| Steindachneridion | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Steindachneridion parahybae (juvenile) | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Siluriformes |
| Family: | Pimelodidae |
| Genus: | Steindachneridion Eigenmann & Eigenmann, 1919 |
| Type species | |
| Steindachneria amblyurus Eigenmann & Eigenmann 1888 | |
| Synonyms | |
Steindachneria | |
Steindachneridion is a genus of South American pimelodid catfish (order Siluriformes).
The first species of the genus, S. parahybae, was described in 1877 by Franz Steindachner under the name Platystoma parahybae. Later, Carl H. Eigenmann and Rosa Smith Eigenmann described Steindachneridia, named for Steindachner, for this species and for S. amblyurum (designated as the type species) in 1888. The next year, Eigenmann and Eigenmann described S. doceanum. In 1918, Miranda Ribeiro described S. scriptum and S. scriptum punctatum; later, S. punctatum was studied and considered to be a species of its own. However, because Steindachneria was already being used, these fish were transferred to Steindachneridion in 1919. [1] The most recent species, S. melanodermatum, was described by Garavello in 2005. [1] This genus currently includes six extant species. [1]
Two fossil species of Steindachneridion have been found. The first to be described, S. iherengi (Woodward, 1898) was first described to Arius , but subsequently moved to Steindachneridion; though originally considered to be of Pleistocene age, it was later found to be actually of Oligocene age. [1] The second fossil species to be described was S. silvasantosi Figueiredo & Costa-Carvalho, 1999. [1]
The phylogenetic placement of Steindachneridion and its relationship to other pimelodid genera is unresolved. [1] These fish have been classified with Sorubim -like fish such as Brachyplatystoma and Pseudoplatystoma . [1] [2] They have also been classified as being more closely related to Phractocephalus and Leiarius . [1]
The currently recognized species in this genus are: [3]
Steindachneridion species originate from South America and are restricted to eastern Brazilian coastal drainages, plus the upper Paraná and Uruguay River basins. [1] S. amblyurus originates from the Jequitinhonha River basin. [4] S. doceanum originates from the Doce River basin. [5] S. melanodermatum originates from Iguaçu River in Brazil. [6] S. parahybae originates from Paraíba do Sul and Jequitinhonha River basins. [7] S. punctatum originates from the upper Paraná River and the Uruguay River basins. [8] S. scriptum originates from the Uruguay River. [9]
The large species of Steindachneridion always occur in swift-flowing, clear-water rivers running over large stony beds. [1] These fish are naturally scarce in their habitats. [1]
Steindachneridion species are large fish, reaching 100 cm (40 in) in total length or more. [1] S. doceanum reaches 42 cm (17 in) in standard length. [5] S. melanodermatum reaches a length of about 53.2 cm (21 in) SL. [6] S. punctatum reaches about 70 cm (28 in) SL. [8]
These fish have relatively small eyes and heads. They have long maxillary barbels that extend to the base of their dorsal fins or adipose fins. The adipose fin is relatively long and straight, and its base is longer than the base of the anal fin. [1] Pectoral and dorsal fin spines are short. [1] Most of these species have light grayish or brownish ground color patterns combined with dark brown, vermiculated dark stripes or spots; however, S. doceanum has reticulations over its body instead of spots, and S. melanodermatum is unique in the genus for its dark brown ground color. [1] S. amblyurum differs from other members of this species by having a rounded caudal fin instead of notched. [1]
Steindachneridion species suffer intense anthropogenic pressure, through modification to their habitat and due to overfishing; consequently, some of them are highly endangered and practically extinct in various parts of their original areas of distribution. Of the six recognized species, all but S. punctatum are considered threatened by Brazil's Ministry of the Environment. [10] Due to their economic importance as a food source, some aquaculture stations are currently developing programs for captive propagation of Steindachneridion species. Fish produced by these programs would be used in fish farms and to restore natural stocks in degraded habitats. [2]
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.
Listrura is a genus of pencil catfishes native to South America.
Rineloricaria is a genus of freshwater tropical catfish belonging to the family Loricariidae. They are commonly called whiptail catfish because of the long filament that grows out of the tip of the caudal fin that is characteristic of the genus. With the exception of R. altipinnis from Panama, they are native to the rivers of northern and central South America. Some species are regularly seen in the aquarium trade.
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.
Farlowella is a genus of fish in the family Loricariidae native to South America. This genus is broadly distributed in Amazon, Orinoco, Paraná and coastal rivers of the Guyana Shield. It is absent from the Pacific slope of the Andes and from the coastal rivers of the Brazilian Shield. Many of these species are kept in aquariums. This genus has a unique body shape that resembles a thin stick of wood. The body is slender and elongate, often with a pronounced rostrum and a brownish color with two lateral dark stripes beginning at the tip of the rostrum, passing over the eyes and ending at the tail, which are periodically interrupted on the caudal peduncle.
The porthole shovelnose catfish or spotted shovelnose catfish, Hemisorubim platyrhynchos, is the only species in the genus Hemisorubim of the catfish family Pimelodidae.
Batrochoglanis is a small genus of catfishes of the family Pseudopimelodidae.
Aguarunichthys is a genus of long-whiskered catfishes native to South America.
Cheirocerus is a genus of long-whiskered catfishes native to South America.
Oxyropsis is a genus of fish in the family Loricariidae native to South America. These species are distinguished by the presence of a single row of enlarged odontodes along the trunk midline lying adjacent and immediately dorsal to, the lateral line canal. Species of this genus have a depressed head and have relatively large eyes placed ventrolaterally. This genus is most similar to Hypoptopoma in external appearance, which shares the head shape and eye placement. Oxyropsis are elongate and have a narrow caudal peduncle, which distinguishes it from all other Hypoptopomatinae genera except Niobichthys and Acestridium.
Pimelodus is a genus of fish in the family Pimelodidae native to Central and South America.
Sturisoma is a genus of armored catfishes native to Central and South America.
Ochmacanthus is a genus of pencil catfishes native to South America. These species are distributed in South America. O. alternus and O. orinoco originate from the Rio Negro and Orinoco River basins of Brazil and Venezuela. O. batrachstoma inhabits the Paraguay River basin in Brazil. O. flabelliferus lives in river drainages in Guyana and Venezuela. O. reinhardtii is known from the Amazon River basin in Brazil and drainages in French Guiana.
Henonemus is a genus of pencil catfishes native to South America.
Ituglanis is a genus of small freshwater fish in the family Trichomycteridae native to South America. Their greatest diversity seems to occur in the Amazon River basin. Most species inhabit leaf litter, with several species living in caves.
Iheringichthys megalops, is a species of demersal catfish of the family Pimelodidae that is endemic to the Paraná River basin in Paraguay.
Iheringichthys syi, is a species of demersal catfish of the family Pimelodidae that is native to Upper Rio Paraná in Brazil.