Astroblepus

Naked sucker-mouth catfish
Astroblepus sabalo
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Siluriformes
Family: Astroblepidae
Bleeker, 1862
Genus: Astroblepus
Humboldt, 1805
Type species
Astroblepus grixalvii
Humboldt, 1805

Astroblepus is a genus of catfish. It is the sole genus in the family Astroblepidae, the most species-rich family of a single genus.[1] These fish are known as the naked sucker-mouth catfishes or the climbing catfishes.[1]

Species

There are currently 69 recognized species in this genus:

Distribution and habitat

These catfishes are primarily found in torrential streams in the Andean area of South America and Panama.[1] Two species, A. pholeter and A. riberae, are troglobites adapted to living in subterranean water systems.[9]

Description

Astroblepus catfishes are typically small, less than 15 cm (6 in).[10] The largest species reaches 30 cm (12 in).[1] These fish have suckermouths like those of loricariids. They have two pairs of barbels, maxillary and nasal. The dorsal fin spine lacks a locking mechanism.[1] 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.[10]

Ecology

Some of these fish are able to live at up to 3500 m altitude and climb the faces of waterfalls.[1] Their climbing ability comes from specially developed pelvic fins, as well as their suckermouths.[10] 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.[10] They feed upon invertebrates, such as caterpillars and annelids.[10]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 Nelson, J.S. (2006). Fishes of the World. John Wiley & Sons, Inc. ISBN 0-471-25031-7.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Ardila Rodriguez, C.A. (2011): Astroblepus itae, Astroblepus acostai. Dos nuevas especies del Río Cáchira y Río Sinú, Colombia. Universidad Metropolitana, Departmento del Atlántico. Barranquilla. 16 pp.
  3. ↑ Ardila Rodriguez, C.A. (2012): Astroblepus ardilai sp. nov. Una nuevas especie de pez del los Andes del Municipio de Floridablanca, Departamento de Norte de Santander – Colombia. Peces del Departamento de Santander – Colombia. No. 5. 21 pp.
  4. ↑ Ardila Rodriguez, C.A. (2011): Astroblepus cacharas (Siluriformes, Astroblepidae), nueva especie del rio Cáchira, cuenca del rio Magdalena, Colombia. Dahlia, 11: 23-33.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 Ardila Rodríguez, C.A. (2013): Astroblepus hidalgoi – A. floridaensis – A. huallagaensis y A. cajamarcaensis: Cuatro nuevas especies de los Andes del Peru. Universidad Metropolitana de Barranquilla. Barranquilla, Colombia. 22pp.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 Ardila Rodríguez, C.A. (2014): Astroblepus tamboensis – A. chinchaoensis y A. moyanensis: Tres nuevas especies de los Andes del Peru. Universidad Metropolitana de Barranquilla. Barranquilla, Colombia. 22pp.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 Ardila Rodríguez, C.A. (2013): Astroblepus martinezi y Astroblepus jimenezae: Dos nuevas especies del Río Sinú y Río Atrato, Colombia. Universidad Metropolitana de Barranquilla. Barranquilla, Colombia. 20pp.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 Ardila Rodriguez, C.A. (2012): Astroblepus ortegai y Astroblepus quispei. Dos nuevas especies des los Andes del Perú. Universidad Metropolitana, Departmento del Atlántico. Barranquilla. 16 pp.
  9. ↑ Romero, A., editor (2001). The Biology of Hypogean Fishes. Developments in Environmental Biology of Fishes. ISBN 978-1402000768
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 10.4 Schaefer, S.A. & Buitrago-Suárez, U.A. (2002). "Odontode Morphology and Skin Surface Features of Andean Astroblepid Catfishes (Siluriformes, Astroblepidae)". Journal of Morphology, 254 (2): 139.