Corydoras

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Corydoras
Temporal range: 58.5–0  Ma
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Late Paleocene - Recent
Corydoras melanotaenia.JPG
Corydoras melanotaenia
Corydoras Sterbai.jpg
Corydoras sterbai
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Siluriformes
Family: Callichthyidae
Tribe: Corydoradini
Hoedeman, 1952
Genus: Corydoras
Lacépède, 1803
Type species
Corydoras geoffroy
Lacépède, 1803
Synonyms
  • BrochisCope, 1871
  • ChaenothoraxCope, 1878
  • CordorinusRafinesque, 1815
  • GastrodermusCope, 1878
  • HoplisomaSwainson, 1838
  • MicrocorydorasMyers, 1953
  • OsteogasterCope, 1894

Corydoras is a genus of freshwater catfish in the family Callichthyidae and subfamily Corydoradinae. The species usually have more restricted areas of endemism than other callichthyids, but the area of distribution of the entire genus almost equals the area of distribution of the family, except for Panama where Corydoras is not present. [1] Corydoras species are distributed in South America where they can be found from the east of the Andes to the Atlantic coast, from Trinidad to the Río de la Plata drainage in northern Argentina. [2] Species assigned to Corydoras display a broad diversity of body shapes and coloration. [3] Corydoras are small fish, ranging from 2.5 to 12 cm (1.0 to 4.7 in) in SL., [2] and are protected from predators by their body armor and by their sharp, typically venomous spines. [4]

Contents

Taxonomy

The name Corydoras is derived from the Greek kory (helmet) and doras (skin). [5] Corydoras is by far the largest genus of Neotropical fishes with more than 160 species. [5] It is the sole genus in the tribe Corydoradini. [6] C. difluviatilis is recognized as the basalmost species of Corydoradini, exhibiting several plesiomorphic features compared to the other species of Corydoras. [6] [3] The type species for this genus is Corydoras geoffroy. [5] Several hundred species are not yet classified, but kept by aquarists. These species are given 'C-numbers', originally devised by Hans-Georg Evers for the German fishkeeping magazine DATZ in 1993. In 2006, 153 C-numbers had been assigned, of which 32 had been assigned appropriate scientific names. [7]

The species C. barbatus, C. macropterus and C. prionotos have been reclassified into the genus Scleromystax . [6] Brochis had been differentiated from Corydoras due to the higher number of dorsal fin rays; however, Brochis has recently been suggested to be a synonym of Corydoras. [6] This is contested and has not been universally accepted. The sixray corydoras belongs in Aspidoras . [8]

Brochis

Brochis is a formerly recognized genus of catfish. Between one and three fish of the Callichthyidae in the Siluriformes order are referred to as Brochis, however following recent classification these three species have been grouped in the genus Corydoras. The genus is considered defunct by most scientific authorities, [9] or as a junior synonym or subgenus of Corydoras. [10] Consequently, it is an example of Obsolete taxa

Despite being considered defunct, there are several morphological differences that fish formerly classified in the genus Brochis have. These include a noticeably larger body, a more lyre-like tail and most decisively, the extended dorsal fins that have more rays than those of Corydoras [11] Corydoras have 7-10 rays on their dorsal fins, while Brochis have 10–18. [12] Brochis are very large for their family, as all three species can exceed 8 centimetres in length. In the Brochis stable, Corydras splendens is the largest. It is also the largest Corydoras attaining a maximum size of 9.9 centimetres and 40 grams [13]

Ecology

Corydoras are generally found in smaller-sized streams, along the margins of larger rivers, in marshes, and in ponds. [2] They are native to slow-moving and almost still (but seldom stagnant) streams and small rivers of South America, where the water is shallow and very murky. Most species are bottom-dwellers, foraging in sand, gravel or detritus. [2] The banks and sides of the streams are covered with a dense growth of plants and this is where the Corydoras are found. They inhabit a wide variety of water types but tend toward soft, neutral to slightly acidic or slightly alkaline pH and 5-10 degrees of hardness. They can tolerate only a small amount of salt (some species tolerate none at all) and do not inhabit environments with tidal influences. They are often seen in shoals. [2] Most species prefer being in groups and many species are found in schools or aggregations of hundreds or even thousands of individuals, usually of a single species, but occasionally with other species mixed in. Unlike most catfishes, which are nocturnal, these species are nocturnal while also being active during the daytime. [2] Corydoras are capable of breathing both water and air, often swimming to the surface to quickly ingest air before re-submerging. The frequency of this air breathing behavior increases when Corydoras are exposed to water with low oxygen availability, allowing them to tolerate periods of aquatic hypoxia. [14]

