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Catfishes
Catfish (or catfishes; order Siluriformes or Nematognathi) are a diverse group of ray-finned fish. Named for their prominent barbels, which resemble a cat's whiskers, catfish range in size and behavior from the three largest species alive, the Mekong giant catfish from Southeast Asia, the wels catfish of Eurasia, and the piraíba of South America, to detritivores (species that eat dead material on the bottom), and even to a tiny parasitic species commonly called the candiru, ''Vandellia cirrhosa''. Neither the armour-plated types nor the naked types have scales. Despite their name, not all catfish have prominent barbels or "whiskers". Members of the Siluriformes order are defined by features of the skull and swimbladder. Catfish are of considerable commercial importance; many of the larger species are farmed or fished for food. Many of the smaller species, particularly the genus ''Corydoras'', are important in the aquarium hobby. Many catfish are nocturnal, [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Aspredinidae
The Aspredinidae are a small South American family of catfishes ( order Siluriformes) also known as the banjo catfishes, with about 43 species. Distribution Aspredinids are found throughout the major tropical rivers of South America (e.g., Magdalena, Orinoco, Amazon, São Francisco, Paraguay- Paraná, and Uruguay). ''Bunocephalus'' is the only genus found in rivers west of the Andes including the Atrato, San Juan, and Patía Rivers. Taxonomy Of the 13 genera in the family Aspredinidae, a few genera have been described relatively recently, including ''Acanthobunocephalus'' in 1995, ''Micromyzon'' in 1996, and ''Pseudobunocephalus'' in 2008. These genera are categorized into three subfamilies. The Aspredinidae are often recognized as a part of the primarily Asian superfamily Sisoroidea as the sister group to the family Erethistidae. However, other authors find that they are sister to the superfamily Doradoidea, which includes Doradidae, Auchenipteridae, and perhaps Mochokidae. ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Amphiliidae
The loach catfishes are a family, Amphiliidae, of catfishes ( order Siluriformes). They are widespread in tropical Africa, but are most common in streams at high elevations; most species are able to cling to rocks in fast-flowing streams. The 13 genera contain 68 species. The family Amphiliidae has three subfamilies, Amphiliinae, Leptoglanidinae (previously misspelled Leptoglaninae), and Doumeinae. The monophyly of Amphiliidae has been questioned; one author restricts the family to the members of the subfamily Amphiliinae and transferred the other genera to a family Doumeidae. The Amphiliidae have been previously thought to be a basal taxon in the superfamily Loricarioidea, but some authors place their relationships elsewhere. Description Amphiliids are generally small catfishes with tapering, elongated bodies. The pectoral and ventral fins are large, and the first ray of each is usually broad, flexible, and filamentous. The eyes are generally small and located in the upper par ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Loricariidae
The Loricariidae is the largest family of catfish (order Siluriformes), with 92 genera and just over 680 species. Loricariids originate from freshwater habitats of Costa Rica, Panama, and tropical and subtropical South America. These fish are noted for the bony plates covering their bodies and their suckermouths. Several genera are sold as " plecos", notably the suckermouth catfish, ''Hypostomus plecostomus'', and are popular as aquarium fish. Common names Members of the family Loricariidae are commonly referred to as loricariids, suckermouth armoured catfishes, or armoured catfish. The name "plecostomus", and its shortened forms "pleco" and "plec", are used for many Loricariidae, since ''Plecostomus plecostomus'' (now called ''Hypostomus plecostomus'') was one of the first loricariid species imported for the fish-keeping hobby. Some loricariids are not normally considered "plecostomus", such as ''Farlowella'' catfish. In their native range, these fish are known as ''cascudos'' ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Cetopsidae
