title: Aspidoras mephisto, new species: The first troglobitic Callichthyidae (Teleostei: Siluriformes) from South America.
abstract: Aspidoras mephisto n. sp. is described from the Anésio-Russão cave system, upper Tocantins River basin, Goiás, Brazil. The species can be readily distinguished from its congeners by troglomorphic features and also by presenting the following combination of features: infraorbital 1 generally with well-developed ventral laminar; or moderately developed; poorly-developed serrations on posterior margin of pectoral spine; nuchal plate not externally visible; dorsal fin, even in conspicuously colored specimens, with only dark brown or black chromatophores concentrated on rays, forming spots in some specimens; membranes hyaline; or sparse dark brown or black chromatophores on membranes, not forming any conspicuous pattern; and inner laminar expansion of infraorbital 1 moderately developed. Information about its habitat, ecology, behaviour and conservation status are provided and also a brief description of the juvenile stage.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Biologia, Núcleo de Pesquisas em Limnologia, Ictiologia e Aquicultura, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia de Ambientes Aquáticos Continentais, Universidade Estadual de Maringá, Maringá, Paraná, Brazil.
authors.forename: Luiz Fernando Caserta
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8437-4354
authors.initials: LF
authors.lastname: Tencatt
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Ecologia e Biologia Evolutiva, Laboratório de Estudos Subterrâneos, Universidade Federal de São Carlos, São Carlos, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Maria Elina
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Bichuette
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002397:Catfishes / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000145:classification* / Q000378:metabolism*; D013020:South America