Jonathan W. Armbruster
Associate Professor and Curator of Fishes
Ichthyology, Systematics, Morphology, Ecology
OFFICE: 303 Funchess
LAB: 308 Funchess
FISH COLLECTION: 5 Physiology Building
PHONE: Office-(334) 844-9261, Lab-(334-844-3470)
FAX: (334) 844-9234
e-mail: armbrjw@mail.auburn.edu
I am particularly interested in reconstructing the evolution of the genera of the South American suckermouth armored catfishes or plecos (Loricariidae) using morphological characteristics. I also explore in detail various types of morphological systems such as those related to wood-eating in some loricariid catfishes and accessory respiratory structures. Wood-eating is found in two genera of loricariid catfishes and is accompanied by changes in the bones and the evolution of large spoon-shaped teeth. Many loricariids breathe air and there is a large number of adaptations the fishes use to do so including what appears to be a unique evolution of a lung and a unique evolution of a swim-bladder from that lung. I am also involved in taxonomic revisions of many groups of loricariids as well as other fishes . In addition, I am active in exploring the biodiversity of the planet, particularly that of South America. Studies are underway in Venezuela and Guyana (photo above is taken at Kaiteur Falls in Guyana) to determine what fish species are there and what impact humans may be having on them.

A new genus and species from Guyana, Photo by J.W. Armbruster
With over 600 described species, Loricariidae is the largest family of catfishes in the world and among the top five largest fish families. As part of my interests in the taxonomy of loricariid catfishes such as the one shown above, I have written a web-key to the genera of three of the subfamilies of Loricariidae. These three subfamilies (Hypostominae, Neoplecostominae, and a new subfamily) total at least three-fourths of the genera of Loricariidae, and previously no reliable information was available to recognize the genera. GO TO LORICARIID HOME PAGE.

Labidesthes sicculus, photo by D.C. Werneke and J.W. Armbruster
Another part of my research is the maintenance of the Auburn University Museum Fish Collection. The fish collections at Auburn University are among the most important collections of fishes from the southeastern United States. Currently, nearly 500,000 preserved specimens in 50,000 lots are cataloged in the collection. The fish collection is now searchable via the internet (GO TO SEARCH). I would like to invite anyone interested in fishes or in curation of natural history collection to volunteer in the fish collection.
I am also a co-PI on the All Catfish Species Inventory, Phase I of a survey of the Otophysi. Catfishes are incredibly diverse and many species are left to be described from all over the world. I have recently received funding (with Larry Page (University of Florida), John Lundberg and Mar Sabaj (Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia), John Friel (Cornell University), and Carl Ferraris (California Academy of Sciences)) for one of the largest taxonomic projects ever. The grant is to describe all catfish species in 5 years.
I teach in the General Biology Program and also teach Comparative Anatomy and Systematic Ichthyology. Comparative Anatomy is the study of the evolution of the morphological systems of vertebrates. Systematic Ichthyology is a graduate level class designed to explore the systematics of fishes with a particular emphasis on the fishes of Alabama. Systematic Ichthyology is taught every other spring. In Fall 2008, I am also teaching Evolution and Systematics
Collecting in Guyana

