# A new species of Peckoltia (Siluriformes, Loricariidae) from the rapids of the Rio Tocantins‐Araguaia basin, Brazil

## TL;DR

A new species of Peckoltia catfish is described from the rapids of the Rio Tocantins-Araguaia basin in Brazil, previously mistaken for another species.

## Contribution

The paper introduces a new Peckoltia species identified through integrative taxonomy and molecular phylogeny.

## Key findings

- The new species is distinguished by unique morphological traits like diffuse ventral stripes and specific skeletal features.
- Molecular analysis using Cytb confirmed the new species' placement within the Peckoltia genus.
- The species was previously misidentified as Peckoltia vittata.

## Abstract

Here, we describe a new species of Peckoltia (Loricariidae; Hypostominae) from the rapids of the Rio Tocantins‐Araguaia basin, previously identified as Peckoltia vittata, using an integrative taxonomy approach. The new species is distinguished from congeners by ventral region presenting diffuse stripes on surface, not presenting spots or blotches on head and body, elongated odontodes on cheeks reaching the pectoral‐fin spine when adpressed to body, space between the eyes not entirely covered by a blotch, parieto‐supraoccipital moderately elevated, not forming an apparent crest, 14–26 teeth on premaxilla, 15–24 teeth on dentary, diminute plates with short odontodes on base of pectoral fins, and anterior part of urogenital opening, a less developed suspensorium, a prominent lateral wall of metapterygoid channel with sturdy base, including conspicuous ornated edges, adductor palatine crest forming a diminute roughly perceptible salient, diminute hyomandibula concave triangular shape. The phylogeny based on Cytb molecular marker recovered the new species placed with congener species, congruent with the morphological classification findings.