''Scoloplax'' is the only genus in the catfish (

order Order, ORDER or Orders may refer to: * Categorization, the process in which ideas and objects are recognized, differentiated, and understood * Heterarchy, a system of organization wherein the elements have the potential to be ranked a number of d ...

Siluriformes) family Scoloplacidae, the spiny dwarf catfishes.

Species

The six currently recognized species in this genus are: * ''

Scoloplax baileyi ''Scoloplax'' is the only genus in the catfish (order (biology), order Siluriformes) family (biology), family Scoloplacidae, the spiny dwarf catfishes. Species The six currently recognized species in this genus are: * ''Scoloplax baileyi'' Marc ...

Rocha Rocha may refer to: * Rocha (surname), a Portuguese surname * Rocha, Moca, Puerto Rico, a barrio in the municipality of Moca, Puerto Rico * Rocha, Rio de Janeiro, a neighborhood in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil * Rocha, Uruguay, capital city of the Rocha ...

, Lazzarotto & Rapp Py-Daniel, 2012Rocha, R., Lazzarotto, H. & Rapp Py-Daniel, L. (2012): A New Species of ''Scoloplax'' with a Remarkable New Tooth Morphology within Loricarioidea (Siluriformes: Scoloplacidae). ''Copeia, 2012 (4): 670-677.'' * ''

Scoloplax baskini ''Scoloplax'' is the only genus in the catfish (order (biology), order Siluriformes) family (biology), family Scoloplacidae, the spiny dwarf catfishes. Species The six currently recognized species in this genus are: * ''Scoloplax baileyi'' Marc ...

, de Oliveira & Rapp Py-Daniel, 2008 * ''

Scoloplax dicra ''Scoloplax'' is the only genus in the catfish (order (biology), order Siluriformes) family (biology), family Scoloplacidae, the spiny dwarf catfishes. Species The six currently recognized species in this genus are: * ''Scoloplax baileyi'' Marc ...

'' Bailey & Baskin, 1976 * ''

Scoloplax distolothrix ''Scoloplax'' is the only genus in the catfish (order (biology), order Siluriformes) family (biology), family Scoloplacidae, the spiny dwarf catfishes. Species The six currently recognized species in this genus are: * ''Scoloplax baileyi'' Marc ...

'' Schaefer,

Weitzman Weitzmann or Weitzman is a surname, a variant of Weizmann. Notable people with the surname include: Weitzmann *Carl Borromäus Weitzmann (1767–1828), German jurist, and Swabian dialect poet *Carl Friedrich Weitzmann (1808–1880), German music ...

& Britski, 1989 * ''

Scoloplax dolicholophia ''Scoloplax'' is the only genus in the catfish (order (biology), order Siluriformes) family (biology), family Scoloplacidae, the spiny dwarf catfishes. Species The six currently recognized species in this genus are: * ''Scoloplax baileyi'' Marc ...

'' Schaefer,

& Britski, 1989 * ''

Scoloplax empousa ''Scoloplax'' is the only genus in the catfish ( order Siluriformes) family Scoloplacidae, the spiny dwarf catfishes. Species The six currently recognized species in this genus are: * '' Scoloplax baileyi'' Rocha, Lazzarotto & Rapp Py-Daniel, ...

'' Schaefer,

& Britski, 1989 (Pantanal dwarf catfish)

Distribution

''Scoloplax'' is distributed in South America in Peru,

Bolivia , image_flag = Bandera de Bolivia (Estado).svg , flag_alt = Horizontal tricolor (red, yellow, and green from top to bottom) with the coat of arms of Bolivia in the center , flag_alt2 = 7 × 7 square p ...

, Brazil, and Paraguay. ''S. baskini'' is from the small tributaries of Rio Aripuanã, Rio Madeira drainage, Amazonas State, Brazil. ''S. dicra'' has the largest distribution in the

Amazon basin The Amazon basin is the part of South America drained by the Amazon River and its tributaries. The Amazon drainage basin covers an area of about , or about 35.5 percent of the South American continent. It is located in the countries of Bolivi ...

, originating from the Amazon and Paraguay River basins. ''S. distolothrix'' inhabits the Tocantins- Araguaia, Xingu, and Paraguay River basins. ''S. dolicholophia'' is known from the Rio Negro basin in Brazil, as well as the

Lake Amanã A lake is an area filled with water, localized in a basin, surrounded by land, and distinct from any river or other outlet that serves to feed or drain the lake. Lakes lie on land and are not part of the ocean, although, like the much large ...

. ''S. empousa'' lives in the Amazon and Paraguay-

Paraná River The Paraná River ( es, Río Paraná, links=no , pt, Rio Paraná, gn, Ysyry Parana) is a river in south-central South America, running through Brazil, Paraguay, and Argentina for some ."Parana River". Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Br ...

basins.

Description

Species of ''Scoloplax'' are readily distinguishable from other catfishes by the presence of a conspicuous

shield A shield is a piece of personal armour held in the hand, which may or may not be strapped to the wrist or forearm. Shields are used to intercept specific attacks, whether from close-ranged weaponry or projectiles such as arrows, by means of a ...

-shaped

rostral Rostral may refer to: Anatomy * Rostral (anatomical term), situated toward the oral or nasal region * Rostral bone, in ceratopsian dinosaurs * Rostral organ, of certain fish * Rostral scale, in snakes and scaled reptiles Other uses * Rostral colu ...

plate bearing numerous large and recurved odontodes. These fish have three rows of odontode-bearing plates, two bilateral series and one midventral series. There is also a

plate with many recurved odootodes. The adipose fin is absent. The greatest length reached is about SL. ''Scoloplax'' species have modified stomachs that are enlarged, thin-walled, and clear. The esophagus enters the stomach along the dorsal side just posterior to the anterior margin of the stomach; the intestine exits the stomach ventrally. A small patch of muscular tissue represents the digestive portion of the stomach, located from the entrance of the esophagus to where the intestine exits. This modified stomach may be for buoyancy control or for breathing air.

Ecology

''Scoloplax'' species are fairly common among leaf litter in clear and blackwater habitats, including

oxbow lake An oxbow lake is a U-shaped lake or pool that forms when a wide meander of a river is cut off, creating a free-standing body of water. In South Texas, oxbows left by the Rio Grande are called '' resacas''. In Australia, oxbow lakes are call ...

s, backwater pools, and well-vegetated streams.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q2064940 Catfish of South America Taxa named by Reeve Maclaren Bailey Taxa named by Jonathan N. Baskin Fish of the Amazon basin Fish of Bolivia Freshwater fish of Brazil Fish of Paraguay Fish of Peru Catfish genera