Astroblepus

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Naked sucker-mouth catfish
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Siluriformes
Superfamily: Loricarioidea
Family: Astroblepidae
Bleeker, 1862
Genus: Astroblepus
Humboldt, 1805
Species[1]

A. boulengeri
A. brachycephalus
A. caquetae
A. chapmani
A. chimborazoi
A. chotae
A. cirratus
A. cyclopus
A. eigenmanni
A. festae
A. fissidens
A. formosus
A. frenatus
A. grixalvii
A. guentheri
A. heterodon
A. homodon
A. jurubidae
A. labialis
A. latidens
A. longiceps
A. longifilis
A. mancoi
A. mariae
A. marmoratus
A. micrescens
A. mindoense
A. nicefori
A. orientalis
A. peruanus
A. phelpsi
A. pholeter
A. pirrensis
A. praeliorum
A. prenadillus
A. regani
A. rengifoi
A. retropinnus
A. riberae
A. rosei
A. sabalo
A. santanderensis
A. simonsii
A. stuebeli
A. supramollis
A. taczanowskii
A. theresiae
A. trifasciatus
A. ubidiai
A. unifasciatus
A. vaillanti
A. vanceae
A. ventralis
A. whymperi

Astroblepus is a genus of catfish (order Siluriformes) which contains 54 species. It is the sole genus in the family Astroblepidae, the most species-rich family in which there is a single genus.[2] These fish are known as the naked sucker-mouth catfishes or the climbing catfishes.[2]

Contents

[edit] Distribution and habitiat

These catfishes are found in torrential streams in the Andean area of South America and Panama.[2]

[edit] Description

Astroblepus catfishes are typically small, less than 15 centimetres (6 in).[3] The largest species reaches 30 cm (12 in).[2] These fish have a suckermouth like those of Loricariids. They have two pairs of barbels, maxillary and nasal. The dorsal fin spine lacks a locking mechanism.[2] These fish also have odontodes, tiny teeth on their skin. All species exhibit a conical, pointy type on their fin rays like that found in other Loricarioids; three species also exhibit a blunt type that is only found on their skin.[3]

[edit] Ecology

Some of these fish are able to live at up to 3500 m altitude and climb the faces of waterfalls.[2] Their climbing ability comes from specially developed pelvic fins as well as their suckermouth.[3] In their neotropical Andean habitat, dry and wet seasons are quite extreme, and odontodes may help in sensing food, mates, and water flow, as well as help cling to surfaces.[3] They feed upon invertebrates such as caterpillars, and annelids.[3]

[edit] References

  1. ^ Astroblepus (TSN 164384). Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Retrieved on 05-04 2007.
  2. ^ a b c d e f Nelson, Joseph, S. (2006). Fishes of the World. John Wiley & Sons, Inc.. 
  3. ^ a b c d e Schaefer, Scott A.; Buitrago-Suárez, Uriel Angel (2002). "Odontode Morphology and Skin Surface Features of Andean Astroblepid Catfishes (Siluriformes, Astroblepidae)" (PDF). Journal of Morphology 254: 139. doi:10.1002/jmor.10024. 
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