Neoplecostominae is a

subfamily In biological classification, a subfamily (Latin: ', plural ') is an auxiliary (intermediate) taxonomic rank, next below family but more inclusive than genus. Standard nomenclature rules end subfamily botanical names with "-oideae", and zoologi ...

of South American

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, ...

es of the

family Family (from la, familia) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its ...

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 ...

Species In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...

of this subfamily live in high-mountain and swift-flowing river habitats.

Taxonomy

This subfamily is the most basal

clade A clade (), also known as a monophyletic group or natural group, is a group of organisms that are monophyletic – that is, composed of a common ancestor and all its lineal descendants – on a phylogenetic tree. Rather than the English term, ...

in Loricariidae with the exception of

Lithogeneinae ''Lithogenes'' is a genus of South American catfish of the family Loricariidae. It is the only genus within the subfamily Lithogeneinae. Taxonomy ''Lithogenes'' is the only genus within the subfamily Lithogeneinae. This genus and subfamily, the ...

. The genera do not form a

monophyletic In cladistics for a group of organisms, monophyly is the condition of being a clade—that is, a group of taxa composed only of a common ancestor (or more precisely an ancestral population) and all of its lineal descendants. Monophyletic gro ...

assemblage. Neoplecostominae is not diagnosed by any unique characteristic. However, molecular studies have supported this grouping. Within the paraphyletic Neoplecostominae, ''Pareiorhina'' forms a monophyletic subunit that also includes ''Neoplecostomus''.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q3338213 Loricariidae Fish of South America Ray-finned fish subfamilies Taxa named by Charles Tate Regan