| 1a. |
Caudal fin with i-12-i or i-11-i rays; teeth pedunculated, bicuspid, numerous (more than 10 per premaxillae), organized in comb and weakly differentiated; sometimes with filamentous extensions on pectoral, dorsal, upper and/or lower caudal spines |
Harttiini
> 2 < |
| 1b. |
Caudal fin with i-10-i rays; teeth straight, bicuspid, spoon-shaped, not numerous (less than 20 per premaxillae), strongly differentiated, sometimes reduces in size or absent; often with more or less strong whip on upper caudal spine |
Loricariini
> 11 < |
| 2a. |
Mouth shape elliptical |
> 3 < |
| 2b. |
Mouth shape horseshoe like; with three buccal papillae, lateral ones triobate; teeth small and not numerous (around 10 per premaxillae) |
Metaloricaria |
| 3a. |
Caudal peduncle strongly depressed, elliptical in transverse section (in average, the minimal depth of the caudal preduncle represents 1 to 3 percent of the SL |
> 4 < |
| 3b. |
Caudal peduncle weakly depressed, more or less circular in transverse section (in average, the minimal depth of the caudal peduncle represents 5 percent of the SL); abdomen naked; body covered by numerous, short and dense odontodes giving a velvet aspect; species of small size (around 50mm) |
Harttiella |
| 4a. |
Rostrum present |
> 5 < |
| 4b. |
Rostrum absent |
> 7 < |
| 5a. |
Dorsal fin originating more or less in front of the anal-fin origin |
> 6 < |
| 5b. |
Dorsal fin originating more or less in front of the pelvic-fin origin; abdominal cover complete and weakly structured in two to three rows |
Sturisoma |
| 6a. |
Teeth not numerous (around 20 per premaxillae); two to three rows of abdominal plates; gernal aspect slender, reminiscent of a stick |
Farlowella |
| 6b. |
Teeth numerous (around 100 per premaxillae); three rows of abdominal plates |
Aposturisoma |
| 7a. |
Snout rounded |
> 8 < |
| 7b. |
Snout pointed; abdominal cover complete without particular organization, or weakly structured in two or three rows |
Sturisomatichthys |
| 8a. |
Pectoral fins with i-6 rays |
> 9 < |
| 8b. |
Pectoral fins with i-7 rays; pectoral spine sometimes with filamentous extensions |
Lamontichthys |
| 9a. |
Eye diameter large (on average around 20 percent of head length); tip of snout naked; without filamentous extensions on pectoral, upper and lower caudal spine |
> 10 < |
| 9b. |
Eye diameter small (on average around 10 percent of head length); tip of snout covered by plates; with filamentous extensions on pectoral, upper and lower caudal spine |
Pterosturisoma |
| 10a. |
Scattered long and thin Odontodes at the sides of mature male specimens |
Quiritixys |
| 10b. |
No odontodes at the sides of mature male specimen |
Harttia |
| 11a. |
Lower lip bilobate with a median furrow; surface of this lip more or less smooth or weakly papillose; presence of a double adbominal keel; throat never covered; whip on upper caudal spine weak or absent |
Loricariichthys group
> 12 < |
| 11b. |
Absence of such a combination of characters; lower lip more often strongly papillose or filamentous |
> 16 < |
| 12a. |
Presence of a secondary structure in the organization of the abdominal cover forming a perfect elliptical area at the level of the pectoral girdle |
Loricariichthys |
| 12b. |
Without such structure |
> 13 < |
| 13a. |
With conspicuous lines of odontodes on head and snout |
> 14 < |
| 13b. |
Without lines of odontodes on head and snout |
> 15 < |
| 14a. |
Rostrum strongly pronounced; maxillary barbels short; premaxillary teeth absent; abdomen covered by large rectangular plates organized in three rows |
Hemiodontichthys |
| 14b. |
Rostrum weakly pronounced; maxillary and fringed barbels conspicous and gathered in series at the lip corners; premaxillary teeth present; abdomen covered by large plates organized in two rows |
Furcodontichthys |
| 15a. |
Abdomen covered by small plates without particular organization; in adults pelvic-fin spine longer than last pelvic-fin ray; in juvenils presence of a conspicuous basicaudal spot |
Pseudoloricaria |
| 15b. |
Abdomen covered by medium-sized plates weakly structured in two or three rows; in adults last pelvic-fin ray longer than pelvic-fin spine; in juvenils absence of a conspicuous basicaudal spot |
Limatulichthys |
| 16a. |
Lips papillose; fringed barbels of lower lip absent or inconsoicuous |
Rineloricaria group
> 17 < |
| 16b. |
Lips generelly filamentous or smooth; fringed barbels of lower lip generelly conspicuous |
> 23 < |
| 17a. |
Abdomen partially to completely covered by plates |
> 18 < |
| 17b. |
Abdomen naked; snout rounded; mouth circular; postorbital notches deep; stringly depressed body covered by numerous, short and dense odontodes giving a velvet aspect; species of small size (around 90mm) |
Ixinandria |
| 18a. |
Abdomen partially to completely covered by medium-sized plates; mouth not circular; postorbital notches deep |
> 19 < |
| 18b. |
