| Loricariidae (Armored catfishes), subfamily: Hypostominae |
| 14 cm TL (male/unsexed) |
|
demersal; freshwater |
| South America: Brazil, Colombia and Venezuela. |
|
Dorsal spines (total): 2-2; Dorsal soft rays (total): 7-7; Anal soft rays: 3-5. This species is distinguished from its congeners by the following characters: peculiar colouration, with conspicuous large dark bars over a yellowish background on head and body on young, faded on adults, but always present on fins; with more than four fragmented plates between canal plate and opercle; short interorbital distance 21-34% in head length (Ref. 129180). |
| This species was mainly recorded from black waters of the Rio Negro and its tributaries in Brazil. It is always associated with fast-flowing waters. From field collections along the Rio Negro, this species can be easily found on the large logs used on floating houses where the current is swift, or they can inhabit large bedrocks with strong currents. However, no dimorphic males were found on bedrock in strong currents, instead, two dimorphic males were collected inside crevices on floating logs taking care of clutches of eggs and probably established their nests during the reproductive period on the floating logs, with low current. The males remained on top of the clutch of eggs, fanning them constantly with the pectoral-fin branched rays and the enlarged pelvic fins covering the clutch completely and might be used as protection. The mass of eggs were collected and brought to the lab, where these started to break and the hatchlings were quickly released. All hatchlings were fast and active swimmers, carrying a large yolk sac. Eggs with small black dots usually seem ready to release the young; while eggs without the black dots seem not to be mature enough to hatch. Adult specimens were dissected to determine sex and gut contents: mature males with elongated pelvic fins showed testes well developed, and all specimens presented the intestine full of detritus (Ref. 129180). |
|
Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 07 October 2020 Ref. (130435)
|
| harmless |
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