.

Lips covered with short, wide papillae. Lower lip wide, upper lip narrow. Edge of lower lip with small crenulae. Maxillary barbel only barbel present, reaching about one third of distance to gill opening.

Median plates 24–26 (mode 25). Plates unkeeled, but first four or five plates of mid-ventral series bent to form slight ridge. Five caudal peduncle plate rows. Plates on all dorsolateral surfaces of body except for extreme edge of snout that only has a narrow column of platelets on either side of the snout tip. Throat mostly naked with platelets confined to lateral margins. Pectoral girdle covered in platelets on ventral surface. Breast naked except for one or two platelets laterally between pectoral and pelvic fin insertions. Abdomen covered in platelets behind last pelvic-fin ray insertion except for lateral margins and small region around anus. Evertible cheek plates supporting hypertrophied odontodes that can be everted perpendicular to head. Cheek odontodes 17–40 (mode 33). Longest evertible cheek odontode reaching to about level of posterior edge of pectoral-fin spine. Hypertrophied cheek odontodes relatively weak. Odontodes slightly longer than average body odontodes present along dorsal-, adipose-, pelvic-, caudal-, and pectoral-fin spines; larger individuals with hypertrophied odontodes at tip of pectoral spine.

Dorsal fin ii,7; dorsal spinelet V-shaped, dorsal-fin locking mechanism present, last ray of dorsal fin not reaching preadipose plate when adpressed. Adipose fin with single preadipose plate and moderately long spine. Caudal fin i,14,i; caudal fin forked, ventral lobe longer than dorsal lobe; dorsal and ventral procurrent caudal rays five. Pectoral fin i,6; pectoral-fin spine reaching just posterior to pelvic fin when adpressed ventral to pelvic fin. Pelvic fin i,5; pelvic-fin spine extending to posterior end of base of anal fin when adpressed. Anal fin i,4; anal-fin spine slightly shorter than first ray.

Teeth bicuspid with lateral lobe one-half to three-quarters length of medial lobe and distal tip of lateral cusp one-half width of tip of medial cusp. 16–39 left dentary teeth (mode 28). 20–38 left premaxillary teeth (mode 27).

Base color red brown. Head and nape almost completely dark brown. Pectoral-fin spine dark brown with faint, large, oblong spots on dorsal surface forming faint bands across pectoral-fin rays. Pelvic fin as pectoral but lighter. Dorsal fin with oblong spots along spine forming bands across dorsal-fin rays. Caudal fin with three to four bands that may be regular (contiguous along height of fin) or irregular (ventral and dorsal parts offset); lighter interspaces tan, usually equal in diameter to dark. Body with three saddles, first below middle of dorsal fin, second with anterior half below posterior end of dorsal fin and posterior half behind dorsal fin, and third beginning at preadipose plate to about middle adipose-fin membrane; saddles connected at median plate series; saddles appear to be formed of two bars each that fuse as specimens get older, and connection between bands form because the ventral sides appear to get darker with age. Ventral surface uniformly light except for the present of blotches from anterior insertion of anal fin to caudal fin, which may or may not be extensions of the saddles onto the ventral surface.

None observed.

Known only from the type locality in the rio Gurupi drainage of Brazil (Fig. 3).

Figure 3. 

Distribution of the new species of Peckoltia: P. ephippiata (diamond), P. greedoi (square), and P. lujani (dots, black dot is type locality).

Armbruster (2008) reported P. vittata from the rio Gurupi drainage; however, this was based on the collection identified here as P. greedoi. Characters to separate P. greedoi from P. vittata are detailed in the diagnosis.

Named for Greedo of Rodia, a bounty hunter killed by Han Solo in Chalmun’s Spaceport Cantina in the movie “Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope” (Lucasfilm, Twentieth Century Fox, 1977) with whom this species shares a remarkable resemblance.

Figure 4. 

