The red-tailed black shark, also known as the redtail shark, red tailed shark, and redtail sharkminnow, is a species of tropical freshwater fish in the carp family, Cyprinidae. It is named after its shark-like appearance and movement, as well as its distinctive red tail. Despite its name, it is more closely related to carp. It is endemic to streams and rivers in Thailand and is currently critically endangered. However, it is common in aquaria, where it is prized for its deep black body, and vivid red orange tail. These are moderately sized tropical aquarium fish who are active benthic swimmers. They are omnivorous but are willing to scavenge if the opportunity arises. They are known for their activity as well as their temperament towards other fish. The red-tailed black sharks seen in the aquarium trade today are all captive bred.
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 Cetopsidae are a small family of catfishes, commonly called the whale catfishes.
The Aspredinidae are a small South American family of catfishes also known as the banjo catfishes, with about 43 species.
The genus Panaque contains a small number of small to medium-sized South American suckermouth armoured catfishes that are notable for being among the very few vertebrates that feed extensively on wood. In addition, algae and aufwuchs are an important part of the diet, and they use their rasping teeth to scrape this from rocks. These fish are also popular aquarium fish, where the sound of scraping as these fish forage for food is easily audible.
Panaque nigrolineatus, the royal panaque, royal plec, or royal pleco, is an herbivorous freshwater armored catfish native to Brazil, Colombia and Venezuela where it occurs in the Orinoco and Amazon basins. It is known for being one of the few fish that digest wood. They are able to survive for a long period of time only on a wood-only, xylophagous diet. It grows to a length of 43.0 centimetres (16.9 in) and is a popular aquarium fish.
Pterygoplichthys gibbiceps is a species of armored catfish native to Brazil, Ecuador, Peru and Venezuela where it is found in the Orinoco and Amazon basins.
Baryancistrus is a genus of freshwater Loricariid catfish. They inhabit flowing sections of rivers, especially clearwater, in the basins of the Amazon and Orinoco in Brazil and Venezuela. The largest species reach up to 34 cm (13 in) in total length.
Hypancistrus is a genus of loricariid catfish originating from the Amazon basin in South America. Unlike many of the other Loricariids, however, some Hypancistrus species are more carnivorous and enjoy meat in their diet. Hypancistrus species are popular aquarium fish, including such popular fish as the zebra pleco and Queen Arabesque pleco.
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 3.6 metres (12 ft) in length; though the other species don't reach this length. Brachyplatystoma are found in the Amazon and Orinoco basins, and other tropical freshwater and brackish habitats in South America. Many species are migratory. These fish are important as food fish and, to some extent, aquarium fish.
Calophysus macropterus, known natively as the piracatinga/pirácatina, piranambú, pintadinho, zamurito, water buzzard, or by its popular English name vulture catfish, is a species of catfish of the monotypic genus Calophysus of the family Pimelodidae. It is sometimes placed in its own family, Calophysidae.
Leiarius is a genus of long-whiskered catfishes native to South America. Most of the genus' species are found in the aquarium hobby as ornamental fish.
Asterophysus batrachus, the gulper catfish or ogre catfish, is a species of catfish of the family Auchenipteridae. It is native to the Rio Negro and Orinoco basins in Brazil, Colombia and Venezuela, where mostly found in slow-moving waters with many submerged structures. It is currently the only recognized species of the genus Asterophysus, but a specimen that possibly represents an undescribed species has been collected in Marajó.
Leporacanthicus is a genus of suckermouth armored catfishes native to South America.
Pseudacanthicus is a genus of medium to large-sized suckermouth armored catfishes native to South America, where found in the Amazon and Orinoco basins, as well as rivers of the Guianas. They are primarily found in fast-flowing waters, sometimes relatively deep. They are sometimes kept in aquariums.
Cetopsis is a genus of catfishes of the family Cetopsidae.
Nannostomus anduzei is a freshwater species of fish belonging to the genus Nannostomus in the characin family Lebiasinidae. It is native to Venezuela and northern Brazil, particularly the upper Orinoco and Rio Ererê, a tributary of the Rio Negro. The adults grow to a maximum length of only 16 mm, making them one of the smallest pencilfish. Other common names include miniature pencilfish, miniature nannostomus, and Anduzi's nannostomus.
Globidentosuchus is an extinct genus of basal caimanine crocodylian known from the late Middle to Late Miocene of the Middle and the Upper Members of the Urumaco Formation at Urumaco, Venezuela. Its skull was very short and robust, with large units of spherical teeth used to break the shells of molluscs as part of its durophagus diet. It is thought to be one of the most basal Caimanines, even sharing some traits with alligatorids.
Caiman brevirostris is an extinct species of caiman that lived during the Late Miocene, around 11.6 million years ago, to the end of the Miocene 5.3 million years ago in Acre and Amazonas, Brazil as well as Urumaco, Venezuela. Several specimens have been referred to the species, but only 3 of them are confidently placed in the species. C. brevirostris was originally named in 1987 on the basis of a single, incomplete rostrum with an associated mandibular ramus that had been found in Acre, Brazil. C. brevirostris is very distinct among Caiman species and caimaninae overall in that it preserves a characteristically short and robust skull that bears blunt posterior teeth that were built to break down harder foods. This was an adaption for durophagy, likely to crush shells of mollusks and clams which were common in the wetlands that C. brevirostris resided in.
