Loricariinae is a subfamily of the family

Loricariidae The Loricariidae is the largest family of catfish (order Siluriformes), with 92 genera and just over 680 species. Loricariids originate from freshwater habitats of Costa Rica, Panama, and tropical and subtropical South America. These fish are not ...

catfish Catfish (or catfishes; order Siluriformes or Nematognathi) are a diverse group of ray-finned fish. Named for their prominent barbels, which resemble a cat's whiskers, catfish range in size and behavior from the three largest species alive ...

(order Siluriformes). This subfamily is divided into two

tribe The term tribe is used in many different contexts to refer to a category of human social group. The predominant worldwide usage of the term in English is in the discipline of anthropology. This definition is contested, in part due to confli ...

s and about 30 genera. They are mainly native to freshwater habitats in South America, but there are also several species (in genera ''

Crossoloricaria ''Crossoloricaria'' is a genus of armored catfish native to South America with one species ranging into Central America. Taxonomy ''Crossloricaria'' is classified in the ''Pseudohemiodon'' group in the tribe Loricariini of the subfamily Lorica ...

'', '' Dasyloricaria'', '' Fonchiiichthys'', ''

Rineloricaria ''Rineloricaria'' (from the Greek, ''rhinos'' meaning ''nose'', and the Latin, ''lorica'' meaning ''cuirass of leather'') is a genus of freshwater tropical catfish ( order Siluriformes) belonging to the family Loricariidae. They are commonly call ...

'', '' Spatuloricaria'', ''

Sturisoma ''Sturisoma'' is a genus of armored catfishes native to Central and South America. Taxonomy ''Sturisoma'' has been shown to be sister to ''Farlowella''. Species There are currently 12 recognized species in this genus: * '' Sturisoma barbatum' ...

'' and '' Sturisomatichthys'') in

Panama Panama ( , ; es, link=no, Panamá ), officially the Republic of Panama ( es, República de Panamá), is a transcontinental country spanning the southern part of North America and the northern part of South America. It is bordered by Co ...

and a single (''Fonchiiichthys'') in Costa Rica.Angulo; Garita-Alvarado; Bussing; and López (2013).
Annotated checklist of the freshwater fishes of continental and insular Costa Rica: additions and nomenclatural revisions.
'' Check List 9(5): 987–1019.

Taxonomy

Loricariinae was first described in 1831. Later, in 1979, many genera were described and Loricariinae was divided into four subfamilies: Loricariini, Harttiini, Farlowellini, and Acestridiini. Eventually, the genera of Acestridiini was included under

Hypoptopomatinae The Hypoptopomatinae are a subfamily of catfishes (order Siluriformes) of the family Loricariidae, composed of 17 genus, genera and approximately 80 species. This subfamily represents about one-tenth of all loricariid species. It has been divide ...

and genera of Farlowellini was reclassified into Hartiini. This subfamily has been found to be monophyletic. The most recent papers conclude that there are 30 or 31 genera; the status of ''Cteniloricaria'' is dubious; although recognized as a synonym of '' Harttia'' by some, this conclusion was reached without diagnosing the

type species In zoological nomenclature, a type species (''species typica'') is the species name with which the name of a genus or subgenus is considered to be permanently taxonomically associated, i.e., the species that contains the biological type specime ...

of ''Cteniloricaria''.

Description

As loricariids, loricariinae species are characterized by a depressed body covered by bony plates, a unique pair of maxillary barbels, and modification of the mouth into a

suckermouth In fish, a suckermouth is a ventrally-oriented (inferior) mouth adapted for grazing on algae and small organisms that grow on submerged objects. All Loricariidae possess a suckermouth as do the cypriniform algae eaters of the genus ''Gyrinocheilus' ...

. Members of the subfamily Loricariinae show a greater diversity of lip structures and shapes than other loricariids. Loricariines are characterized by a long and depressed

caudal peduncle Fins are distinctive anatomical features composed of bony spines or rays protruding from the body of a fish. They are covered with skin and joined together either in a webbed fashion, as seen in most bony fish, or similar to a flipper, as see ...

(rectangular cross-section) and by the absence of an

adipose fin Fins are distinctive anatomical features composed of bony spines or rays protruding from the body of a fish. They are covered with skin and joined together either in a webbed fashion, as seen in most bony fish, or similar to a flipper, as se ...

