| Banjo catfishes | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Xyliphius magdalenae | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Siluriformes |
| Family: | Aspredinidae A. Adams, 1854 |
| Subfamilies and genera [1] | |
Subfamily Aspredininae Contents | |
The Aspredinidae are a small South American family of catfishes (order Siluriformes) also known as the banjo catfishes, [2] with about 43 species.
Aspredinids are found throughout the major tropical rivers of South America (e.g., Magdalena, Orinoco, Amazon, São Francisco, Paraguay-Paraná, and Uruguay). [3] Bunocephalus is the only genus found in rivers west of the Andes including the Atrato, San Juan, and Patía Rivers. [4]
Of the 13 genera in the family Aspredinidae, [3] a few genera have been described relatively recently, including Acanthobunocephalus in 1995, Micromyzon in 1996, and Pseudobunocephalus in 2008. [3] [5] [6] These genera are categorized into three subfamilies. [2] [7]
The Aspredinidae are often recognized as a part of the primarily Asian superfamily Sisoroidea as the sister group to the family Erethistidae. [2] However, other authors find that they are sister to the superfamily Doradoidea, which includes Doradidae, Auchenipteridae, and perhaps Mochokidae. [4] [8]
The common name of the family "banjo catfishes" refers to their overall body shape, with a depressed head and slender caudal peduncle, that in some species gives the appearance of a banjo. [4] Banjo catfishes lack an adipose fin. Most species lack the dorsal spine-locking mechanism. [2] Though their bodies are scaleless, their skin is completely keratinized and is covered by large, unculiferous tubercles arranged in longitudinal rows; the entire outer layer of skin may be shed. [2] [4] Size ranges from less than 2.0 centimetres (.79 in) SL in Hoplomyzon papillatus to Aspredo aspredo at about 38 centimetres (15 in) SL, though most are less than 15 cm. [2] [4] Most species exhibit cryptic coloration. [4] Aspredinids have a loss of alarm cells and the fright reaction that is present in other ostariophysans. [4]
Sexual dimorphism is exhibited in most species in that mature females are typically larger than males; this is, however, reversed in Hoplomyzon sexpapilostoma . Also, in Aspredo and Platystacus the dorsal fin spine is much longer in males than in females. [4]
Aspredinids live in a variety of habitats ranging from shallow backwaters to deep river channels to tidal estuaries. Some aspredinids appear to be semifossorial, during the day often resting slightly buried in leaf litter or other soft substrates. [3] Members of the subfamily Aspredininae inhabit coastal rivers and brackish water habitats such as mangrove swamps. [9] [10]
In general, most species are cryptically pigmented, benthic, and rather sluggish unless disturbed. [3] Like most fish, they are able to swim by undulating their bodies; however, they also propel themselves by pumping water through their gill openings to skip along the substrate. [4] Some species are able to produce sounds by moving their pectoral fin spines back and forth when they are agitated. [4] Most aspredinids are generalized omnivores that feed on aquatic and terrestrial invertebrates and organic debris; however, members of Amaralia appear to specialize in feeding on the eggs of other catfishes. [4]
A peculiarity of the catfishes in the subfamily Aspredininae is that after the female's eggs are fertilised by the male, she attaches them to her belly and carries them to shallow water to hatch. [9] In Pterobunocephalus, the eggs are directly attached to the body, while in the other three genera of the subfamily, the eggs are attached to cotylephores, which are fleshy stalks that develop seasonally on the underside of the body that may function in exchange of materials between the mother and her developing embryos. [4] Because these catfish live in muddy environments, this behaviour has been hypothesised to give the eggs better access to oxygenated water. [11]
Accounts of reproduction in Bunocephalus vary; some sources state that they are egg-scatterers without any parental care, while others note them to build a depression for a nest and guard the eggs. [4]
A few banjo catfishes are kept as aquarium fish, predominantly the smaller members of the subfamily Aspredininae. Their requirements are similar to those of other tropical South American fish, preferring slightly acidic, not too hard water maintained at 20–25 °C (68–77 °F). [9] Since these species are nocturnal burrowers, they need an aquarium with a soft, sandy substrate into which they hide during the daytime and forage in at night. Sharp sand or coarse gravel will damage their whiskers. Although not schooling fish, they are tolerant of their own kind and also get along with other small aquarium species. [12]
Catfish are a diverse group of ray-finned fish. Named for their prominent barbels, which resemble a cat's whiskers, catfish range in size and behavior from the three largest species alive, the Mekong giant catfish from Southeast Asia, the wels catfish of Eurasia, and the piraíba of South America, to detritivores, and even to a tiny parasitic species commonly called the candiru, Vandellia cirrhosa. Neither the armour-plated types nor the naked types have scales. Despite their name, not all catfish have prominent barbels or "whiskers". Members of the Siluriformes order are defined by features of the skull and swimbladder. Catfish are of considerable commercial importance; many of the larger species are farmed or fished for food. Many of the smaller species, particularly the genus Corydoras, are important in the aquarium hobby. Many catfish are nocturnal, but others are crepuscular or diurnal.