Dorsal, lateral, and ventral views of holotype of Peckoltia greedoi sp. n., MCP 21972, 77.8 mm SL. Photos by J. W. Armbruster.

Venezuela, South America

AUM 53523, 75.1 mm SL, VENEZUELA, Amazonas, río Orinoco at Paso Ganado, 38 km NNW of San Fernando de Atabapo, 04.3842°, -067.7747°, 27 Mar 2010, N.K. Lujan, D.C. Werneke, M.H. Sabaj, T. Carvalho, V. Meza, and O. León.

ANSP 162174, 13, 46.0–74.3, VENEZUELA, Amazonas, río Orinoco at El Burro, 06.2°, -067.4333°, 26 Nov 1985, B. Chernoff et al.; AUM 43008, 4 nm, 19.8–32.4, VENEZUELA, Amazonas, río Orinoco dr., río Orinoco, at Puerto Venado 2 km NW of Samariapo and 56.4 km SSW of Puerto Ayacucho, 05.2106°, -067.8049°, 26 Feb 2005, N.K. Lujan, D.C. Werneke, M.H. Sabaj, M. Arce, R. Betancur, and T.E. Wesley; AUM 53474, 1, 37.4, VENEZUELA, Amazonas, rio Orinoco at Raudales Atures, 8.3 km SSW of Puerto Ayacucho, 05.5989°, -067.6139°, 23 Mar 2010, N.K. Lujan, D.C. Werneke, M.H. Sabaj, T. Carvalho, V. Meza; AUM 53979, 2, 31.6–34.3, VENEZUELA, Amazonas, rio Orinoco at Merey, 97.6 km N of San Fernando de Atabapo, 04.9178°, -067.8329°, 18 Apr 2010, J. Birindelli, N.K. Lujan, and V. Meza; MCNG 56579, 1,62.9, MCP 48401, 1, 57.8, same data as holotype; ROM 93352, 12, 38.0–64.5, VENEZUELA, Amazonas, rio Orinoco across channel from Puerto Venado (near Samariapo), 56.7 km south-southwest of Puerto Ayacucho, 05.2095°, -067.8095°, 24 Mar 2010, N.K. Lujan, M.H. Sabaj, D.C. Werneke, V. Meza, and T. Carvalho.

ANSP 166770, 1, 61.3, VENEZUELA, Bolivar, río Orinoco dr., rio Aro, Salto El Pajaro, 18 Oct 1987, M. Rodriguez; ICNMHN 1480, 13, 35.3–76.3 (4 nm), COLOMBIA, Meta, río Meta - río Orinoco dr., río Negro on the Villavicencio - Puerto Lopez road, (4.1025°, -072.9368°), 11 Jan 1988, H. Silvergrip; ICNMH 9096, 1, 79.5, COLOMBIA, Arauca, río Meta - río Orinoco dr., Caño Ormedillo, Arauca-Caño Norte road, (06.8514°, -070.6486°) 27 Feb 1977, P. Cala; MCNG 19318, 2 nm., VENEZUELA, Bolivar, río Orinoco to the east of Ciudad Bolivar in the population of El Rosario, 08.3167°, -063.0833°, 24 Sep 1987, G. Feo, R. Morales, and H. Barbarino.

Peckoltia lujani can be separated from P. pankimpuju by having well developed color and eyes; from all Peckoltia except P. braueri, P. capitulata, P. compta, P. greedoi, P. oligospila, P. otali, and P. stimulata by having the abdomen largely naked posterior to the pectoral girdle (vs. only small naked patches at insertions of pelvic fins); from all Peckoltia except P. furcata, P. greedoi, P. lujani, P. pankimpuju, and P. sabaji by having the dentaries meet at an angle greater than 90°; from P. ephippiata and P. greedoi by having large spots or blotches on the posterolateral surface of head and nape (vs. very small, very faint spots); from P. ephippiata and by lacking slight keels on the lateral plates, particularly the median series (vs. slight keels present), by having bands in the dorsal fin (vs. dorsal fin with light rays and dark membranes), by having fewer teeth (P. ephippiata: 39–72 dentary, 41–73 premaxillary; P. lujani: 20–37 dentary, 23–45 premaxillary); from P. greedoi by having the pectoral-fin spine relaxed position only slightly dorsally, pointing maximally to dorsal insertion of caudal fin (vs. angled dorsally, pointing at insertion of dorsal fin) and pectoral-fin spine reaching less than one plate of the ventral series beyond the pelvic base when adpressed ventral to pelvic fin (vs. two or more).

