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Subterranean Biology
Article . 2026 . Peer-reviewed
License: CC BY
Data sources: Crossref
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ZENODO
Article . 2026
License: CC BY
Data sources: ZENODO
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The influence of subterranean habitats in the sensorial and brain morphology of hypogean and epigean Copionodontinae catfish (Siluriformes, Trichomycteridae)

Authors: Thalia Rodovanski; Maria Elina Bichuette; Mauricio Cetra; George Mendes Taliaferro Mattox;

The influence of subterranean habitats in the sensorial and brain morphology of hypogean and epigean Copionodontinae catfish (Siluriformes, Trichomycteridae)

Abstract

Brazilian cavefishes are among the richest troglobitic ichthyofauna worldwide including 13 genera. Most cavefish in the Neotropical region belong to Siluriformes. Trichomycteridae are highly diverse siluriforms, and the subfamily Copionodontinae are notably primitive in body shape, showing unique specializations to cave life. We studied the sensorial morphology referring to perception of the environment and processing of this information in four species Copionodon pecten , C. lianae , Glaphyropoma spinosum , and G. rodriguesi , of which G. spinosum is the only hypogean species, involved in perception of presenting some classical troglomorphisms such as reduction of eyes and body pigmentation, in addition to brain morphometry. Previous studies have demonstrated that troglobitic copionodontines are highly agonistic; therefore we measured the barbels, eyes and counted pores of the lateral canal system on the head. A PERMANOVA was performed to test for statistically significant differences in these morphological traits among the species groups. These similarities were significant among both genera and epigean and hypogean populations in terms of external morphometric/meristic and morphometry of the brain. G. spinosum has a longer telencephalon than the other studied species, a region related to olfaction, spatial memory and species-specific behavior such as social interactions and reproductive behavior, a region typically wider in the studied hypogean fishes. We detected troglomorphisms (character states related to isolation in subterranean habitats) in the laterosensory cephalic system of the whole group, such as the reduction of anterior canal segments in relation to other trichomyterids, indicating that all four species have exaptations to inhabit hypogean habitats. Although we could not confirm the existence of morphological differences between the two genera, the hypogean and epigean populations of these endemic Chapada Diamantina cave catfishes may exhibit morphological similarities.

Keywords

Chapada Diamantina, troglomorphisms, sensory biology, cave fish, Brazil, Neotropical fishes

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selected citations
These citations are derived from selected sources.
This is an alternative to the "Influence" indicator, which also reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically).
BIP!Citations provided by BIP!
popularity
This indicator reflects the "current" impact/attention (the "hype") of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network.
BIP!Popularity provided by BIP!
influence
This indicator reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically).
BIP!Influence provided by BIP!
impulse
This indicator reflects the initial momentum of an article directly after its publication, based on the underlying citation network.
BIP!Impulse provided by BIP!
0
Average
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