Their main food is bottom-dwelling insects and insect larvae and various worms, as well as some vegetable matter. Although no Corydoras are piscivorous, they will eat flesh from dead fishes. Their feeding method is to search the bottom with their sensory barbels and suck up food items with their mouth, often burying their snout up to their eyes. [15]

In several species of Corydoras, it has been observed that the fishes, after initial evasive reaction to threat, lie still; this is suggested to be a form of cryptic behavior. However, it is also argued that most species do not have cryptic coloration nor freezing behavior and continue to exist, [2] likely due to their armor and venom. A few species of Otocinclus : ( O. affinis , O. flexilis , O. mimulus and O. xakriaba ) are considered to be Batesian mimics of certain Corydoras species (C. diphyes, C. garbei, C. nattereri and C. paleatus, respectively). These species have bony plates of armor and strong, frequently venomous [16] spines as defenses, making them less palatable; by mimicking these species in size and coloration, Otocinclus avoid predation. [2]

A unique form of insemination has been described in Corydoras aeneus . When these fish reproduce, the male will present his abdomen to the female. The female will attach her mouth to the male's genital opening, creating the well-known "T-position" many Corydoras exhibit during courtship. The female will then drink the sperm. The sperm rapidly moves through her intestines and is discharged together with her eggs into a pouch formed by her pelvic fins. The female can then swim away and deposit the pouch somewhere else alone. Because the T-position is exhibited in other species than just C. aeneus, it is likely that this behavior is common in the genus. [17]

In the aquarium

The genus is well known among aquarists for its many ornamental species. [18] They are well suited to tropical freshwater community aquariums, as they get along well with other species and are not aggressive. Corydoras are quite timid and peaceful and are recommended to be kept in shoals of four to six or more. Corydoras are mostly bottom feeders, so they should be offered sinking pellets as well as supplements of live and frozen foods. If flake foods are used, care should be taken to prevent all food from being eaten by faster moving fish at the higher levels of the tank.[ citation needed ]

Most Corydoras prefer soft, acidic water. They can, however, tolerate a wide range of water conditions, including temperatures that are cooler than tropical. They do not do well in fish tanks with high nitrate levels. This ion leads to the infection of the barbels, which will shorten and become useless. The barbels may also be affected by constant contact with a sharp substrate. Contrary to popular belief, these fish can be kept in a tank with gravel without affecting their barbels, as long as there are no sharp edges on the gravel, although they do prefer sand substrate. They are more likely to thrive if there is an open area of substrate on the bottom of the tank where they can obtain submerged food. It is a myth that salt cannot be used on this species of fish as a means of parasite medication. Salt can be added to the water of the Corydoras catfish in order to rid the fish of ich. These fish are fairly easy to keep, being peaceful, hardy, active and entertaining. Occasionally they will dart to the surface, sticking their snout above the water for an instant to take a breath of air. This behavior is perfectly normal and is not an indication that anything is wrong with the fish. However, if this is done in excess, it can indicate poor water conditions.[ citation needed ]

Where investigated, Corydoras sp. have been shown to be diurnal and crepuscular rather than nocturnal and activity can even peak at twilight. [19] Corydoras are a very popular choice for a community aquarium and are widely kept throughout the world. Their longevity in the aquarium is noteworthy; C. aeneus is said to have lived 27 years in captivity and 20 years is not too uncommon.[ citation needed ]

Species

There are currently 161 recognized extant species in this genus, as well as one known extinct species:

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Callichthyidae</span> Family of fishes

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.

<i>Hypostomus</i> Genus of fishes

Hypostomus is a genus of catfish in the family Loricariidae. They are native to tropical and subtropical South America. H. plecostomus is the popular freshwater aquarium fish formerly known as Plecostomus plecostomus. The taxonomic structure of the Loricariidae is still being expanded by scientists. Hypostomus is a highly species-rich and widely distributed catfish genus.

