| Phreatobius sanguijuela | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Siluriformes |
| Family: | Heptapteridae |
| Genus: | Phreatobius |
| Species: | P. sanguijuela |
| Binomial name | |
| Phreatobius sanguijuela | |
Phreatobius sanguijuela is a South American species of heptapterid catfish that lives in underground waters. [1]
This small fish reaches a maximum standard length of 4.2 cm (1.7 in). [1] P. sanguijuela differs from P. cisternarum in a number of ways, but the main differences are the absence of eyes (which are present in P. cisternarum). [1]
This species was first discovered in a hand-dug well located within the Paragúa River drainage, a tributary of the Guaporé (Iténez) River in Bolivia. [1] Later it was discovered just across the border in several wells near São Francisco do Guaporé in the Brazilian state of Rondônia. [2] This species is threatened by environmental degradation due to pollution, water extraction for drinking and irrigation, mineral extraction, and associated erosion. [1] It is often killed when accidentally caught from wells because of a superficial resemblance to leeches. [1]
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.
The Amazon basin is the part of South America drained by the Amazon River and its tributaries. The Amazon drainage basin covers an area of about 7,000,000 km2 (2,700,000 sq mi), or about 35.5 percent of the South American continent. It is located in the countries of Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Peru, Suriname, and Venezuela, as well as the territory of French Guiana.
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.
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. 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. Species assigned to Corydoras display a broad diversity of body shapes and coloration. Corydoras are small fish, ranging from 2.5 to 12 cm in SL., and are protected from predators by their body armor and by their sharp, typically venomous spines.
Ostariophysi is the second-largest superorder of fish. Members of this superorder are called ostariophysians. This diverse group contains 10,758 species, about 28% of known fish species in the world and 68% of freshwater species, and are present on all continents except Antarctica. They have a number of common characteristics such as an alarm substance and a Weberian apparatus. Members of this group include fish important to people for food, sport, the aquarium industry, and research.
The Doradidae are a family of catfishes also known as thorny catfishes, raphael catfishes or talking catfishes. These fish are native to South America, primarily the Amazon basin and the Guianas.
Pseudolaguvia is a genus of South Asian river catfishes. These species inhabit hill streams and large rivers. P. tenebricosa is found in fast running, clear water; the river has a sandy bottom and numerous rocks and boulders and aquatic vegetation is absent. P. inornata is from clear, shallow, moderately flowing streams with a predominantly sandy bottom. P. muricata is found in clear, shallow, slow-flowing streams with a mixed substrate of sand and detritus; these fish are found amongst detritus in areas with current. P. ferula is also found in swift flowing waters with a mixed rocky/sandy bottom.
Guaporé River is a river in western Brazil and northeastern Bolivia. It is 1,260 km (780 mi) long; 920 km (570 mi) of the river forms the border between Brazil and Bolivia.
Glyptothorax is a genus of catfishes order Siluriformes of the family Sisoridae. It is the most species-rich and widely distributed genus in the family with new species being discovered on a regular basis. These species are distributed in the Black Sea basin, northern Turkey, south and east to the Yangtze River drainage in China and south throughout Indo-China to Java, Indonesia. They are found in Asia Minor and southwards to Southeast Asia. The genus is very diverse in the Indian subcontinent. Southeast Asian species tend to have restricted distributions.
Trichomycterus is a genus of fish in the family Trichomycteridae, the largest genus of its family with over 170 species currently described. This genus is native to freshwater habitats in Central and South America. These fish are generally small, usually about 5 to 15 cm (2–6 in) in standard length, although the largest, T. rivulatus, can reach more than twice this size. Species differ from one another primarily in body proportions, fin ray counts and colouration. Despite their relatively small size, some, such as T. punctulatus, support fisheries and are important in the local cuisine.
Akysis is the largest genus of catfishes of the family Akysidae.
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.
Phreatobius is a genus of very small catfishes from tropical South America.
Scoloplax is the only genus in the catfish family Scoloplacidae, the spiny dwarf catfishes.
Hemiancistrus is a genus of suckermouth armored catfishes. These species are native to South America. The taxonomy of this genus is complex and unclear, and major work has to be done. Many of these fish are popular aquarium fish.
Eremophilus mutisii is a species of catfish of the family Trichomycteridae, and the only member of its genus. This fish grows to about 30 centimetres (12 in) and originates from the Bogotá River basin, which is a tributary of the Magdalena River. It has probably been introduced to Ubaté, Chiquinquirá, and Tundama valleys, Colombia.
Hemiodontichthys is a monotypic genus in the family Loricariidae, under the order Siluriformes, containing a single species, Hemiodontichthys acipenserinus, also known as the Pinocchio whiptail catfish, Pinocchio catfish, Pinocchio cat or the knob-nosed whiptail. This shy, bottom-dwelling catfish is native to the Guianas, Brazil, Bolivia and Perú in South America.
Cavefish or cave fish is a generic term for fresh and brackish water fish adapted to life in caves and other underground habitats. Related terms are subterranean fish, troglomorphic fish, troglobitic fish, stygobitic fish, phreatic fish, and hypogean fish.
Hypostomus pantherinus is a species of catfish in the family Loricariidae. It is native to South America, where it occurs in the Madeira River basin in Brazil. The species reaches at least 4.8 cm in standard length and is believed to be a facultative air-breather. Although originally described by Rudolf Kner in 1854 based on a single specimen from the Guaporé River basin in Brazil, Hypostomus pantherinus was redescribed in 2021 and its range was found to also include Bolivia.
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