. They also show dramatic variation in body shape, lip morphology and dentition. The sexual dimorphism is often pronounced and is expressed through the hypertrophy of

odontodes Odontodes, or dermal teeth, are hard structures found on the external surfaces of animals or near internal openings. They consist of a soft pulp surrounded by dentine and covered by a mineralized substance such as enamel, a structure similar to th ...

on the

pectoral fin Fins are distinctive anatomical features composed of bony spines or rays protruding from the body of a fish. They are covered with skin and joined together either in a webbed fashion, as seen in most bony fish, or similar to a flipper, as ...

rays, on the snout margin, and sometimes on the pre

dorsal Dorsal (from Latin ''dorsum'' ‘back’) may refer to: * Dorsal (anatomy), an anatomical term of location referring to the back or upper side of an organism or parts of an organism * Dorsal, positioned on top of an aircraft's fuselage * Dorsal c ...

area of mature males. Certain genera also show sexual differences in lip and tooth structures. The Harttiini are characterized by numerous and pedunculated teeth, a

caudal fin Fins are distinctive anatomical features composed of bony spines or rays protruding from the body of a fish. They are covered with skin and joined together either in a webbed fashion, as seen in most bony fish, or similar to a flipper, as ...

with more branched rays, the absence of postorbital notches and predorsal keels, a rounded mouth,

papillose This glossary of botanical terms is a list of definitions of terms and concepts relevant to botany and plants in general. Terms of plant morphology are included here as well as at the more specific Glossary of plant morphology and Glossary o ...

lips weakly or not fringed, and short maxillary barbels. The Loricariini are characterized by a more important variation in lips and teeth shape, the frequent presence of postorbital notches and predorsal keels, longer maxillary barbels, and less numerous teeth and branched rays in the caudal fin.

Genera

Genera list based on Covain and Fisch-Muller (2007), except for ''Cteniloricaria''. *Tribe Loricariini **''Loricaria'' group ***'' Brochiloricaria'' ***''

Loricaria ''Loricaria'' is a genus of armored catfish native to South America. Taxonomy ''Loricaria'' was the first genus of the family Loricariidae described. Thus, it is the nominal genus of the family Loricariidae. Phylogenetic relationships within ' ...

'' ***'' Paraloricaria'' ***'' Proloricaria'' ***''

Ricola Ricola Ltd./Ricola AG is a Swiss manufacturer of cough drops and breath mints. The head office of Ricola is located in Laufen, Basel-Country. Business Ricola listed sales of 307.2 million Swiss francs in 2016 and employs 400 workers. Aroun ...

'' **''Loricariichthys'' group ***'' Furcodontichthys'' ***'' Hemiodontichthys'' ***'' Limatulichthys'' ***'' Loricariichthys'' ***'' Pseudoloricaria'' **''Pseudohemiodon'' group ***''

Apistoloricaria ''Apistoloricaria'' is a genus of armored catfishes native to South America. Taxonomy The genus name comes from the Greek ''apisto'' meaning ''uncertain'' and the Latin ''lorica'' or ''loricare'' meaning ''cuirass'' or ''corslet'' of leather. ' ...

'' ***''

'' ***'' Dentectus'' ***'' Planiloricaria'' ***''

Pseudohemiodon ''Pseudohemiodon'' is a genus of armored catfishes native to South America. Species There are currently seven recognized species in this genus: * '' Pseudohemiodon amazonus'' ( Delsman, 1941) * '' Pseudohemiodon apithanos'' Isbrücker & Nijss ...

'' ***''

Pyxiloricaria ''Pyxiloricaria menezesi'' is the only species of the monotypic genus ''Pyxiloricaria'', a genus of the family Loricariidae of catfish ( order Siluriformes). This species is endemic to Brazil where it occurs in the Paraguay River drainage. ''P. ...

'' ***'' Reganella'' ***''

Rhadinoloricaria ''Rhadinoloricaria'' is a genus of catfish endemic to South America. It was considered to be monotypic until the 2020 discovery of a second species. ''Rhadinoloricaria'' is part of the ''Pseudohemiodon'' group of the tribe Loricariini in the s ...

'' **''Rineloricaria'' group ***'' Dasyloricaria'' ***'' Fonchiiichthys'' ***'' Ixinandria'' ***''

'' ***'' Spatuloricaria'' *Tribe Harttiini **'' Aposturisoma'' **'' Cteniloricaria'' **''

Farlowella ''Farlowella'' is a genus of fish in the family Loricariidae native to South America. This genus is broadly distributed in Amazon, Orinoco, Paraná and coastal rivers of the Guyana Shield. It is absent from the Pacific slope of the Andes and fro ...

'' **'' Harttia'' **''

Harttiella ''Harttiella'' is a genus of armored catfishes native to South America South America is a continent entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere ...

'' **'' Lamontichthys'' **'' Metaloricaria'' **'' Pterosturisoma'' **''

'' **'' Sturisomatichthys''

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q137875 Loricariidae Fish of South America Fish subfamilies Taxa named by Charles Lucien Bonaparte