<i>Otocinclus</i> Genus of fishes

Otocinclus is a genus of catfish in the family Loricariidae native to South America, commonly known as "dwarf suckers" or "otos". This genus, like other loricariids, is characterized by rows of armour plating covering the body, as well as the underslung suckermouth. They are generally small in size; O. tapirape is the smallest of the species (2.4 cm), while O. flexilis is the biggest (5.5 cm). These species have adaptations that allow them to breathe air. A duct forms at the junction between the esophagus and the stomach and expands into an enlarged, ring-like diverticulum, characteristic of this genus, which allows air-breathing. Otocinclus are popular aquarium fish, and they are often purchased as algae eaters. It is difficult to breed them in captivity, and only wild caught Otocinclus are available to hobbyists. This genus is widely distributed east of the Andes of South America, throughout the lowlands from northern Venezuela to northern Argentina, but are generally absent from the Amazon and the Orinoco lowlands.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bronze corydoras</span> Species of fish

The bronze corydoras, also known as the green corydoras, bronze catfish, lightspot corydoras or wavy catfish, is a species of freshwater fish in the armored catfish family, Callichthyidae, often kept as an aquarium fish. It is widely distributed in South America on the eastern side of the Andes, from Colombia and Trinidad to the Río de la Plata basin; however, as presently defined it is a species complex and a taxonomic review is necessary. It was originally described as Hoplosoma aeneum by Theodore Gill in 1858 and has historically also been referred to as Callichthys aeneus.

<i>Aspidoras</i> Genus of fishes

Aspidoras is a genus of catfishes of the family Callichthyidae from Brazil.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Banded corydoras</span> Species of fish

The banded corydoras or bearded catfish is a subtropical freshwater fish belonging to the subfamily Corydoradinae of the family Callichthyidae. It originates in coastal drainages in South America from Rio de Janeiro to Santa Catarina, Brazil.

Corydoras narcissus, commonly known as the long nosed arched cory, is a freshwater fish belonging to the Corydoradinae subfamily of the family Callichthyidae, native to the Madeira and Purus river basins in Amazonian Brazil. It has a longer, more concave ("saddle-shaped") nose, but its color pattern resembles that also seen in a few other Corydoras species from the western Amazon basin, as well as Brachyrhamdia thayeria; they all have spiny fins with a painful but not dangerous venom and their similarity is an example of Müllerian mimicry. C. narcissus generally is an uncommon species in its range.

Britski's catfish is a tropical freshwater fish belonging to the subfamily Corydoradinae of the family Callichthyidae native to South America where it is found in the upper Paraguay River basin in Brazil. This species was formerly classified as Brochis britskii.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hog-nosed catfish</span> Species of fish

The hog-nosed catfish is a tropical freshwater fish belonging to the Corydoradinae sub-family of the family Callichthyidae. It is native to South America, and is found in the western Amazon basin in Ecuador and Peru. This species is traditionally placed in Brochis but the genus is a synonym of Corydoras. FishBase continues to recognize Brochis as a valid genus.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sixray corydoras</span> Species of fish

The sixray corydoras or false corydoras is a tropical freshwater fish belonging to the Corydoradinae sub-family of the family Callichthyidae. It originates in inland waters in South America, and is found in the upper Araguaia River basin in Brazil.

<i>Pimelodus</i> Genus of fishes

Pimelodus is a genus of fish in the family Pimelodidae native to Central and South America.

<i>Scleromystax</i> Genus of fishes

Scleromystax is a genus of fish in the family Callichthyidae endemic to small tributaries from several coastal river basins draining the southern and southeastern regions in Brazil. Most of the species of Scleromystax are highly sexually dimorphic; males have developed odontodes inserted in fleshy papillae on the preopercular-opercular region and the dorsal and pectoral fins are 2–3 times as long as those of females. S. salmacis is an exception, as its sexually dimorphic features are subtle and non-remarkable.

Corydoras cortesi is a tropical freshwater fish belonging to the subfamily Corydoradinae of the family Callichthyidae found in Colombia.

Corydoras fulleri, formerly identified as C116/115, is a tropical freshwater fish belonging to the subfamily Corydoradinae of the family Callichthyidae native to South America where it is found in two tributaries of the río Manuripe and a tributary of the río Madre de Dios, rio Madeira basin, Peru. It lives in a tropical climate in water with a temperature range of 22–26 °C (72–79 °F).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ian A. M. Fuller</span>

Ian Alexander McDonald Fuller is an English aquarist and ichthyologist.

Corydoras diphyes is a tropical freshwater fish belonging to the Corydoradinae sub-family of the family Callichthyidae. It originates in inland waters in South America. Corydoras diphyes is restricted to tributaries of the río Monday and the río Acaray, and right bank tributaries of the río Paraná in Paraguay.

