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Plecostomus, pleco, or plec is the
Plecostomus, pleco, or plec is the common name
In biology, a common name of a taxon or organism (also known as a vernacular name, English name, colloquial name, country name, popular name, or farmer's name) is a name that is based on the normal language of everyday life; and is often contrast ...
of several species of freshwater loricariid
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 not ...
catfish commonly sold as aquarium fish.
These include:
*''Hypostomus plecostomus
''Hypostomus plecostomus'', also known as the suckermouth catfish or the common pleco, is a tropical freshwater fish belonging to the armored catfish family (Loricariidae), named for the longitudinal rows of armor-like scutes that cover the upp ...
''
*''Hypostomus punctatus
''Hypostomus punctatus'', the suckermouthed catfish, is a tropical fish belonging to the armored suckermouth catfish family, Loricariidae. ''Hypostomus punctatus'' is a freshwater fish native to South America, in the coastal drainages of southeas ...
''
*''Pterygoplichthys multiradiatus
''Pterygoplichthys multiradiatus'' is one of several tropical fish commonly known as Orinoco sailfin catfish, plecostomus (or plecos). It belongs to the armored catfish family (Loricariidae). Named for its sail-like dorsal fin, the part of its sc ...
''
*''Pterygoplichthys pardalis
''Pterygoplichthys pardalis'', the Amazon sailfin catfish, is a freshwater fish, freshwater tropical fish in the armored catfish family (Loricariidae). It is one of a number of species commonly referred to as the common pleco or "leopard pleco" b ...
''
*''Panaqolus maccus
''Panaqolus maccus'', commonly called the clown panaque, clown plecostomus, clown pleco, or ringlet pleco, is a dwarf loricariid. By numbering systems such as the L-number system, this fish may also be known as L104, L162, or LDA22.
Distribution ...
''
It is also used as part of the common names of various similar species of loricariids.
The superficially similar loach Beaufortia kweichowensis
''Beaufortia kweichowensis'' is a species of gastromyzontid loach native to rivers in China. The common names for this popular aquarium species are Chinese hillstream loach, Hong Kong pleco, butterfly hillstream loach, and Chinese sucker fi ...
is also sometimes known as the "butterfly plec", despite not being closely related to the Loracariidae.See also
*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 not ...
* Ancistrus
''Ancistrus'' is a genus of nocturnal freshwater fish in the family Loricariidae of order Siluriformes, native to freshwater habitats in South America and Panama. Fish of this genus are common in the aquarium trade where they are known as bushyn ...
, often incorrectly called "bristlenose pleco"
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