Fig. 19

Body elongated; greatest depth contained 3.1 to 3.6 and caudal peduncle depth 8.9 to 9.5 times in SL; head length 3.3 to 3.8, predorsal distance 2.0 to 2.3 and maxillary-barbel length 1.5 to 2.2 in SL; snout length 1.9 to 2.2, horizontal orbital diameter 4.7 to 5.7 and least interorbital width 1.4 to 1.7 in HL. Mouth terminal. Lateral line with 4-6 pores on upper series of plates. Dorsolateral series with 25-26 and ventrolateral series with 22-23 plates. Dorsal fin with I,7, pectoral with I,9 or 10, pelvic fin with 6 and anal fin with 8 rays. Ground color dark-grey to pale brown; several darkbrown spots on body. Dark-grey fins (Graça, Pavanelli, 2007).

Maximum standard length. 140.0 mm (Graça, Pavanelli, 2007).

Distribution. Río Paraguay basin and upper rio Paraná floodplain.

Remarks. Lepthoplosternum pectorale is a non-native species from the upper rio Paraná basin, and its occurrence can be associated with the functioning of the Canal da Piracema, a fish ladder that connects the region downstream from the Itaipu Dam to the region upstream from the dam.