Scleromystax reisi is a species of catfish of the family Callichthyidae. Its distribution is in the streams of tributaries of the rio Jacuí and rio Camaquã of the laguna dos Patos drainage, of the Rio Grande do Sul in Brazil.

Hypostomus perdido is a species of catfish in the family Loricariidae. It is native to South America, where it occurs in the Perdido River, which is part of the Paraguay River basin in Brazil. It is typically found in portions of the river that have still or slow-moving water. The species reaches 18.1 cm SL and is believed to be a facultative air-breather. Its specific epithet, perdido, references the river in which it occurs.

<i>Corydoras arcuatus</i> Species of fish

Corydoras arcuatus is a species of freshwater fish in the armored catfish family Callichthyidae. It is restricted to the western Amazon basin, where only known from small blackwater or clearwater streams in the middle Juruá River basin, the Javari River basin and streams near Leticia in western Brazil, far northeastern Peru and far southeastern Colombia.

References

  1. ↑ Reis RE (1996). "Corydoras". Tree of Life Web Project.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Axenrot, T.E. & Kullander, S.O. (2003): Corydoras diphyes (Siluriformes: Callichthyidae) and Otocinclus mimulus (Siluriformes: Loricariidae), two new species of catfishes from Paraguay, a case of mimetic association. Archived 2009-02-05 at the Wayback Machine Ichthyological Exploration of Freshwaters, 14 (3): 249–272.
  3. 1 2 Britto M.R., Castro R.M.C. (2002). "New Corydoradine Catfish (Siluriformes: Callichthyidae) from the Upper Paraná and São Francisco: The Sister Group of Brochis and Most of Corydoras Species". Copeia. 2002 (4): 1006–1015. doi:10.1643/0045-8511(2002)002[1006:nccscf]2.0.co;2. S2CID   85724991.
  4. ↑ Wright JJ (2009). "Diversity, phylogenetic distribution, and origins of venomous catfishes". BMC Evol Biol. 9 (1): 282. Bibcode:2009BMCEE...9..282W. doi: 10.1186/1471-2148-9-282 . PMC   2791775 . PMID   19961571.
  5. 1 2 3 Froese, Rainer and Pauly, Daniel, eds. (2016). Species of Corydoras in FishBase . January 2016 version.
  6. 1 2 3 4 Britto, M.R. (2003): Phylogeny of the subfamily Corydoradinae Hoedeman, 1952 (Siluriformes: Callichthyidae), with a definition of its genera. Archived September 28, 2007, at the Wayback Machine Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, 153 (1): 119-154.
  7. ↑ Evers HG (2006). "A system called "C-Numbers"". Archived from the original on 2006-06-19.
  8. ↑ Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.) (2016). "Aspidoras pauciradiatus" in FishBase . January 2016 version.
  9. ↑ "ITIS".
  10. ↑ "researchgate".
  11. ↑ "tfhmagazine".
  12. ↑ "aquariumglaser". 25 March 2011.
  13. ↑ "fishbase".
  14. ↑ Pineda, Mar; Aragao, Isabel; McKenzie, David; Killen, Shaun (2020). "Social dynamics obscure the effect of temperature on air breathing in Corydoras catfish". Journal of Experimental Biology. 223 (Pt 21). doi: 10.1242/jeb.222133 . PMC   7673363 . PMID   33097572.
  15. ↑ "Corydoras aeneus (Bronze Corydoras)" (PDF). The Online Guide to the Animals of Trinidad and Tobago. The University of the West Indies St. Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago.
  16. ↑ "Handle those catfish with care! - Practical Fishkeeping". 13 June 2016.
  17. ↑ Kohda M, Tanimura M, Kikue-Nakamura M, Yamagishi S (1995). "Sperm drinking by female catfishes: a novel mode of insemination" (PDF). Environmental Biology of Fishes. 42 (1): 1–6. Bibcode:1995EnvBF..42....1K. doi:10.1007/bf00002344. S2CID   45023164. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2017-08-08. Retrieved 2016-08-03.
