First record of the fish kuya kuya Acanthicus hystrix Agassiz 1829 in the Lower Central Amazon of Ecuador

Abstract

This paper reports the first record of the fish kuya kuya Acanthycus hystrix Agassiz, 1829, in the Pinduc river of the province of Pastaza, at 230 m of elevation, in the lower central Amazon of Ecuador, based on photographic records of three specimens (two juveniles and one adult) caught in subsistence fishing activities. The main diagnostic characters of the species are the absence of an adipose fin and the presence of long caudal filaments in juveniles. We suggest to include this record in the fish species list from the Ecuadorian Amazon.