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The Panaque nigrolineatus group (subgenus Panaque) is revised; three nominal species--P, cochliodon, P. nigrolineatus, and P. suttonorum--are redescribed and three new species are described. Panaque armbrusteri, new species, is widespread in the Tapajós River and its tributaries in Brazil and is distinguished by having a supraoccipital hump, higher numbers of jaw teeth and an ontogenetic increase in interpremaxillary and intermandibular tooth-row angles, relatively short paired-fin spines, and dorsal margin of infraorbital six flared laterally. Panaque schaeferi, new species, is widespread in main-channel habitats of the upper Amazon (Solimöes) River basin in Brazil and Peru; it is distinguished by having a coloration consisting of dark or faded black spots evenly distributed on a pale gray to brown base, and by its large adult body size (>570 mm SL). Panaque titan, new species, is distributed in larger, lowland to piedmont rivers of the Napo River basin in Ecuador, and is distinguished by having a postorbital pterotic region bulged beyond the ventral pterotic margin, coloration consisting of irregular and widely spaced dark gray to brown stripes on light brown to tan base, and large adult body size (>390 mm SL). A relatively large pterotic, Indicative of an enlarged gas bladder and gas bladder capsule, and allometric increases in tooth number are hypothesized to be synapomorphies uniting members of the subgenus Panaque. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Peruvian freshwater fishes and their habitats were investigated by the Natural History Museum of San Marcos University (MHNSM) as part of a long-term project. Fishes were inventoried by sampling in main drainage basins, including coastal rivers, highland rivers, and Peru's Amazonian waters. To date, the MHNSM fish collection has approximately 300,000 specimens comprising 1000 valid species in 168 families and 8 orders. The greatest diversity lies within the Ostariophysi (80% of all species) with the dominant orders being Characiformes and Siluriformes. Characidae is the most diverse family with 22.5% of all species. Protected areas (i.e. Parks, Reserved Zones or National Reserves) have been sampled intensively providing a reasonable estimates of their fish diversity. However, our knowledge is still poor for less accessible areas. More fieldwork is needed in all of the large river basins before we can have a fuller understanding of total fish diversity. As an example of ongoing efforts, we discuss specific fish inventories in both Peruvian coastal rivers and highlands and in river systems shared with neighboring countries. In addition to Peruvian fish diversity; we discuss the state of aquatic resources and habitats in Peru's principal river basins, and current problems facing such aquatic systems (e.g. inland fisheries and extractive activities such as deforestation and gold mining). Near large cities, such as Iquitos and Pucallpa, fishing effort has increased considerably in the last decade, whereas catch per unit effort appears to have decreased considerably indicating that over-fishing has become locally problematic. An overview is presented of main conservation problems, including exotic species that confront aquatic ecosystems in Peru. Finally, an environmental education program is recommended to inform the general public about the value of freshwater fishes and aquatic ecosystems and the main problems such resources are facing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents the result of a taxonomic study of fishes found in the Putumayo river within the Putumayo River Basin in the Colombia-Peru area. Tables and details related to the diversity of families, species and the genera for the order of fishes present in the Putumayo River Basin, and a taxonomic list including the complete scientific name for each taxon, general information about its distribution, reference to a voucher in a collection and a bibliographic reference are offered.

We described herein a new Hemigrammus from the río Madre de Dios and rio Mamoré basins in southeastern Peru and Bolivia. The new species possess a color pattern similar to those belonging to the Hemigrammus lunatus species-group, i.e., a broad longitudinal dark stripe across the eye and a conspicuous, narrow dark stripe along the anal-fin basis. It can be easily diagnosed from the species belonging to this group by presenting the combination of the following characters: an oval, horizontally elongated humeral blotch, 6-7 upper branch and 10-12 lower branch gill-rakers, up to five cusps on broader maxillary teeth, and by lacking a midlateral dark stripe. Comments on its putative relationships are provided. Additionally, we updated the geographical distribution of Hemigrammus lunatus and H. machadoi based on an exhaustive survey of material deposited in collections. [Species Zoobank registration: urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:A2ED5D61-8434-4A0F-BC5B-B496FB3DC191].