| Hypophthalmus | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Hypophthalmus marginatus (scale bar = 1 cm) | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Siluriformes |
| Family: | Pimelodidae |
| Genus: | Hypophthalmus Cuvier, 1829 |
| Type species | |
| Hypophthalmus nuchalis | |
| Synonyms | |
HypophthalmusSpix & Agassiz, 1829 Contents | |
Hypophthalmus is a genus of long-whiskered catfishes native to freshwater in tropical and subtropical South America.
There are currently 4 recognized species in this genus:
This genus has been classified within its own family Hypophthalmidae. [2] [3] However, it has since been reclassified as a member of Pimelodidae; it is thought to be most closely related to Parapimelodus . [3]
H. edentatus is found in the Amazon and Orinoco River basins and Atlantic coastal rivers of Guyana and Suriname. H. fimbriatus inhabits the Amazon River at Santarém and Rio Negro basin in Brazil and Venezuela. H. marginatus originates from the Amazon and Orinoco River basins and major rivers of French Guiana and Suriname. H. oremaculatus is distributed in the Paraná River basin, Brazil and Argentina. [4]
Fish of this genus have scaleless skin, three pairs of barbels (one maxillary and two mandibular), and small eyes located lateroventrally in a position about mid-length of the head. The body is laterally compressed, bearing a long-based anal fin that runs from the anus to the anterior margin of the caudal peduncle. The dorsal, pectoral, and pelvic fins have a narrow base and lack spines. The posterior margin of the caudal fin is either deeply forked or emarginate, depending on the species. [2]
Hypophthalmus are unusual among Neotropical fishes in their habit of specialized plankton-feeding, collecting plankton by straining water over the fine sieve created by numerous long, thin gill rakers. [2] H. edentatus feeds primarily on cladocerans, copepods, and ostracods. [2] It also feeds on debris and other plankton. [5] H. fimbriatus has a diet consisting primarily of zooplankton, especially cladocerans and copepods. [2] On the other hand, H. marginatus feeds primarily on phytoplankton. [2] H. edentatus appears to follow the vertical movement of plankton throughout the day. [5]
H. edentatus is a pelagic species which lives in schools near the surface of the water over muddy bottoms. [5] Ovaries start to develop in November when the water level starts to rise. Fractional spawning occurs between February and April. The female lays down 50,000 to 100,000 eggs according to body weight. Juveniles inhabit the lower part of streams in estuaries, while adults are found more upstream. [5]
H. edentatus and H. marginatus are more common in clear and whitewater habitats and are extremely limited or nonexistent in blackwater habitats. [2] H. edentatus and H. marginatus occur in some of the same habitats; however, H. marginatus are more common in river and creek channel habitats while H. edentatus are more common from aquatic floodplains, including seasonally flooded lagoons. H. marginatus has a forked caudal fin, which is more efficient in a habitat with faster moving water. H. edentatus has an emarginate caudal fin, which is less vulnerable to fin-nipping by piranhas which are more abundant in slow-moving waters. [2] H. fimbriatus may be restricted to blackwater habitats. [2] H. edentatus are most common in lagoons and floodplains during the dry season, and move into flooded savannas during the rainy season. [2] H. marginatus prefers to stay in larger, permanent water bodies. [2]
Hypophthalmus support important fisheries. Based on a review by IBAMA, they are the 9th most caught fish by weight in the Brazilian Amazon. [6]
Vandellia is a genus of catfishes native to South America. The species in this genus are the most well-known of the parasitic catfishes also known as candiru, known for their alleged habit of entering the human urethra.
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.
Acanthicus is a genus of large, South American suckermouth armored catfishes native to the Amazon and Orinoco basins, and possibly in Guyana. The name Acanthicus is derived from the Greek, akanthikos meaning thorny, spiny. Fish of this genus are known as lyre-tail plecos. These species are found in large rivers, primarily in areas with a rocky bottom and a moderate or strong current.
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.
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.
Batrochoglanis is a small genus of catfishes of the family Pseudopimelodidae.
Pinirampus pirinampu is a species of catfish of the family Pimelodidae. P. pirinampu is also known as the flatwhiskered catfish.
Entomocorus benjamini is a species of driftwood catfish found in the Madeira River system in Bolivia and Brazil. This species grows to a length of 7.0 cm and can be distinguished from it congeners in that the distal half of dorsal caudal fin lobe and the edge of the ventral lobe is pigmented.
Brachyplatystoma juruense, the zebra catfish, is a species of catfish of the family Pimelodidae that is native to Amazon and Orinoco River basin of Peri and Rio Juruá, northwestern Brazil, as well as Peru and Venezuela.
Brachyplatystoma vaillantii, the Laulao catfish or piramuta, is a species of catfish of the family Pimelodidae that is native to Amazon and Orinoco River basins and major rivers of the Guianas and northeastern Brazil.
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.
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.
Hypophthalmus oremaculatus, is a species of demersal catfish of the family Pimelodidae that is native to Paraná River basin of Argentina and Brazil.
Iheringichthys megalops, is a species of demersal catfish of the family Pimelodidae that is endemic to the Paraná River basin in Paraguay.