''Bunocephalus'' is a

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus com ...

of banjo catfishes from

South America South America is a continent entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere at the northern tip of the continent. It can also be described as the southe ...

. It is found in Magdalena,

Orinoco The Orinoco () is one of the longest rivers in South America at . Its drainage basin, sometimes known as the Orinoquia, covers , with 76.3 percent of it in Venezuela and the remainder in Colombia. It is the fourth largest river in the wor ...

Amazon Amazon most often refers to: * Amazons, a tribe of female warriors in Greek mythology * Amazon rainforest, a rainforest covering most of the Amazon basin * Amazon River, in South America * Amazon (company), an American multinational technology c ...

Paraguay Paraguay (; ), officially the Republic of Paraguay ( es, República del Paraguay, links=no; gn, Tavakuairetã Paraguái, links=si), is a landlocked country in South America. It is bordered by Argentina to the south and southwest, Brazil to th ...

- Paraná, and

São Francisco River The São Francisco River (, ) is a large river in Brazil. With a length of , it is the longest river that runs entirely in Brazilian territory, and the fourth longest in South America and overall in Brazil (after the Amazon, the Paraná and t ...

s. It is also the only aspredinid genus found west of the

Andes The Andes, Andes Mountains or Andean Mountains (; ) are the longest continental mountain range in the world, forming a continuous highland along the western edge of South America. The range is long, wide (widest between 18°S – 20°S ...

, found in the Atrato, San Juan, and

Patía River The Patía River () is a river in southwestern Colombia. It flows over to drain into the Pacific Ocean north of Tumaco. The Patía River is the longest river on the Colombian Pacific Coast. The last is navigable by boat. Geography The Patía ...

s. This genus is a part of the

family Family (from la, familia) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its ...

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., Magda ...

, known as banjo catfishes for their large, flattened heads and slender tails that give the appearance of a

banjo The banjo is a stringed instrument with a thin membrane stretched over a frame or cavity to form a resonator. The membrane is typically circular, and usually made of plastic, or occasionally animal skin. Early forms of the instrument were fashi ...

. Most species exhibit

cryptic coloration Camouflage is the use of any combination of materials, coloration, or illumination for concealment, either by making animals or objects hard to see, or by disguising them as something else. Examples include the leopard's spotted coat, the b ...

, and the same holds true among ''Bunocephalus'' species. The skin is completely

keratin Keratin () is one of a family of structural fibrous proteins also known as ''scleroproteins''. Alpha-keratin (α-keratin) is a type of keratin found in vertebrates. It is the key structural material making up scales, hair, nails, feathers, ho ...

ized and is covered by large, unculiferous

tubercle In anatomy, a tubercle (literally 'small tuber', Latin for 'lump') is any round nodule, small eminence, or warty outgrowth found on external or internal organs of a plant or an animal. In plants A tubercle is generally a wart-like projection ...

s. ''Bunocephalus'' species may reach up to 13 centimetres SL.

Species

There are currently 12 recognized species in this genus: * '' Bunocephalus aleuropsis''

Cope The cope (known in Latin as ''pluviale'' 'rain coat' or ''cappa'' 'cape') is a liturgical vestment, more precisely a long mantle or cloak, open in front and fastened at the breast with a band or clasp. It may be of any liturgical colours, litu ...

, 1870 * ''

Bunocephalus amaurus ''Bunocephalus'' is a genus of banjo catfishes from South America. It is found in Magdalena, Orinoco, Amazon, Paraguay- Paraná, and São Francisco Rivers. It is also the only aspredinid genus found west of the Andes, found in the Atrato, Sa ...

'' C. H. Eigenmann, 1912 (Camouflaged catfish) * ''

Bunocephalus chamaizelus ''Bunocephalus'' is a genus of banjo catfishes from South America. It is found in Magdalena, Orinoco, Amazon, Paraguay- Paraná, and São Francisco Rivers. It is also the only aspredinid genus found west of the Andes, found in the Atrato, Sa ...

'' C. H. Eigenmann, 1912 * ''

Bunocephalus colombianus ''Bunocephalus'' is a genus of banjo catfishes from South America. It is found in Magdalena, Orinoco, Amazon, Paraguay- Paraná, and São Francisco Rivers. It is also the only aspredinid genus found west of the Andes, found in the Atrato, Sa ...

'' C. H. Eigenmann, 1912 * '' Bunocephalus coracoideus'' (

, 1874) (Guitarrita) * '' Bunocephalus doriae'' Boulenger, 1902 * '' Bunocephalus erondinae'' A. R. Cardoso, 2010 * '' Bunocephalus hartti'' T. P. Carvalho, A. R. Cardoso, Friel & R. E. dos Reis, 2015 Carvalho, T.P., Cardoso, A.R., Friel, J.P. & Reis, R.E. (2015): Two new species of the banjo catfish ''Bunocephalus'' Kner (Siluriformes: Aspredinidae) from the upper and middle rio São Francisco basins, Brazil. ''Neotropical Ichthyology, 13 (3): 499-512.'' * '' Bunocephalus knerii'' Steindachner, 1882 (Ecuador banjo catfish) * '' Bunocephalus larai'' R. Ihering ( pt), 1930 * '' Bunocephalus minerim'' T. P. Carvalho, A. R. Cardoso, Friel & R. E. dos Reis, 2015 * ''

Bunocephalus verrucosus ''Bunocephalus'' is a genus of banjo catfishes from South America. It is found in Magdalena, Orinoco, Amazon, Paraguay- Paraná, and São Francisco Rivers. It is also the only aspredinid genus found west of the Andes, found in the Atrato, ...

'' (

Walbaum Walbaum is a German surname. Notable people with the surname include: *Johann Julius Walbaum (1724–1799), German physician, naturalist and taxonomist * Johannes Walbaum (born 1987), German footballer * Justus Erich Walbaum (1768-1837), German typ ...

, 1792) (Gnarled catfish) The removal of ''Pseudobunocephalus'' from ''Bunocephalus'' was an attempt to make it monophyletic. Even in this reduced state, ''Bunocephalus'' is still the largest genus in the Aspredinidae.

In the aquarium

''B. coracoideus'' is the most common species of banjo catfish found in the

aquarium An aquarium (plural: ''aquariums'' or ''aquaria'') is a vivarium of any size having at least one transparent side in which aquatic plants or animals are kept and displayed. Fishkeepers use aquaria to keep fish, invertebrates, amphibians, aq ...

fishkeeping Fishkeeping is a popular hobby, practiced by aquarists, concerned with keeping fish in a home aquarium or garden pond. There is also a piscicultural fishkeeping industry, serving as a branch of agriculture. Origins of fishkeeping Fish have ...

hobby A hobby is considered to be a regular activity that is done for enjoyment, typically during one's leisure time. Hobbies include collecting themed items and objects, engaging in creative and artistic pursuits, playing Sport, sports, or pursu ...

. These fish are nocturnal. This species is peaceful and a good idea for a community aquarium. These fish may be kept with sand to allow them to bury themselves or with a flat rock to hide underneath. Reproduction has been accomplished in the home aquarium. These fish can be easily sexed because females are much fatter and fuller than males. The mating pair should be conditioned on live foods for at least a month. Spawning is induced by a larger water change; the pair will spawn within two days. Spawning occurs at night. Some sources say they spawn under a fallen leaf or on a large rock, incubating their eggs by sitting on them, while others list them as egg-scatterers.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q2718074 Aspredinidae Fish of the Amazon basin Catfish genera Taxa named by Rudolf Kner