A new armored catfish species of the genus Hypostomus Lacépède, 1803 (Siluriformes: Loricariidae) from the upper rio Xingu basin, Brazil

A new armored catfish species of the genus Hypostomus is described from the upper rio Xingu basin, Mato Grosso State, Brazil. The new species is diagnosed from congeners by having high number of teeth (58 to 101, mean 77 on premaxilla, and 58 to 105, mean 80 on dentary), dark spots over body and fins, and abdomen mostly naked. The new species is known from the rapids of the rio Culuene, where it is sympatric with Hypostomus faveolus.

All specimens of Hypostomus kuarup used in the present study were collected during fieldwork funded by Atiaia Energia S/A. We are grateful to Nathan K. Lujan and two anonymous reviewers for comments and suggestions on the manuscript. We also thank Alberto Akama, Leandro M. Sousa, André N. Ferreira, Alexandre C. Ribeiro, Cristiano R. Moreira, Lício Moraes, Carlos A. Figueiredo, and Francisco Machado for help in fieldwork. Thanks are also due to Scott Schaefer (AMNH), Mark Sabaj Pérez (ANSP), Patrick Campbell (BMNH), Paulo Buckup and Marcelo Britto (MNRJ), Marcelo Rocha (INPA), and Margarete S. Lucena (MCP) for loan of comparative material and hosting museum visits. Nupélia and MZUSP provide us with logistical support. Visit to museum collections by CHZ were funded by the All Catfish Species Inventory (DEB-0315963). CHZ was funded by CNPq (306066/2009-2), JLOB and FCTL by FAPESP (10/51250-9; 07/02978-7, respectively).