Diagnosis |
This species is distinguished from both epigean and cave restricted species of the genus by having the posterior fontanel divided into two widely separated opening; anterior opening with triangular shape pointed posteriorly; and, posterior opening with triangular or sub-conical to circular shape, the former pointed anteriorly. The following set of characters useful for identification and shared with other species of Trichomycterus include: relatively deep head (45.6-54.1% of HL); narrow mouth (39.3-45.3% of HL); longer nasal, maxillary and rictal barbels (71.4-95.3%, 89.3-112.8% and 50.8-64.1% of HL, respectively), tip of maxillary barbel surpassing pectoral-fin origin; opercular odontodes 10-14; posteriormost branchiostegal rays considerably longer than anterior ones; tip of first pectoral ray prolonged as medium length filament (44.9-55.6% of pectoral-fin length); pelvic-fin origin anterior to vertical through dorsal-fin origin, pelvic fin covering urogenital papilla but not reaching origin of anal fin; obliquely rounded caudal fin, its upper portion slightly longer than lower portion; body color pattern plain dark-gray without spots (Ref. 87778). |