| Pseudopimelodidae | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Lophiosilurus alexandri | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Siluriformes |
| Superfamily: | Pimelodoidea |
| Family: | Pseudopimelodidae Fernández-Yépez & Antón, 1966 |
| Genera | |
Batrochoglanis Contents | |
The Pseudopimelodidae are a small family (about 40 species) of catfishes known as the bumblebee catfishes or dwarf marbled catfishes. Some of these fish are popular aquarium fish. [1]
This family was formerly a subfamily of Pimelodidae. [1] Pseudopimelodidae is a monophyletic group. [2] Previously, the superfamily Pseudopimelodoidea was sister to superfamilies Sisoroidea + Loricarioidea. [1] However, some evidence has shown this family, along with Pimelodidae, Heptapteridae, and Conorhynchos , may form a monophyletic assemblage, which contradicts the hypothesis that the former family Pimelodidae that included these families is a polyphyletic group. [3]
The Pseudopimelodidae are restricted to fresh water in South America, [1] from the Atrato River in Colombia to Argentina in the Río de la Plata. [2]
These catfishes have wide mouths, small eyes, and short barbels. [4] Their bold markings lead them to be commonly known as bumblebee catfishes or dwarf marbled catfishes. [1] B. acanthochiroides grows to 80 cm (31 in) TL. [5] However, most species are smaller; species of the genus Microglanis rarely exceed 70 mm (2.76 in) SL and are never over 80 mm (3.1 in) SL. [4]