<i>Crenicichla taikyra</i> (<i>Teleostei: Cichlidae</i>), a new species of the pike cichlids from the middle Río Paraná

Abstract

<i>Crenicichla taikyra</i>, new species, is described from the middle río Paraná, Argentina. Crenicichla taikyra is distinguished from the other species of the genus by the following combination of characters: lower pharyngeal tooth plate stout, bearing molariform teeth, ascending arm of premaxilla longer than the dentigerous arm, posterior edge of preoperculum serrated, a well developed suborbital stripe, and absence of scattered dark dots on flanks. Molariform teeth on pharyngeal jaws is a derived character among Crenicichla species, however this character state has appeared several times in unrelated species.