Taxonomy & naming
Cryptancistrus similis was described by Fisch-Muller, Mol and Covain in 2018 as the type species of the new, monotypic genus Cryptancistrus. It was named in their integrative framework reevaluating the Neotropical catfish genus Guyanancistrus (Siluriformes: Loricariidae). The Catalog of Fishes (Eschmeyer, CAS) records the species under spid 75182 and the genus under genid 11546. The name is an original combination written without parentheses.
The species belongs to the subfamily Hypostominae, tribe Ancistrini. It morphologically closely resembles species of Guyanancistrus — the source of the epithet similis — but was separated from that genus, principally on the structure of the snout margin (see Morphology).
Morphology
The describing authors diagnose Cryptancistrus similis as resembling species of Guyanancistrus, from which it differs primarily by the fleshy posterior part of the lateral margin of the snout. Detailed meristic and size data are sparse: maximum length is not tabulated on FishBase, and no further morphological detail has been published in the secondary literature.
Habitat
Cryptancistrus similis occurs on the Guiana Shield, in the eastern Guianas. The original description treats Guianan drainages, and the species is recorded as a freshwater, demersal fish of tropical waters. More precise locality, water-chemistry and depth data have not been published.
Feeding
No diet data has been published for Cryptancistrus similis.
Mating
No data has been published on courtship or mating behaviour in Cryptancistrus similis.
Breeding
No breeding report exists for Cryptancistrus similis.
In the aquarium
Cryptancistrus similis is not in the aquarium trade, and no husbandry data has been published. It is known only from the scientific record.
Conservation
The IUCN Red List has not evaluated Cryptancistrus similis. As a recently described species with sparse distributional data, its conservation status remains formally unassessed.