A new species of Hemibrycon (Teleostei: Characiformes: Characidae) from the río Ucayali drainage, Sierra del Divisor, Peru

Abstract

A new characid species, Hemibrycon divisorensis, is described from the río Ucayali drainage, Loreto, Peru. The new species is distinguished from all Hemibrycon species by the presence of a wide black asymmetrical spot covering base of caudal-fin rays and extending along entire length of caudal-fin rays 9 to 12-13 (except from H. surinamensis), and a black band in the lower half of the caudal peduncle extending from the region above the last anal-fin rays to the caudal-fin base. Furthermore, it is distinguished from most species of the genus by the number of scale rows below the lateral line (4-5 vs 5-9), except H. jabonero, H. microformaa, H. orcesi, and H. surinamensis. It differs from these species by scale and fin ray counts and color pattern. The lack of a supraorbital in Hemibrycon species is discussed and confirmed.