MICROMYZON AKAMAI, GEN ET SP-NOV, A SMALL AND EYELESS BANJO CATFISH (SILURIFORMES, ASPREDINIDAE) FROM THE RIVER CHANNELS OF THE LOWER AMAZON BASIN

A new genus and species of aspredinid catfish, Micromyzon akamai, is d escribed from trawl collections made in river channels of the Brazilia n Amazon. This taxon is uniquely diagnosed by several apomorphies incl uding lack of eyes, reduced melanic pigmentation, extremely reduced pr emaxillae and hypertrophied development of skull roofing elements and body armor. Its sister-group relationship to a clade containing Dupouy ichthys and Ernstichthys is supported by the lack of lower jaw dentiti on, well-developed dorsal armor plates, and an anterior shift in the o rigin of the anal fin.