Rineloricaria melini

Rineloricaria melini
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Siluriformes
Family: Loricariidae
Genus: Rineloricaria
Species:
R. melini
Binomial name
Rineloricaria melini
(Schindler, 1959)[2]
Synonyms[2]
  • Loricariichthys melini Schindler, 1959
  • Hemiloricaria melini (Schindler,1959)

Rineloricaria melini[3] is a species of freshwater ray-finned fish belonging to the family Loricariidae, the mailed catfishes, and the subfamily Loricariinae, the suckermouth armored catfishes.[2] The IUCN state that the only record of this catfish is from its type locality, in the Solimões River, near Manacapuru, Amazonas state in Brazil,[1] however, R. melini appears in the aquarium trade, where it is typically referred to as the dappled whiptail catfish.[4] The holotype had a standard length of 13 cm (5.1 in) and is believed to be a facultative air-breather.[5] The specific name honors the Swedish herpetologist Douglas Melin, the discoverer of this species.[6]

References

  1. ^ a b Instituto Chico Mendes de Conservação da Biodiversidade (ICMBio) (2022). "Rineloricaria melini". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (in Brazilian Portuguese). 2022 e.T140728430A140728448. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2022-1.RLTS.T140728430A140728448.pt. Retrieved 14 March 2026.
  2. ^ a b c Fricke, Ron; Eschmeyer, William N. & van der Laan, Richard (eds.). "Species in the genus Rineloricaria". Catalog of Fishes. California Academy of Sciences. Retrieved 14 March 2026.
  3. ^ "ITIS - Report: Rineloricaria melini". www.itis.gov. Retrieved 2023-02-05.
  4. ^ "Rineloricaria melini • Loricariidae • Cat-eLog". www.planetcatfish.com. Retrieved 2023-02-05.
  5. ^ Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.). "Rineloricaria melini". FishBase. November 2025 version.
  6. ^ Christopher Scharpf (30 December 2025). "Family LORICARIIDAE: Subfamily LORICARIINAE Rafinesque 1815 (Suckermouth Armored Catfishes)". The ETYFish Project Fish Name Etymology Database. Christopher Scharpf. Retrieved 14 March 2026.