{{Short description|Subfamily of fishes}} {{Automatic_taxobox | image = Sturisoma panamense 2.jpg | image_caption = ''Sturisomatichthys panamensis'' | taxon = Loricariinae | authority = Bonaparte, 1831<ref name = VDLEF>{{cite journal | author1 = Richard van der Laan | author2 = William N. Eschmeyer | author3 = Ronald Fricke | name-list-style = amp |year=2014 | title = Family-group names of recent fishes | url = https://biotaxa.org/Zootaxa/article/view/zootaxa.3882.1.1/10480 | journal = Zootaxa | volume = 3882 | issue = 2 | pages = 1–230| doi = 10.11646/zootaxa.3882.1.1 | pmid = 25543675 | doi-access = free }}</ref> | type_genus = Loricaria<ref name = VDLEF/> | type_genus_authority = Linnaeus, 1758<ref name = "Cof family"/> | subdivision_ranks = Genera | subdivision = see text }}
'''Loricariinae''' is a subfamily of freshwater ray-finned fishes belonging to the family Loricariidae, the armored suckermouth catfishes.<ref name=ITIS>{{ITIS |id=679394 |taxon=Loricariinae |access-date=May 28, 2007}}</ref> This subfamily is divided into two tribes and about 30 genera.<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|doi=10.11646/zootaxa.1462.1.1}}</ref> They are mainly native to freshwater habitats in South America, but there are also several species (in genera ''Crossoloricaria'', ''Dasyloricaria'', ''Rineloricaria'', ''Spatuloricaria'', ''Sturisoma'' and ''Sturisomatichthys'') in Panama and a single (''Rineloricaria'') in Costa Rica.<ref>{{cite journal|author=Arturo Angulo |author2=Carlos A. Garita-Alvarado|author3=William A. Bussing |author4= Myrna I. López |year=2013|url=https://checklist.pensoft.net/article/18766/element/8/39512// |title=Annotated checklist of the freshwater fishes of continental and insular Costa Rica: additions and nomenclatural revisions|journal= Check List |volume=9|issue=5|pages= 987–1019 |doi=10.15560/9.5.987 |doi-access=free }}</ref>
==Taxonomy== Loricariinae was first proposed in 1831 by Charles Lucien Bonaparte.<ref name="Armbruster"/><ref name = VDLEF/> Later, in 1979, many genera were described and Loricariinae was divided into four tribes by some authorities: Loricariini, Harttiini, Farlowellini, and Acestridiini. Eventually, the genera of Acestridiini was included under Hypoptopomatinae and genera of Farlowellini was reclassified into Hartiini.<ref name="Covain"/> This subfamily has been found to be monophyletic.<ref name="Covain"/> The most recent papers conclude that there are 30 or 31 genera; the status of ''Cteniloricaria'' is dubious; although recognized as a synonym of ''Harttia'' by some, this conclusion was reached without diagnosing the type species of ''Cteniloricaria''.<ref name="Covain"/> Loricariinae is the type subfamily of the family Loricariidae and the suborder Loricarioidei within the catfish order, Siluriformes.<ref name = ECoF>{{cite web |url=https://www.calacademy.org/scientists/catalog-of-fishes-classification/ |title=Eschmeyer's Catalog of Fishes Classification |editor1=Richard van der Laan |editor2=Ronald Fricke |access-date=21 December 2025 |work=Eschmeyer's Catalog of Fishes |publisher=California Academy of Sciences}}</ref>
==Description== As loricariids, loricariinae species are characterized by a depressed body covered by bony plates, a unique pair of maxillary barbels, and modification of the mouth into a suckermouth.<ref name="Covain"/> Members of the subfamily Loricariinae show a greater diversity of lip structures and shapes than other loricariids.<ref name="Reis">{{cite journal|journal=Copeia|year=2000|issue=4|pages=1029–1047|title=Three New Species of the Loricariid Catfish Genus ''Loricariichthys'' (Teleostei: Siluriformes) from Southern South America|first=Roberto E.|last=Reis|authorlink=Roberto Esser dos Reis|author2=Pereira, Edson H. L. |doi=10.1643/0045-8511(2000)000[1029:TNSOTL]2.0.CO;2|volume=2000|s2cid=86169960 |editor1-last=Schaefer|editor1-first=S. A.}}</ref> Loricariines are characterized by a long and depressed caudal peduncle (rectangular cross-section) and by the absence of an adipose fin.<ref name="Covain"/><ref name="Armbruster">{{cite web|url=http://www.auburn.edu/academic/science_math/res_area/loricariid/fish_key/loricarin/loricarin.html|title=Loricariinae|last=Armbruster|first=Jonathan W.|access-date=2007-05-28}}</ref> They also show dramatic variation in body shape, lip morphology and dentition. The sexual dimorphism is often pronounced and is expressed through the hypertrophy of odontodes on the pectoral fin rays, on the snout margin, and sometimes on the predorsal area of mature males. Certain genera also show sexual differences in lip and tooth structures.<ref name="Covain"/>
The Harttiini are characterized by numerous and pedunculated teeth, a caudal fin with more branched rays, the absence of postorbital notches and predorsal keels, a rounded mouth, papillose lips weakly or not fringed, and short maxillary barbels.<ref name="Covain"/> The Loricariini are characterized by a more important variation in lips and teeth shape, the frequent presence of postorbital notches and predorsal keels, longer maxillary barbels, and less numerous teeth and branched rays in the caudal fin.<ref name="Covain"/>
==Genera== Loricariinae contains the following genera:<ref name = "Cof family">{{Cof family|family=Loricariinae|access-date=28 December 2025}}</ref> {{Linked genus list | Brochiloricaria | Isbrücker & Nijssen, 1979 | Cheilonimata | Provenzano, 2023 | Crossoloricaria | Isbrücker, 1979 | Cteniloricaria | Isbrücker & Nijssen, 1979 | Dasyloricaria | Isbrücker & Nijssen, 1979 | Dentectus | Martín Salazar, Isbrücker & Nijssen 1982 | Farlowella | C. H. Eigenmann & R. S. Eigenmann, 1889 | Fonchiiloricaria | Rodriguez, Ortega & Covain, 2011 | Furcodontichthys | Rapp Py-Daniel, 1981 | Harttia | Steindachner, 1877 | Harttiella | Boeseman, 1971 | Hemiodontichthys | Bleeker, 1862 | Lamontichthys | P. Miranda Ribeiro, 1939 | Limatulichthys | Isbrücker & Nijssen, 1979 | Loricaria | Linnaeus, 1758 | Loricariichthys | Bleeker, 1862 | Metaloricaria | Isbrücker, 1975 | Paraloricaria | Isbrücker, 1979 | Planiloricaria | Isbrücker 1971 | Proloricaria | Isbrücker, 2001 | Pseudohemiodon | Bleeker, 1862 | Pseudoloricaria | Bleeker, 1862 | Pterosturisoma | Isbrücker & Nijssen, 1978 | Pyxiloricaria | Isbrücker & Nijssen, 1984 | Reganella | C. H. Eigenmann, 1905 | Rhadinoloricaria | Isbrücker & Nijssen, 1974 | ''Ricola'' | Isbrücker & Nijssen, 1978 | Rineloricaria | Bleeker, 1862 | Spatuloricaria | Schultz, 1944 | Sturisoma | Swainson, 1838 | Sturisomatichthys | Isbrücker & Nijssen, 1979 }}
==References== <references/>
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Category:Loricariinae Category:Fish of South America Category:Fish subfamilies Category:Taxa named by Charles Lucien Bonaparte