ADRIAENS, D*; GEERINCKX, T; HUYSENTRUYT, F; SCHAEFER, SA; HERREL, A; Ghent University, Belgium; Ghent University, Belgium; Ghent University, Belgium; American Museum of Natural History, New York; Antwerp University, Belgium: Evolution of trophic specialisations in Neotropical catfishes: more than a mouthful

In 1986, Schaefer and Lauder presented a case study on structural innovations in loricarioid catfishes, providing support for the so-called decoupling hypothesis. The observed innovations nicely fitted onto a phylogenetic framework, explaining a hierarchical addition of evolutionary steps towards an increased mobility of the feeding apparatus. It could also be considered as an example of a clear trend towards increased biomechanical independence of functional components, in this case towards a sucker mouth for scraping algae from the substrate (in loricariids) and for clinging against rocks (in astroblepids). Exactly 20 years after the publication of this paper, an update will be given based on new evidence on the microscopic anatomy of both ontogenetic and adult specimens in some loricarioid representatives, as well as some preliminary data on the kinematics of feeding in loricariids. A re-evaluation of the hypotheses formulated by Schaefer and Lauder (1986) is done, giving an overview to what degree they are still corroborated or not. Schaefer, S.A. & G.V. Lauder (1986) � Systematic Zoology 35(4):458-508