Pseudacanthicus

Pseudacanthicus
Pseudacanthicus spinosus
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Siluriformes
Family: Loricariidae
Subfamily: Hypostominae
Tribe: Ancistrini
Genus: Pseudacanthicus
Bleeker, 1862
Type species
Hypostomus serratus
Valenciennes, 1840
Synonyms

Stoneiella Fowler, 1914

Pseudacanthicus is a genus of suckermouth armored catfishes native to South America.

Species

There are currently five recognized species in this genus:[1]

Distribution

Pseudacanthicus is distributed in the Orinoco, the Guyanas, the Rio Negro, and the lower Amazonian tributaries.[2]

Description

Species of Pseudacanthicus are large, spiny loricariids with a diverse range of colour patterns. Colour is from light to dark gray, often with black spots. The fins and body may have red sections or a red wash.[2] Colouration varies between rivers and can also change throughout the lifetime of a single individual.[3] The abdomen is covered in small plates in adults. The caudal fin is forked, but without filaments. The jaws are short, forming an acute angle at their union; the teeth are few and stout. The adipose fin is present.[2]

In the aquarium

Pseudacanthicus species may be kept in the aquarium. P. leopardus is a large attractive fish known in the aquarium hobby as the leopard cactus pleco. It is a large fish that essentially feeds on dead meat. It is territorial and care should be taken when maintaining it with other large, nocturnal fish.[3]

References

  1. ↑ Froese, Rainer, and Daniel Pauly, eds. (2011). Species of Pseudacanthicus in FishBase. December 2011 version.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Armbruster, Jonathan W. "Pseudacanthicus Bleeker, 1862". Retrieved 2007-07-24.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 "PlanetCatfish::Catfish of the Month::August 2002". 2005-07-26. Retrieved 2007-07-24.