The Cetopsidae are a small family of catfishes (order Siluriformes), commonly called the whale catfishes. Taxonomy This family contains five genera divided into two subfamilies, Cetopsinae and Helogeneinae. Helogeneinae was previously a family-level group, but now it has been reclassified as a subfamily of Cetopsidae. This subfamily contains four species in the genus ''Helogenes''. The subfamily Cetopsinae contains four genera. ''Cetopsidium'' contains six species, ''Cetopsis'' contains 21 species, ''Denticetopsis'' contains seven species, and ''Paracetopsis'' contains three species; this makes a total of 37 cetopsines. The genera have been changed as recently as 2005 with the genera ''Bathycetopsis'', ''Hemicetopsis'', and ''Pseudocetopsis'' set in synonymy with ''Cetopsis'' and the description of the new genus ''Cetopsidium''. ''Cetopsidium'' is the sister group to the rest of Cetopsinae. ''Denticetopsis'' forms the next sister group to the remaining cetopsine genera. The tribe ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Doradidae
The Doradidae are a family of catfishes also known as thorny catfishes, raphael catfishes or talking catfishes. These fish are native to South America, primarily the Amazon basin and the Guianas. Doradids are omnivorous. Taxonomy As of 2007, 31 genera and 78 species are in this family. '' Wertheimeria'' is considered to be the sister taxon to all other doradids. This family is monophyletic and contains the subfamilies Doradinae, Astrodoradinae and Wertheimerinae.Birindelli, J.L.O. (2014): Phylogenetic relationships of the South American Doradoidea (Ostariophysi: Siluriformes). ''Neotropical Ichthyology 12(3): 451-564''. The Astrodoradinae contain the genera '' Amblydoras'', '' Anadoras'', '' Astrodoras'', ''Hypodoras'', '' Merodoras'', '' Physopyxis'', and '' Scorpiodoras''. Distribution Doradids occur in most South American basins, though they are absent from the Pacific Coast drainages and from coastal drainages south of the Río de la Plata. About 70% of the valid species o ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Callichthyidae
Callichthyidae is a family of catfishes ( order Siluriformes), called armored catfishes due to the two rows of bony plates (or scutes) along the lengths of their bodies. It contains some of the most popular freshwater aquarium fish, such as many species in the genus ''Corydoras''. Taxonomy The family derives its name from the Greek words ''kallis'' (beautiful) and ''ichthys'' (fish). Callichthyidae is one of six families in the superfamily Loricarioidea, and is sister to a clade formed by Scoloplacidae, Astroblepidae, and Loricariidae. Within the family Callichthyidae, the two subfamilies have eight genera and about 177 species, accounting for about 7% of all catfish. Most of these species are in the genus ''Corydoras'', the largest catfish genus. The subfamily Corydoradinae includes about 90% of the species in the family Callichthyidae and is one of the most diverse siluriform assemblages in the Neotropics, with about 170 valid species. It includes two tribes, Aspidoradini and C ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Diplomystidae
Diplomystidae, the velvet catfishes, are a family of primitive catfishes endemic to freshwater habitats in Argentina and Chile in southern South America. It currently contains six species in two genera. Taxonomy In traditional schemes, the family Diplomystidae is the basal, primitive sister group to all other catfishes (Siluroidei). This is well supported by morphological evidence. Almost all molecular estimates of catfish phylogeny, by contrast, find Diplomystidae sister to Siluroidei, with Loricarioidei (the armoured catfish and relatives) the most basal group; though this may be an artifact of rapid evolution in loricarioids. Diplomystids retain more plesiomorphic characteristics than any other siluriforms, recent or fossil, including aspects of the maxillary bones, barbels, nares, otic capsule, anterior pterygoid bones, Weberian complex centra, caudal skeleton, and fin rays, and pectoral girdle. Monophyly for Diplomystidae is well supported by synapomorphies of th ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Astroblepidae
''Astroblepus'' is a genus of fish in the family Astroblepidae found in South America and Panama. This genus is the only member of its family. These catfishes are primarily found in torrential streams in the Andean area. ''Astroblepus pholeter'' and ''A. riberae'' are troglobites adapted to living in subterranean water systems. These species are typically small, less than . The largest species reaches . 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. 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; other species also exhibit a blunt type that is only found on their skin. Some of these fish are able to live in high altitude and climb the faces of waterfalls. Their climbing ability comes from specially developed pelvic fins, as well as their suckermouths. In their ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Bagridae
