Parotocinclus is a genus of armored catfishes native to South America. Most species have the caudal peduncle oval in cross section; however, in P. planicauda and P. cristatus, it is quadrangular. These species are distributed in the Atlantic coastal drainages of Guyana and Surinam, eastern and southeastern Brazil. Eight species are known from Brazilian rivers south of the São Francisco River basin: P. bahiensis (Senhor do Bonfim, Bahia State); P. cristatus (Ilhéus, Bahia State); P. doceanus (Doce River, Espírito Santo State); P. jimi (Itagibá, Bahia State); P. maculicauda (southeastern coastal rivers from Espírito Santo to Santa Catarina States); P. minutus (Canudos, Bahia State); P. planicauda (Suaçuí Pequeno River, a tributary of the Doce River, flowing near the city of Coroaci, Minas Ge