14 DAY TRIAL // Researchers have recently discovered a new species of suckermouth catfish. The species is said to inhabit the basin of Rio Paraíba do Sul, a river in Brazil's southern regions.
Representatives of this species measure just 3 – 3.5 centimeters (1.2 - 1.4 inches) in length when fully grown. They are some of the smallest members of the catfish order.
These tiny creatures mainly feed on algae and small invertebrates, but occasionally snack on detritus (i.e. non-living organic particulate matter), Mongabay informs us.
Like all other catfish, they have elongated mouth barbels that look similar to a cat's whiskers.
The newly-discovered species, named Pareiorhina hyptiorhachis, is thoroughly described in a recent article in the journal Zoo Keys.
Specialists say that, as far as they can tell, it can only be found in Brazil, and it risks going extinct should its natural habitat be destroyed.