Leporinus villasboasorum
Leporinus villasboasorum is a small, banded headstander native to the Xingu and Tapajós river systems in Brazil. Described formally only in 2017, it remains little-known outside scientific circles.
Its range runs through the middle and upper Xingu drainage in Mato Grosso and Pará, and into the Teles Pires and Juruena tributaries of the upper Tapajós.
It is not a commercial target species, but it turns up in collections and occasionally in the aquarium trade.
Scientific Name: Leporinus villasboasorum
- Torpedo-shaped body typical of the Anostomidae family, with a small, tough, subterminal mouth angled for grazing hard surfaces rather than midwater feeding.
- Yellow body marked with nine thick, dark vertical bars; some bars fork at the top or bottom, and the fifth bar extends onto the dorsal and pelvic fins — a key field mark.
- Tusk-like symphyseal teeth at the front of the lower jaw are distinctively elongate — more than twice the length of the adjacent teeth — separating it from most other banded Leporinus.
- Comparatively small for the genus: maximum recorded size around 5 inches standard length, roughly 8–10 inches total length.
What to know
Habitat Distribution
- Native to Brazil; found in the Xingu River drainage from the Volta Grande rapids near Belo Monte (Pará State) upstream through Mato Grosso, including the rio Culuene (the type locality).
- Also recorded from the upper Tapajós basin, specifically the Teles Pires and Juruena rivers in Mato Grosso.
- Prefers fast-flowing rivers and streams; a freshwater, benthopelagic species that spends most of its time near the bottom of the water column.
- Adults seek shelter in sand holes and along rocky substrate in high-energy river sections.
Key Locations
- Rio Culuene, Xingu basin, Mato Grosso — the type locality where the species was first collected, near Campinápolis.
- Middle and upper Xingu drainage, from the Volta Grande rapids near Belo Monte (Pará) upstream through Mato Grosso.
- Rio Teles Pires and Rio Juruena, upper Tapajós basin, Mato Grosso — the known western extent of its range.
Specific Spots
- Rocky rapids and fast-flowing chutes — the species gravitates toward high-current zones where it grazes hard surfaces for plant material.
- Sandy depressions and undercut banks near current breaks, where adults shelter from predators and rest between feeding bouts.
- Bottom of the water column along main river channels; look for it where current slows slightly behind boulders or submerged structure.
Leporinus villasboasorum FAQ
Answers from onWater's species guide.
What are the best lures and bait for Leporinus villasboasorum?
Small pieces of fruit, plant-based dough baits, or soft vegetable matter fished on a light hook near the bottom, consistent with the species' herbivorous diet.
How do you catch Leporinus villasboasorum?
Leporinus villasboasorum is not deliberately targeted by anglers in Brazil. It is a small, recently described species known primarily from scientific collections in the Xingu and upper Tapajós drainages.
What do Leporinus villasboasorum eat?
Primarily plant material, algae, fruits, and leaves that fall into or grow along fast-moving rivers. Its tough, angled mouth is built for scraping and cropping vegetation from hard surfaces rather than chasing prey.
Where do Leporinus villasboasorum live?
Native to Brazil; found in the Xingu River drainage from the Volta Grande rapids near Belo Monte (Pará State) upstream through Mato Grosso, including the rio Culuene (the type locality). Also recorded from the upper Tapajós basin, specifically the Teles Pires and Juruena rivers in Mato Grosso.
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