  18. ↑ Huysentruyt F., Adriaens D. (2005). "Descriptive osteology of Corydoras aeneus (Siluriformes: Callichthyidae)" (PDF). Cybium. 29 (3): 261–273.
  19. ↑ Paxton C.G.M. (1997). "Shoaling and activity levels in Corydoras". Journal of Fish Biology. 51 (3): 496–502. Bibcode:1997JFBio..51..496P. doi:10.1111/j.1095-8649.1997.tb01507.x.
  20. ↑ Espíndola, V.C., Spencer, M.R.S., Rocha, L.R. & Britto, M.R. (2014): A new species of Corydoras Lacépède (Siluriformes: Callichtyidae) from the rio Tapajós basin and its phylogenetic implications. Papéis Avulsos de Zoologia, 54 (3): 25-32.
  21. 1 2 3 Tencatt, L.F.C. & Britto, M.R. (2016): A new Corydoras Lacépède, 1803 (Siluriformes: Callichthyidae) from the rio Araguaia basin, Brazil, with comments about Corydoras araguaiaensis Sands, 1990. Neotropical Ichthyology, 14 (1): e150062.
  22. 1 2 Tencatt, L.F.C. & Ohara, W.M. (2016): Two new species of Corydoras Lacépède, 1803 (Siluriformes: Callichthyidae) from the rio Madeira basin, Brazil. Neotropical Ichthyology, 14 (1): e150063.
  23. 1 2 Tencatt LF, Ohara WM (2016). "A new long-snouted species of Corydoras Lacépède, 1803 (Siluriformes: Callichthyidae) from the rio Madeira basin". Zootaxa. 4144 (3): 430–442. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.4144.3.9. PMID   27470866.
  24. ↑ Ottoni FP, Barbosa MA, Katz AM (2016). "A new Corydoras from floodplain swamps of the São Francisco river basin, northeastern Brazil" (PDF). Spixiana. 39 (1): 131–140.
  25. 1 2 Tencatt, L.F.C., Britto, M.R.d. & Pavanelli, C.S. (2016): Revisionary study of the armored catfish Corydoras paleatus (Jenyns, 1842) (Siluriformes: Callichthyidae) over 180 years after its discovery by Darwin, with description of a new species. Neotropical Ichthyology, 14 (1): e150089.
  26. ↑ Tencatt, Luiz Fernando Caserta; Santos, Sérgio Alexandre dos; Evers, Hans-Georg; Britto, Marcelo R. (2021). "Corydoras fulleri (Siluriformes: Callichthyidae), a new catfish species from the rio Madeira basin, Peru". Journal of Fish Biology. 99 (2): 614–628. Bibcode:2021JFBio..99..614T. doi:10.1111/jfb.14750. ISSN   1095-8649. PMID   33837549. S2CID   233200704.
  27. ↑ Tencatt LF, Britto MR, Pavanelli CS (2014). "A new long-finned Corydoras Lacépède, 1803 (Siluriformes: Callichthyidae) from the lower rio Paraná basin, Brazil" (PDF). Neotropical Ichthyology. 12 (1): 71–79. doi: 10.1590/s1679-62252014000100007 .
  28. ↑ Tencatt LF, Pavanelli CS (2015). "Redescription of Corydoras guapore Knaack, 1961 (Siluriformes: Callichthyidae), a midwater Corydoradinae species from the rio Guaporé basin" (PDF). Neotropical Ichthyology. 13 (2): 287–296. doi: 10.1590/1982-0224-20150018 .
  29. ↑ Ohara WM, Tencatt LF, Britto MR (2016). "Wrapped in flames: Corydoras hephaestus, a new remarkably colored species from the Rio Madeira basin (Teleostei: Callichthyidae)". Zootaxa. 4170 (3): 539–552. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.4170.3.7. PMID   27701241.
  30. ↑ Tencatt, L.F.C. & Evers, H.-G. (2016): A new species of Corydoras Lacépède, 1803 (Siluriformes: Callichthyidae) from the río Madre de Dios basin, Peru. Neotropical Ichthyology, 14 (1): e150019.
  31. ↑ Tencatt LF, Britto MR, Pavanelli CS (2014). "A new species of Corydoras Lacépède, 1803 (Siluriformes: Callichthyidae) from the upper rio Paraná basin, Brazil" (PDF). Neotropical Ichthyology. 12 (1): 89–96. doi: 10.1590/s1679-62252014000100009 .
  32. ↑ Tencatt LF, Vera-Alcaraz HS, Britto MR, Pavanelli CS (2013). "A new Corydoras Lacépède, 1803 (Siluriformes: Callichthyidae) from the rio São Francisco basin, Brazil" (PDF). Neotropical Ichthyology. 11 (2): 257–264. doi: 10.1590/s1679-62252013000200003 .
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