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Anal soft rays: 9-11. This species is distinguished from all its congeners by the following set of characters: lateral line short and not reaching vertical through last dorsal-fin ray, with only 5-7 pores; pectoral-fin spine generally with only retrorse serrations; anal-fin rays 9-11. Colouration: head and trunk are mottled with light and dark brown color; light transverse band on the occipital region is narrow, mottled brown, and poorly defined; dark brown saddles poorly defined on the nuchal, subdorsal, and subadipose regions; axis of gill filaments with a dark stripe. Further distinguished in having a smaller adipose fin base length 18.8-20.4% SL (vs. 20.4-31.8 in M. cibelae, M. cottoides, M. eurystoma, M. leptostriatus, M. minutus, M. nigripinnis, M. parahybae, M. pataxo, M. robustus); greater caudal peduncle length 15.7-17.6% SL (vs. 10.0-15.7 in M. carlae, M. cibelae, M. cottoides, M. eurystoma, M. iheringi, M. maculatus, M. malabarbai, M. nigripinnis, M. parahybae, M. pataxo, M. pellopterygius, M. poecilus, M. secundus, M. variegatus); and greater caudal-peduncle depth 13.1-14.7% SL (vs. 10.1-13.1 in M. carlae, M. cibelae, M. cottoides, M. eurystoma, M. iheringi, M. leptostriatus, M. malabarbai, M. minutus, M. reikoae, M. nigripinnis, M. parahybae, M. pataxo, M. pellopterygius, M. poecilus, M. secundus, M. variegatus) (Ref. 130492). |
| Locality of collection has a well-preserved riparian forest, a river bed mainly muddy, with some sandy patches covered by organic matter, and abundant submerged leaf-litter. Stomach contents of two specimens examined included Ephemeroptera, Chironomidae larvae, and adult Diptera, denoting an insectivorous habit, typical for benthonic small catfish (Ref. 130492). |