{{Short description|Genus of fishes}} {{Speciesbox | status = LC | status_system = IUCN3.1 | status_ref = <ref name = iucn>{{cite iucn |author=Villa-Navarro, F. |author2=DoNascimiento, CD |author3=Mojica, J.I. |author4=Rodríguez-Olarte, D. |author5=Taphorn, D.C. |author6=Herrera-Collazos, E.E. |display-authors=3 |year=2021 |title=''Dentectus barbarmatus'' |article-number=e.T176016109A176016118 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2021-3.RLTS.T176016109A176016118.en |access-date=15 September 2025}}</ref> | display_parents = 3 | taxon = Dentectus barbarmatus | parent_authority = Martín Salazar, Isbrücker, & Nijssen, 1982 | authority = Martín Salazar, Isbrücker, & Nijssen, 1982 }}
'''''Dentectus''''' is a monospecific genus of freshwater ray-finned fish belonging to the family Loricariidae, the armored suckermouth catfishes, and the subfamily Loricariinae, the mailed catfishes. The only species in the genus is '''''Dentectus barbarmatus'''''.<ref name=covain>{{cite journal|url=http://www.mapress.com/zootaxa/2007f/zt01462p040.pdf|title=The genera of the Neotropical armored catfish subfamily Loricariinae (Siluriformes: Loricariidae): a practical key and synopsis|first=Raphael|last=Covain|author2=Fisch-Muller, Sonia|journal=Zootaxa|volume=1462|pages=1–40|year=2007|format=PDF}}</ref><ref name=MartinSalazarAl1982>{{cite journal| author1=Martin Salazar, F.J.| author2=Isbrücker, I.J.H.| author3 =Nijssen, H. | title = ''Dentectus barbarmatus'', a new genus and species of mailed catfish from the Orinoco Basin of Venezuela (Pisces, Siluriformes, Loricariidae) | journal = Beaufortia | year = 1982 | volume = 32 | issue = 8 | pages = 125–137 | url = https://repository.naturalis.nl/pub/504740}}</ref>
This species is endemic to Venezuela where it is found in the upper Orinoco drainage.<ref name=covain/> There is very little ecological and behavioral information on this species.<ref name=covain/>
This species reaches {{convert|13.7|cm|in}} SL.<ref name=fishbase>{{FishBase|genus=Dentectus|species=barbarmatus|year=2011|month=December}}</ref> Although it has been placed within the ''Pseudohemiodon'' group based on its strongly depressed body, filamentous lips with long fringed barbels, and small, spoon-shaped and dentition, ''Dentectus'' also shows unique derived features such as the presence of plates along the outer margin of its maxillary barbels, and a unique mouth structure that distinguishes it from all other genera.<ref name=covain/>
==References== {{Reflist}}
{{Taxonbar|from1=Q18746607|from2=Q3762099}}
Category:Loricariinae Category:Fish of Venezuela Category:Endemic fauna of Venezuela Category:Taxa named by Isaäc J. H. Isbrücker Category:Taxa named by Han Nijssen Category:Monotypic freshwater fish genera Category:Catfish genera
{{Loricariinae-stub}}