Pterodoras

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Pterodoras
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Siluriformes
Family: Doradidae
Genus: Pterodoras
Bleeker, 1862
Binomial name
Pterodoras granulosus
(Valenciennes, 1821)
Pterodoras rivasi
(Fernández-Yépez, 1950)
Synonyms
  • Apuredoras
    Fernández-Yépez, 1950
  • Parapterodoras
    Risso & Morra, 1964
  • Sachsdoras
    Fernández-Yépez, 1968

Pterodoras is a small genus of catfishes (order Siluriformes) of the family Doradidae. This genus includes two species, P. granulosus and P. rivasi.[1]

Contents

[edit] Distribution

P. granulosus originates from the Amazon and Paraná River basins and coastal drainages in Guyana and Suriname.[1] P. rivasi inhabits the Orinoco River basin of Colombia and Venezuela.[1]

[edit] Physical description

P. granulosus reaches a size of 70 centimetres (28 in) TL and 6,500 grams (14 lb).[2] The colour pattern of these catfish varies depending upon the location that they originate from, though they are usually a muddy-brown colour with some darker spots over the body and fins. Adults are darker and the spotting fades from juvenile coloration. There are no scales, but the skin is thick and tough; also, 23–28 shallow lateral plates known as scutes are found along the length of the body. Their eyes are very small in comparison to the rest of the fish and they have three simple pairs of barbels. They have a deeply forked caudal fin, which also helps to distinguish this fish from other large Doradids.[3]

P. rivasi grows to 55 cm (22 in) SL.[4]

[edit] Ecology

P. granulosus occurs in small groups.[2]

P. granulosus is a nocturnal predator. It is an opportunistic omnivore with a wide food spectrum, consuming vascular plants, mollusks, and other food depending on their availability. It has been shown that this species feeds on an introduced species of bivalve, Corbicula fluminae, and may be able to act as a form of biological pest control.[5] There is evidence that P. granulosus may be important for seed dispersal as seeds have been found in their stomachs; seeds of the families Gramineae, Moraceae, and Polygonaceae are most often present in their stomachs.[6]

P. granulosus is a migratory species of catfish. From March to July, there is little migration and any movement is downstream. In August, the upstream migration begins, intensifying in October and peaking in January.[6]

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b c Ferraris, Carl J., Jr. (2007). "Checklist of catfishes, recent and fossil (Osteichthyes: Siluriformes), and catalogue of siluriform primary types" (PDF). Zootaxa 1418: 1 – 628. 
  2. ^ a b "Pterodoras granulosus". FishBase. Ed. Ranier Froese and Daniel Pauly. June 2007 version. N.p.: FishBase, 2007.
  3. ^ PlanetCatfish::Catfish of the Month::September 2002. PlanetCatfish.com (2005-06-17). Retrieved on 2007-06-21.
  4. ^ "Pterodoras rivasi". FishBase. Ed. Ranier Froese and Daniel Pauly. June 2007 version. N.p.: FishBase, 2007.
  5. ^ Gaspar da Luz, Karla Danielle; Fugi, Rosemara; Abujanra, Fabiane; Agostinho, Angelo Antonio (2002). "Alterations in the Pterodoras granulosus (Valenciennes, 1833) (Osteichthyes, Doradidae) diet due to the abundance variation of a bivalve invader species in the Itaipu Reservoir, Brazil" (PDF). Maringá 24 (2): 427–432. 
  6. ^ a b de Souza-Stevaux, Maria Conceicao; Negrelle, Raquel R. B.; Citadini-Zanette, Vanilde (1994). "Seed Dispersal by the Fish Pterodoras granulosus in the Parana River Basin, Brazil". Journal of Tropical Ecology 10: 621–626. 
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