The Bagridae are a family of catfish that are native to Africa ('' Bagrus'') and Asia (all other genera) from Japan to Borneo. It includes about 245 species. These fish are commonly known as naked catfishes or bagrid catfishes. Many large bagrids are important as a source of food. Some species are also kept as aquarium fishes. Physical characteristics The dorsal fin is preceded by a spine. The adipose fin is present and can have a relatively long base in some species. The pectoral fin spine can be serrated. The body is completely naked (they have no scales). The maximum length is about . Fishes of the family Bagridae have four pairs of well-developed barbels covered by a layer of taste bud-enriched epithelium. Taxonomy The taxonomy of this family has changed rapidly. Nelson (2006) comments how "the family is very different from that recognized in Nelson (1994)". Claroteidae and Austroglanididae contain species that were previously bagrids. Auchenoglanididae is considered by some ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Chacidae
''Chaca'' is the only genus in the catfish family Chacidae. These fish are commonly known as squarehead catfishes, frogmouth catfishes, or angler catfishes. These unusual fish have a sedentary lifestyle and spend much of their time motionless. The name ''Chaca'' is because, when removed from the water, they will rapidly repeat the sound "chaca". Only ''C. chaca'' makes these sounds; the other species do not. Species The four currently recognized species in this genus are:Ng, H.H. & Kottelat, M. (2012): Chaca serica, ''a new species of frogmouth catfish (Teleostei: Siluriformes) from southern Borneo.'' Zootaxa, 3258: 37–45. * ''Chaca bankanensis'' Bleeker, 1852 (angler catfish) * '' Chaca burmensis'' B. A. Brown & Ferraris, 1988 * '' Chaca chaca'' ( F. Hamilton, 1822) (squarehead catfish) * '' Chaca serica'' H. H. Ng & Kottelat, 2012 Distribution and habitat ''Chaca'' species are found in fresh water from eastern India to Borneo. ''C. chaca'' is found in rivers, canals, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ariidae
The Ariidae or ariid catfish are a family of catfish that mainly live in marine waters with many freshwater and brackish water species. They are found worldwide in tropical to warm temperate zones. The family includes about 143 species. Taxonomy The relationships of this family are not yet clear. Two of the genera, '' Gogo'' and '' Ancharius'', have been moved to a separate family called Anchariidae. The Ariidae are divided into three subfamilies: ''Galeichthys'' is the only genus classified in the subfamily Galeichthyinae and similarly '' Bagre'' is the only genus in the subfamily Bagreinae, while the rest of the genera are classified in the subfamily Ariinae. Previously, the family Ariidae has been grouped in the superfamily Doradoidea, but then it was moved into Bagroidea (along with Austroglanididae, Claroteidae, Schilbeidae, Pangasiidae, Bagridae, Malapteruridae, and Pimelodidae. It has also been classified in a superfamily Arioidea containing Ariidae and Anchariidae. Dis ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Auchenipteridae
The driftwood catfishes are catfishes of the family (biology), family Auchenipteridae. The two genera of the former family Ageneiosidae have been placed here, resulting in a grouping of about 125 species in about 22 genera. These fish are found in rivers from Panama to Argentina, commonly in river flood plains. All but one species have three pairs of barbel (anatomy), barbels, with the nasal barbels absent. Most species have very small adipose fins. While ''Ageneiosus inermis'', also known as the fidalgo, is known to reach in length, most are small, with some species not known at any longer than . The eggs are fertilised internally. Driftwood catfishes are nocturnal. Some of the smaller species are known to hide in logs and crevices during the day, and come out to feed at night. Some larger species can consume fruits and insects, and are probably omnivore, omnivorous. Fish of this family seem to feed primarily on insects, but also eat fish, shrimp, fruit, and even filamentous a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
