Range extension of Bunocephalus larai Ihering, 1930, Banjo Catfish (Siluriformes, Aspredinidae), in the Ivaí river basin, Upper Paraná River, Brazil

Abstract

We report the occurrence of Bunocephalus larai in the Ivaí river basin, and expand the geographic distribution of this species to southern latitudes of the Upper Paraná river basin. Four individuals were captured through electrofishing in the Muquilão River, a tributary of the Ivaí River, Paraná, Brazil. The sampled site was within a conservation unit in the municipality of Iretama. The captures occurred in a marginal backwater of a 20–40 m wide stretch and 0.3–0.7 m deep, characterized by sand/clay and leaf litter as predominat bottom substrate. Our study demonstrates the importance of ichthyofaunistic studies in headwaters of rivers.

Keywords

• Aspredininae
• center‑west Paraná
• conservation
• ic