Abdomen covered by very small plates not contiguous; mouth circular and thick; postorbital notches weak; teeth few (around 4 per premaxillae); body depth strong (around 12 percent of SL); presence of a long whip on upper caudal spine; predorsal keels strong |
Spatuloricaria |
| 19a. |
Without a secondary structure in abdominal cover; abdominal cover weakly organzied in rows; predosal keels more or less pronounced; species of medium size (generally less than 20cm) |
> 20 < |
| 19b. |
With a seondary structure on abdominal cover consisting in double median row of plates organized in chevrons; predorsal keels strong; species of large size (generally more than 25cm) |
Dasyloricaria |
| 20a. |
Predosal odontodes of mature males present; abdomen completely covered with plates; presence of a whip on upper caudal spine; body thin |
> 21 < |
| 20b. |
Predosal odontodes of mature males absent; abdomen often not completely covered; whip on upper caudal spine weak or absent; body strong |
> 22 < |
| 21a. |
Predorsal thin, short, bent, scattered odontodes on mature males present; bundled, long, thin, slightly bent odontodes on headsides present; presence short odontodes on pectoral fins |
Leliella |
| 21b. |
Predorsal thin, long, nearly straight odontodes on mature males present; on headsides bundled, long, very thin, slightly bent odontodes and a row of scattered, bent, spiny odontodes which are 3 times thicker and 4 times shorter than the other odontodes in this area present; presence of numerous standing bent, spiny odontodes on pectoral fins |
Hemiloricaria |
| 22a. |
Abdomen completely plated; presence of a filamentous extension on upper spine, thickened at origin; westandin area of distribution in northwestern south america |
Fonchiiichthys |
| 22b. |
Abdomen more or less completely plated; filamentous extension on upper caudal spine weak or absent; area of distribution in southeastern south america |
Rineloricaria |
| 23a. |
Mouth opening without particular shape; the most often predorsal keels strong; body generally weakly depressed |
Loricaria gorup
> 24 < |
| 23b. |
Mouth opening trapezoidal; predorsal keels weak; body strongly depressed |
Pseudohemiodon group
> 28 < |
| 24a. |
Abdominal cover the most often complete made of medium small plates |
> 25 < |
| 24b. |
Abdominal cover incomplete, made of very small plates not contiguous; equal size of dentary and premaxillary teeth; tooth size-reduced; maxillary barbels long, branched and reaching pectoral-fin origin |
Paraloricaria |
| 25a. |
Equal size of dentary and premaxillary teeth; tooth very long |
Brochiloricaria |
| 25b. |
Different size of dentary and premaxillary teeth, the latter almost two times longer than the former |
> 26 < |
| 26a. |
10 to 15 premaxillary teeth; lips extremely filamentous; maxillary barbels long, strongly branched, and reaching prectoral-fin origin |
Ricola |
| 26b. |
3 to 5 premaxillary teeth; lips filamentous; marxillary barbels not reaching pectoral-fin origin |
> 27 < |
| 27a. |
Abdominal cover complete; small and nearly triangular transverse section at pectoral-fins |
Loricaria |
| 27b. |
Abdominal cover incomplete; body depressed and wide transverse section at pectoral-fins |
Proloricaria |
| 28a. |
Rostrum weakly pronounced or absent |
> 29 < |
| 28b. |
Rostrum strongly pronounced; premaxillary teeth absent; dentary teeth numerous (around 15 per dentary) and reduced in size; lips smooth; maxillary barbels short; abdominal cover complete, made of little plates without particular organization; throat covered |
Reganella |
| 29a. |
Abdominal cover complete |
> 30 < |
| 29b. |
Abdominal cover incomplete, most often consisting in a double median row of plates |
> 32 < |
| 30a. |
Maxillary barbels inconspicuous, not reaching gill opening; teeth very difficult to observe, invisible in normally preserved specimens |
> 31 < |
| 30b. |
Maxillary barbels conspicuous, reaching gill opening; teeth visible; head large; body strongly depressed |
Pseudohemiodon |
| 31a. |
Head triangular and little; body large; trapezoidal in transverse section with a fleshy flap partially covering the branchiostegal membrane |
Pyxiloricaria |
| 31b. |
Head rounded; upper lip with numerous filaments reaching the lower lip margin; with plates on the external margin of the maxillary barbels |
Dentectus |
| 32a. |
Premaxillary teeth present |
> 33 < |
| 32b. |
Premaxillary teeth absent; head rounded; eyes small; maxillary barbels conspicuous, reaching beyond pectoral-fin origin |
Planiloricaria |
| 33a. |
Maxillary barbels conspicuous, reaching beyond pectoral-fin origin; lips strongly filamentous |
> 34 < |
| 33b. |
Maxillary barbels reaching gill opening; lips fairly filamentous |
Crossoloricaria |
| 34a. |
Rostrum pointed; 12 fringed barbels; iris operculum generally present |
Rhadinoloricaria |
| 34b. |
Rostrum generally rounded; 14 fringed barbels; iris operculum absent or vestigial |
Apistoloricaria |
