Pseudoplatystoma is a genus of several South American catfish species of family Pimelodidae. The species are known by a number of different common names. They typically inhabit major rivers where they prefer the main channels and tend to stay at maximum depth, but some species can also be seen in lakes, flooded forests, and other freshwater habitats. They have robust bodies, and are important food fish. Recently, their population size has been on the drastic decline due to a variety of factors including overfishing and habitat destruction due to the construction of hydroelectric dams.
The Pimelodidae, commonly known as the long-whiskered catfishes, are a family of catfishes.
Sorubim is a small genus of long-whiskered catfish native to tropical South America. A number of characteristics allows the differentiation of each species in the genus. Sorubim species are important food fish in South America and are highly significant to fisheries of some areas; however, harvests of these fish are not identified as much as other, more popular food fishes such as Colossoma, Arapaima, and Brachyplatystoma. Some species of this family are popular aquarium fish.
Brachyplatystoma is a genus of catfish from the family Pimelodidae. As the occasionally used common name goliath catfishes indicates, this genus includes some of the largest species of catfish, including the piraíba, B. filamentosum, which reaches up to the region of 3.6 metres (12 ft) in length. Brachyplatystoma are found in the Amazon and Orinoco basins, and other tropical freshwater and brackish habitats in South America. Some species are migratory. These fish are important as food fish and, to some extent, aquarium fish.
Propimelodus is a genus of South American catfish of the family Pimelodidae.
The firewood catfish a species of South American pimelodid catfish, is the sole member of the genus Sorubimichthys. Known by locals along the Amazon Basin as peixe-lenha, the firewood catfish is so called because it is of little eating value and is often dried and used for firewood.
The striped Raphael catfish is a catfish of the family Doradidae. It may also be called Southern striped Raphael, talking catfish, chocolate doradid, chocolate catfish or thorny catfish. It is native to the Amazon, Paraguay–Paraná and lower Orinoco basins in South America. This peaceful, nocturnal species is a popular aquarium fish due to its pleasant temperament and curious nature. Despite its name "talking catfish", it does not speak.
Platynematichthys notatus, the coroatá or striped catfish, is a species of catfish of the monotypic genus Platynematichthys of the family Pimelodidae. It is native to the Amazon and Orinoco basins in South America. In the Orinoco this distinctly spotted species reaches up to 1 m (3.3 ft) in standard length, but it reportedly only reaches about half that size in the Amazon.
Aguarunichthys is a genus of long-whiskered catfishes native to South America.
Breitensteinia is a genus of catfishes of the family Akysidae. It includes three species.
Brachyplatystoma platynemum, the slobbering catfish, is a species of catfish of the family Pimelodidae that ranges from Brazil, Colombia and Venezuela.
Brachyplatystoma capapretum, the dark caped goliath catfish, also called Peru piraiba catfish or false piraiba, is a species of catfish of the family Pimelodidae that is native to watershed areas of Brazil and Peru.
Brachyplatystoma rousseauxii, the gilded catfish or dourada, is a species of catfish of the family Pimelodidae that is native to Amazon and Orinoco River basins and major rivers of French Guiana.
Aguarunichthys inpai, is a species of benthopelagic catfish of the family Pimelodidae that is native to middle Amazon River basin of Brazil.
Aguarunichthys torosus, the Bolt Catfish or Yellow-band Catfish, is a species of benthopelagic catfish of the family Pimelodidae that is native to Cenepa River basin in Amazon River drainage of Peru.
The Highwaterman catfish, is a species of pelagic potamodromous catfish of the family Pimelodidae that is native to Guyana, Suriname, Venezuela, northern Brazil and Gulf of Paria.
The Dolphin Catfish,, is a species of demersal potamodromous catfish of the family Pimelodidae that is native to Santarém and the Negro River basin of Brazil and Venezuela.
Hypophthalmus marginatus, commonly called the Mapará, is a species of demersal potamodromous catfish of the family Pimelodidae that is native to Amazon and Orinoco River basins of Brazil, Peru and major rivers of French Guiana and Suriname.
Iheringichthys megalops, is a species of demersal catfish of the family Pimelodidae that is endemic to the Paraná River basin in Paraguay.
Iheringichthys syi, is a species of demersal catfish of the family Pimelodidae that is native to Upper Rio Paraná in Brazil.