COMPLETED
CURRENT
Betancur-R, R. and J.W. Armbruster. 2009. Molecular clocks provide new insights into the evolutionary history of galeichthyine sea catfishes. Evolution 63:1232–1243.
Lujan, N.K., M. Arce, and J.W. Armbruster. A new black Baryancistrus with blue sheen from the upper Orinoco (Siluriformes: Loricariidae). Copeia 2009:50-56.
de Souza, L.S., M.R.S. Melo, C.C. Chamon, and J.W. Armbruster. 2008. A new species of Hemiancistrus from the Araguaia River drainage in Brazil (Siluriformes: Loricariidae). Neotropical Ichtyology.
Armbruster, J.W. 2008. The Genus Peckoltia with the Description of Two New Species and a Reanalysis of the Phylogeny of the Genera of the Hypostominae (Siluriformes: Loricariidae). Zootaxa 1822:1–76.
Armbruster J.W. and D.C. Taphorn. 2008. A new species of Pseudancistrus from the Río Caroni, Venezuela (Siluriformes: Loricariidae). Zootaxa 1731:33–41.
Armbruster, J.W., L.A. Tansey, and N.K. Lujan. 2007. Hypostomus rhantos (Siluriformes: Loricariidae), a new species from southern Venezuela. Zootaxa 1553: 59–68.
Lujan, N.K., J.W. Armbruster, and M.H. Sabaj. 2007. Two new species of Pseudancistrus (Siluriformes: Loricariidae) from southern Venezuela. Ichthyological Exploration of Freshwaters 18:163–174.
Armbruster, J.W., N.K. Lujan, and D.C. Taphorn. 2007. Four new species of Hypancistrus from southern Venezuela (Siluriformes: Loricariidae). Copeia 2007:62–79.
Armbruster, J.W. and L.M. Page. 2006. Redescription of Pterygoplichthys punctatus and description of one new species of Pterygoplichthys (Siluriformes: Loricariidae). Neotropical Ichthyology 4:401–409.
Pera, T.P. and J.W. Armbruster. 2006. Notropis amplamala, a new species of silverjaw minnow (Cypriniformes: Cyprinidae). Copeia 2006:423–430.
Reis R. E., E. H. L. Pereira, and J. W. Armbruster. 2006. Delturinae, a new loricariid catfish subfamily (Teleostei, Siluriformes), with a revision of Delturus and Hemipsilichthys. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 147:277-299.
Werneke, D.C., M.H. Sabaj, N.K. Lujan, and J.W. Armbruster.2005. Baryancistrus demantoides and Hemiancistrus subviridis, two new uniquely colored species of loricariids from Venezuela (Siluriformes: Loricariidae). Neotropical Ichthyology 3: 533-542. Special Catfish Issue.
Armbruster, J.W. 2005. The loricariid catfish genus Lasiancistrus (Siluriformes) with description of two new species. Neotropical Ichthyology 3: 549-569. Special Catfish Issue.
Armbruster, J. W. and D. C. Werneke. 2005. Peckoltia cavatica, a new loricariid catfish from Guyana and a redescription of P. braueri Eigenmann (Siluriformes). Zootaxa 882:1-14.
Armbruster, J. W. and L. de Souza. 2005. Hypostomus macushi, a new species of the Hypostomus cochliodon group from Guyana. Zootaxa 920:1-12.
Armbruster, J. W. 2004. Pseudancistrus sidereus, a new species from southern Venezuela (Siluriformes: Loricariidae) with a redescription of Pseudancistrus. Zootaxa 628:1-15.
Armbruster, J. W. 2004. Phylogenetic relationships of the suckermouth armored catfishes (Loricariidae) with emphasis on the Hypostominae and the Ancistrinae. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 141:1-80. Follow link to download paper. If your institution does not have free access, please contact me and I will send you a copy.
Armbruster, J. W. 2003. Peckoltia sabaji, a new species from the Guyana Shield (Siluriformes: Loricariidae). Zootaxa 344:1-12.
Armbruster, J. W. 2003. The species of the Hypostomus cochliodon group (Siluriformes: Loricariidae). Zootaxa 249:1-60.
Hardman, M., L. M. Page, M. H. Sabaj, J. W. Armbruster, and J. H. Knouft. 2002. Comparison of fish surveys in the Essequibo and other coastal drainages of Guyana in 1908 and 1998. Ichthyological Exploration of Freshwaters 13:225-238.
Chockley, B. R. and J. W. Armbruster. 2002. Panaque changae, a new species of loricariid catfish (Teleostei) from eastern Peru. Ichthyological Exploration of Freshwaters.
Armbruster, J. W. 2002. Hypancistrus inspector , a new species of suckermouth armored catfish (Loricariidae: Ancistrinae) with comments on loricariid feeding modes. Copeia 2002:86-92.
Armbruster, J. W. and F. Provenzano. 2000. Four new species of the suckermouth armored catfish genus Lasiancistrus (Loricariidae: Ancistrinae). Ichthyological Exploration of Freshwaters 11:241-254.
Armbruster, J. W. , M. H. Sabaj, M. Hardman, L. M. Page, and J. H. Knouft. 2000. Catfish genus Corymbophanes (Loricariidae: Hypostominae) with description of one new species: Corymbophanes kaiei. Copeia 2000:997-1006.
Sabaj, M. H. , J. W. Armbruster, and L. M. Page. 1999. Spawning in Ancistrus with comments on the evolution of snout tentacles as a novel reproductive strategy: larval mimicry. Ichthyological Exploration of Freshwaters 10:217-229.
Armbruster, J. W. and M. Hardman. 1999. Redescription of Pseudorinelepis genibarbis (Loricariidae: Hypostominae) with comments on behavior as it relates to air-holding. Ichthyological Exploration of Freshwaters 10:53-61.
Armbruster, J. W. 1998. Modifications of the digestive tract for holding air in loricariid and scoloplacid catfishes. Copeia 1998:663-675.
Armbruster, J. W. 1998. Phylogenetic relationships of the suckermouth armored catfishes of the Rhinelepis group (Loricariidae: Hypostominae). Copeia 1998:620-636.
Armbruster, J. W. 1998. Review of the loricariid catfish genus Aphanotorulus and redescription of A. unicolor (Teleostei: Siluriformes). Ichthyological Exploration of Freshwaters 8:253-262.
Armbruster, J. W. and L. M. Page. 1997. Generic reassignments of the loricariid species Monistiancistrus carachama Fowler 1940, Plecostomus lacerta Nichols 1919, and Rhinelepis levis Pearson 1924 (Teleostei: Siluriformes). Copeia 1997:227-232.
Page, L. M. , J. W. Armbruster, and M. H. Sabaj. 1996. Redescription of Glyptoperichthys scrophus (Cope), a loricariid catfish from Peru. Ichthyological Exploration of Freshwaters 7:185-191.
Johnston, C. E. , J. W. Armbruster, and C. A. Laird. 1996. Parallel swims as a means of intra- and interspecific assessment in stream fishes. Environmental Biology of Fishes 46:405-408.
Armbruster, J. W. and L. M. Page. 1996. Redesription of Aphanotorulus (Teleostei: Loricariidae) with description of one new species, A. ammophilus, from the Río Orinoco basin. Copeia 1996:379-389.
Armbruster, J. W. and L. M. Page. 1996. Convergence of a cryptic saddle pattern in benthic freshwater fishes. Environmental Biology of Fishes 45:249-25.
Armbruster, J. W. 1994. Early season nesting success of mourning doves (Zenaida macroura) in central Illinois. Transactions of the Illinois Academy of Science 87:71-82.
Popular articles on or about my research.
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