Hypostomus kopeyaka Carvalho, Lima & Zawadzki 2010

Distinguished from all congeners, except those belonging to the Hypostomus cochliodon group, by having few teeth (10 to 13) bearing a small lateral cusp and acutely angled dentaries. Diagnosed from the remaining members of the Hypostomus cochliodon group, except H. hemicochliodon, H. sculpodon, H. soniae Hollanda, Carvalho & Weber, and H. weberi, by possessing bicuspid teeth with mesial cusp rounded, considerably larger than outer cusp (vs. teeth generally unicuspid, outer cusp, if present, almost imperceptible, mesial cusp large and distinctly spoon-shaped). Hypostomus kopeyaka can be distinguished from H. hemicochliodon, H. sculpodon, H. soniae, and H. weberi by a distinctive color pattern composed of conspicuously horizontally elongated, closely-set black spots on the head and dorsal surfaces of the body (vs. spots absent in H. soniae, spots present but rounded in the remaining species, spots small in H. hemicochliodon and H. sculpodon, and large and widely-set in H. weberi). Additionally, it is differs from all the members of the Hypostomus cochliodon group, except H. weberi, H. ericae Hollanda Carvalho & Weber, H. hemicochliodon, H. paucipunctatus Hollanda Carvalho & Weber, H. sculpodon and H. waiampi Hollanda Carvalho & Weber, by possessing a buccal papilla (Ref. 83896).

Hypostomus kopeyaka was collected in rapids, cataract pools, and slow-flowing portions of the rio Tiquié and some large tributaries (igarapé Umari Norte, and igarapé Castanha). No clear habitat preference was identified, though most specimens were collected in relatively slowflowing portions of the rio Tiquié itself or at its large whitewater tributary, the igarapé Castanha (Ref. 83896).

Found in rapids, cataract pools, and slow-flowing portions of the rio Tiquié and some large tributaries (Ref. 83896).

Hypostomus kopeyaka is a species of catfish in the family Loricariidae. It is native to South America, where it occurs in the basin of the Tiquié River, a tributary of the Vaupés River, which is itself a tributary of the Rio Negro, in Brazil, although it has also been reported from Vaupés Department in Colombia. It generally occurs in rapids, cataract pools, and slow-flowing portions of the Tiquié and some of its large tributaries. The species reaches 22.6 cm (8.9 inches) in standard length and is believed to be a facultative air-breather. Its specific epithet, kopeyaka, refers to its common name in the Tuyuca and Tucano languages, kope ya’ka, reportedly meaning "pleco from the holes", in reference to the species' tendency to hide in holes in the river bank.

Somente conhecida da bacia do rio Tiquié, afluente do rio Uaupés, alto rio Negro, Amazonas, Brasil.