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The Sarcoglanidinae are a subfamily of catfishes (order Siluriformes) of the family Trichomycteridae. It includes six genera: Ammoglanis, Malacoglanis, Microcambeva, Sarcoglanis, Stauroglanis, and Stenolicmus.[1][2]

Sarcoglanidinae
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Actinopterygii
Order:	Siluriformes
Family:	Trichomycteridae
Subfamily:	Sarcoglanidinae Myers & Weitzman, 1966
Type genus
Sarcoglanis Myers & Weitzman, 1966
Genera
Ammoglanis Malacoglanis Microcambeva Sarcoglanis Stauroglanis Stenolicmus

Taxonomy

The subfamily Sarcoglanidinae was first established in 1966 for Sarcoglanis simplex and Malacoglanis gelatinosus. A third species of the subfamily, Stauroglanis gouldingi, was described about 25 years later.[3] Descriptions of additional species have followed, though most genera remain monotypic.[4] The relationships of the genus Ammoglanis with other sarcoglanidines are not well-established; however, this genus is currently included within Sarcoglanidinae.[5]

This subfamily has been proposed to have a sister group relationship to Glanapteryginae. Like the members of this subfamily, many glanapterygines are sand-dwelling fish.[6]

Distribution and habitat

All genera except Microcambeva are endemic to the Amazon River; Microcambeva species are known from southeastern Brazil.[2] Despite their scarcity in museum collections, sarcoglanidines possibly occur throughout the entire Amazon and the Orinoco basins.[3]

Sarcoglanidines usually live in sandy banks of rivers and streams,[2] feeding on minute arthropods.[4]

Description

Sarcoglanidines are all very small (to the extent of some species being considered 'miniaturized'), usually not exceeding 25 mm (1.0 in) in standard length (SL); Microcambeva ribeirae is the largest species, reaching 48 mm (1.9 in) SL.[2] All except one species are poorly pigmented, with a translucent body in life.[2] The three pairs of barbels present in other trichomycterids are also present in these fish, though nasal barbels tend to be reduced. In addition, some taxa have barbel-like structures on the ventral surface of their heads.[2] Sarcoglanis simplex and Malacoglanis gelatinosus possess an uncommonly deep body, a hypertrophied sac-like adipose organ above the pectoral fin, and the absence of premaxillary teeth. These two species, along with Stauroglanis gouldingi, have few or no opercular and interopercular odontodes.[2]

The subfamily has been characterized, among other things, by a toothless upper jaw, the presence of an adipose-like fin, and the pectoral-fin rays projecting beyond the fin membrane.[3]

References

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