Callichthyidae is a family of catfishes, called armored catfishes due to the two rows of bony plates along the lengths of their bodies. It contains some of the most popular freshwater aquarium fish, such as many species in the genus Corydoras.
Loricariidae is the largest family of catfish, with 92 genera and just over 680 species. Loricariids originate from freshwater habitats of Costa Rica, Panama, and tropical and subtropical South America. These fish are noted for the bony plates covering their bodies and their suckermouths. Several genera are sold as "plecos", notably the suckermouth catfish, Hypostomus plecostomus, and are popular as aquarium fish.
The Pimelodidae, commonly known as the long-whiskered catfishes, are a family of catfishes.
The Ariidae or ariid catfish are a family of catfish that mainly live in marine waters with many freshwater and brackish water species. They are found worldwide in tropical to warm temperate zones. The family includes about 143 species.
Erethistidae are a family of catfishes that originate from southern Asia. It includes about 45 species.
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.
Sisoroidea is a superfamily of catfishes. It contains the four families Amblycipitidae, Akysidae, Sisoridae, and Erethistidae; many sources also include Aspredinidae. With Aspredinidae, this superfamily includes about 42 genera and 230 species.
Acanthobunocephalus nicoi is one of two species of catfish in the genus Acanthobunocephalus of the family Aspredinidae. This species is known from only three localities and appears to be restricted to the upper Orinoco River system of Venezuela and possibly the upper Rio Negro system of Brazil.
Platystacus cotylephorus, the Banded banjo, is a species of banjo catfish. It is the only member of its genus. The genus Platystacus is the sister group to a clade containing Aspredo and Aspredinichthys. P. cotylephorus originates from coastal waters and lower portions of rivers of northern South America, from Venezuela to northern Brazil.
Dupouyichthys sapito is the only species of banjo catfishes in the genus Dupouyichthys. This species appears to be restricted to the Magdalena and Maracaibo basins. D. sapito is a small, armored aspredinid, growing up to 27 millimetres (1.1 in) SL, distinguished from all other aspredinids by having only one set of paired pre-anal-fin plates. Also, the bony ornamentation of its skull is better developed than its close relatives. It is found in river banks with vegetation.
Aspredinichthys is a genus of banjo catfishes found in fresh and brackish waters in tropical South America from the Orinoco delta, through the Guianas, to the Amazon delta. Both species are found in lower portions of rivers and in coastal waters of northern South America from Venezuela to northern Brazil where they are benthic fish.
Pterobunocephalus is a genus of banjo catfishes found in tropical South America.
Hoplomyzon is a genus of banjo catfishes that are native to tropical South America.
Xyliphius is a genus of banjo catfishes from South America.
Micromyzon akamai is a species of catfish in the family Aspredinidae.
Bunocephalus is a genus of banjo catfishes from South America. It is found in Magdalena, Orinoco, Amazon, Paraguay-Paraná, and São Francisco Rivers. It is also the only aspredinid genus found west of the Andes, found in the Atrato, San Juan, and Patía Rivers. This genus is a part of the family Aspredinidae, known as banjo catfishes for their large, flattened heads and slender tails that give the appearance of a banjo. Most species exhibit cryptic coloration, and the same holds true among Bunocephalus species. The skin is completely keratinized and is covered by large, unculiferous tubercles. Bunocephalus species may reach up to 13 centimetres SL.
Pseudobunocephalus is a genus of banjo catfishes.
Amaralia hypsiura (Carachita), is a species of catfish of the family Aspredinidae. A. hypsiura are found throughout the Amazon River basin. They are medium-sized aspredinids. These fish have a deep, laterally compressed caudal peduncle, a reduced dorsal fin with only 2–3 rays, and well-developed head ornamentation.
Micromyzon orinoco is a species of catfish in the family Aspredinidae.
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