Peckoltia lujani differs from Etsaputu by having greater than six evertible cheek odontodes, the largest of which extends posterior to the eye (vs. six or fewer, the largest not extending beyond the exposed portion of the opercle). Peckoltia lujani can be separated from Hemiancistrus (except ‘H.’ landoni) and Ancistomus by having prominent dorsal saddles (vs. dark or light spots or entirely dark); and from all Hemiancistrus and Ancistomus by having bands in the caudal fin and no free spots (vs. bands absent or present with some free spots) and bands in the dorsal fin (vs. spots or no markings). Peckoltia ephippiata can be separated from Peckoltichthys bachi by having no spots on the head (vs. large dark spots or mottling); by having the eyes high on the head with the dorsal rim of the orbit higher than the interorbital space (vs. low on the head, dorsal rim of orbit lower than interorbital space), and by having small plates on the abdomen (vs. relatively large).

Peckoltia caenosa is known from the same region as Peckoltia lujani and can be difficult to tell apart when juveniles. Peckoltia lujani differs from adult P. caenosa by lacking vermiculations on the abdomen and head, and from all P. caenosa by having the dentaries meet in a broad arc that is greater than 120° (vs. meeting at an angle less than 90°), and by having fewer teeth (all except one specimen with 24–37 dentary teeth and 22–45 premaxillary teeth [16 and 19 respectively in aberrant specimen] vs. 10–18 dentary teeth and 11–21 premaxillary teeth).

Morphometrics in Table 4, counts and measurements based on 25 specimens unless noted. Largest specimen examined 75.1 mm SL. Body moderately elongate. Head and nape forming arc from tip of snout to anterior of parieto-supraoccipital, rising more rapidly to parieto-supraoccipital crest, and then more slowly to dorsal-fin. Dorsal slope decreasing in straight line to insertion of dorsal procurrent caudal rays then ascending to caudal fin. Body depth greatest below insertion of dorsal fin. Ventral profile flat to ventral procurrent caudal-fin rays, and then sloped ventrally. Caudal peduncle oval in cross section with dorsal and ventral surfaces flattened. Body widest at insertion of pectoral fins, narrowest at insertion of caudal fin. Snout rounded.

Eye moderately sized, dorsal rim of orbit forming moderate crest that continues forward of orbit to area just anterior of nares as a low, rounded ridge. Iris operculum present. Interorbital space flat. Parieto-supraoccipital pointed posteriorly with a moderate crest formed along near entire length of parieto-supraoccipital. Infraorbitals, frontal, nasal, compound pterotic, and parieto-supraoccipital supporting odontodes. Preopercle not supporting odontodes. Opercle generally covered by plates and not supporting odontodes although one to two may be present, particularly in smaller individuals.

Lips covered with short, wide papillae. Lower lip wide, upper lip narrow. Edge of lower lip with small crenulae. Maxillary barbel only barbel present, reaching about one third of distance to gill opening.

Median plates 25–27 (mode 26). Plates unkeeled, but first four or five plates of mid-ventral series very slightly bent to form slight ridge. Five caudal peduncle plate rows. Plates on all dorsolateral surfaces of body except for oval naked area at snout tip. Throat with a few plates posterior to lip. Abdomen only with few sparse platelets below pectoral girdle and in narrow column posterolaterally to pectoral girdle in type series (some platelets below pelvic girdle in Meta specimens). Evertible cheek plates supporting hypertrophied odontodes that can be everted perpendicular to head. Cheek odontodes 5–49 (mode 25). Longest evertible cheek odontode reaching to about level of posterior edge of pectoral-fin spine. Hypertrophied cheek odontodes relatively weak. Odontodes slightly longer than average body odontodes present along dorsal-, adipose-, pelvic-, caudal-, and pectoral-fin spines; larger individuals with hypertrophied odontodes at tip of pectoral spine.

Dorsal fin ii,7; dorsal spinelet V-shaped, dorsal-fin locking mechanism present, last ray of dorsal fin not reaching preadipose plate when adpressed. Adipose fin with single preadipose plate and moderately long spine. Caudal fin i,14,i; caudal fin forked, ventral lobe longer than dorsal lobe; dorsal procurrent caudal rays five, and ventral procurrent caudal rays four to five (mode five; n=24 for dorsals). Pectoral fin i,6; pectoral-fin spine reaching just posterior to pelvic fin when adpressed ventral to pelvic fin. Pelvic fin i,5; pelvic-fin spine extending to posterior end of base of anal fin when adpressed. Anal fin i,4; anal-fin spine slightly shorter than first ray.

Teeth bicuspid with lateral lobe three-quarters length of medial lobe and distal tip of lateral cusp one-half width of tip of medial cusp. 20–37 left dentary teeth (mode 32). 23–45 left premaxillary teeth (mode 39).

Base color light tan with brown to black markings. Four dorsal saddles on the body, the first below the middle rays of the dorsal fin, the second below the posterior rays of the dorsal fin and slightly posterior, the third below the adipose fin and slightly anterior, and the fourth at the end of the caudal peduncle. Third and fourth saddles may have anterior extensions or have an anterior projection making them h-shaped or may be split nearly in half. Saddles two to four extend to median plate row, saddle one continues to insertion of pectoral fin. Very large blotches or spots present from saddle one to caudal fin. All fins except dorsal always with dark bands with dark areas from about as wide to about twice as wide as light areas. Number of bands increases with size. Dorsal fin coloration complex, ranging from a mix of dark and light spots that may or may not combine to form bands (bands always forming distally). The dark or light spots/bands in dorsal fin may or may not combine with those dorsal or ventral. Dark spots/bands typically darker on the rays distally and on the membranes proximally. Dark spot present between dorsal-fin spinelet and spine. Abdomen with medium spots. Lower surface of caudal peduncle with dark blotches. Juveniles colored as adults, but with bar two extending to insertion of pelvic fin, without anterior extensions of the third and fourth dorsal bars, third and fourth bars extending across ventral margin of caudal peduncle, without spots on the abdomen, and with the spots or blotches on the sides (if present) just between first and second bars.

None observed.

Known from the Meta Drainage near Villavicencio and the Orinoco from the mouth of the Meta to around Ciudad Bolivar (Fig. 3).

The type locality was restricted to collection localities in Amazonas, Venezuela. There is variation within the species, and it is possible that other forms may be present within the species. The Colombian specimens (ICNMHN 1480 and ICNMH 9096) differed in shape from the other members of the species, and we do not have the specimens to check their identity, so they were excluded from counts and measurements.

Named in honor of the former graduate student of JWA, Dr. Nathan Lujan. Dr. Lujan has led expeditions to some of the most remote regions of South America and obtained some of the most important specimens for the study of loricariid systematics specifically as well as South American fish systematics and ecology in general. In the process, he has given JWA more taxonomic work in the last decade than he had thought possible, and he is very thankful. Dr. Lujan also collected the best specimens known of the species.

Figure 5. 

Dorsal, lateral, and ventral views of holotype of Peckoltia lujani sp. n., AUM 53523, 75.1 mm SL. Photos by J. W. Armbruster.