Armored catfish

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Armored catfish
Pterygoplichthys sp.

Pterygoplichthys sp.

Systematics
Overcohort : Clupeocephala
Cohort : Otomorpha
Sub-cohort : Ostariophysi
Order : Catfish (Siluriformes)
Subordination : Loricarioidei
Family : Armored catfish
Scientific name
Loricariidae
Rafinesque , 1815

The armor catfish (Loricariidae) are a family of the order catfish occurring in Central and South America . With more than 80 genera, over 820 described and estimated 700 species that have not yet been described , they are the most species-rich family of catfish and one of the most species-rich fish families at all.

Distribution and habitats

Armor catfish are native to southern Central America ( Costa Rica , Panama ) over the entire tropical South America (including the Caribbean island of Trinidad ) to Uruguay and the southern border of subtropical Argentina . They live in cool, fast-flowing mountain rivers as well as in warm stagnant water and in all three types of water in the South American tropics ( clear water , white water and black water ).

features

In general, they have a flattened, elongated body and are armored by bone shields on the sides of the body and, in some species, on the ventral side. The mouth has strong lips and is transformed into a suction disk. As a result, it is excellently adapted to rasp off growth food from stones and roots, and the animals can hold on to suitable supports in fast-flowing mountain streams by sucking in. There are also genera of armored catfish that feed primarily on wood, such as the genera Panaque and Panaqolus .

The size of the armored catfish varies greatly: from small dwarf forms of only 3 to 4 cm to medium-sized species of around 12 to 15 cm to real giants, which can sometimes reach over 1 m in length.

In the Loricariids, an omega iris regulates the amount of light entering the eye

In contrast to most other bony fish , armored catfish have an adjustable iris. Due to its shape, this is reminiscent of an upside-down Greek omega (Ω) and is therefore also called omega-iris . The upper part of the iris can expand or contract depending on the incidence of light and thus adapt to the light conditions. When a lot of light enters the eye, the iris takes on the shape that gives it its name.

In addition, the armored catfish, like the vast majority of the Siluriformes, have a different number of variably shaped barbels around their mouths, which are filled with liquid and represent an essential means of orientation for the fish. See also axillary gland .

Internal system

Armored catfish are often very difficult to identify , as they can usually change their color and shape fundamentally in the course of their development and accordingly the appearance of juvenile and adult animals of a species can be very different. A Key to the Genera of Loricariidae and The genera of the Neotropical armored catfish subfamily Loricariinae: A practical key and synopsis can be used as a current reference point for determining the various genera and species . Newly imported, not exactly identifiable and scientifically not previously described species are provided with a code system, the L numbers .

Subfamilies and genera

Relationships within the Loricariidae according to Reis, Roxo and Lujan et al.
 Loricariidae  







 Neoplecostominae


   

 Otothyrinae



   

 Hypoptopomatinae



   

 Hypostominae



   

 Loricariinae



   

 Rhinelepinae



   

 Delturinae



   

 Lithogeninae



Panaque nigrolineatus
Ancistrus sp.
Hypancistrus zebra
Pterygoplichthys gibbiceps
Rineloricaria longicauda
Peckoltia compta "L 134"
Subfamily Lithogeneinae


Subfamily Delturinae


Subfamily Rhinelepinae


Subfamily Loricariinae

Tribus Harttiini

Loricariini tribe

Subfamily Hypostominae

Chaetostoma clade

Ancistrini tribe

Pseudancistrus clade

Acanthicus clade

Hemiancistrus clade

Tribe Hypostomini

Peckoltia -Klade

Subfamily Hypoptopomatinae


Subfamily Neoplecostominae


Subfamily Otothyrinae


incertae sedis

Keeping in aquariums

The armor catfish include numerous species that are often kept in aquariums . They can be recognized by the fact that they have a suction mouth with which they can suck on the pane or furnishings. The algae-eating species are particularly popular. But the species of the numerous genera are very different in their nutritional requirements, the behavior shown, the expected final sizes and other needs, so that one has to inquire in advance about the respective species.

When keeping catfish, sharp-edged objects should be avoided as far as possible in order to prevent injuries. Some species also have sensitive barbels that could otherwise be injured. Most species need hiding places in the form of caves or roots for their well-being. But here too, given the enormous diversity of species, it is hardly possible to make general statements.

Offspring can be difficult in aquariums. Nevertheless, spontaneous spawning often occurs, such as B. in the case of the blue catfish ( Ancistrus sp.) Even without the assistance of the owner. These armored catfish prefer to spawn in caves, occasionally the clutches are placed on wood or stones or even in self-dug caves. Most species care for the brood until the hatchlings , with the males taking responsibility.

swell

literature

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Jonathan Armbruster: A Key to the Genera of Loricariidae ( English ) In: THE LORICARIIDAE . Auburn University. Retrieved April 27, 2019.
  2. ↑ Raphael Covain, Sonia Fisch-Muller: The genera of the Neotropical armored catfish subfamily Loricariinae (Siluriformes: Loricariidae): a practical key and synopsis. In: ZOOTAXA (= ZOOTAXA. Vol. 1462, No 1). Magnolia press, 2007, ISSN  1175-5326 , pp. 1-40. ( online )
  3. ^ RE Reis, EHL Pereira & JW Armbruster: Delturinae, a new loricariid catfish subfamily (Teleostei, Siluriformes), with revisions of Delturus and Hemipsilichthys. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, Volume 147, Issue 2, pages 277-299, June 2006 doi : 10.1111 / j.1096-3642.2006.00229.x
  4. ↑ a b Roxo FF, Albert JS, Silva GSC, Zawadzki CH, Foresti F., et al. (2014) Molecular Phylogeny and Biogeographic History of the Armored Neotropical Catfish Subfamilies Hypoptopomatinae, Neoplecostominae and Otothyrinae (Siluriformes: Loricariidae) . PLoS ONE 9 (8): e105564. doi: 10.1371 / journal.pone.0105564
  5. ↑ Lujan, NK, Armbruster, JW, Lovejoy, N. & López-Fernández, H. (2014): Multilocus molecular phylogeny of the suckermouth armored catfishes (Siluriformes: Loricariidae) with a focus on subfamily Hypostominae. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, September 2014. DOI: 10.1016 / j.ympev.2014.08.020
  6. ↑ a b R. Covain, S. Fish Muller: The genera of the Neotropical armored catfish subfamily loricariinae (Siluriformes: Loricariidae): a practical key and synopsis. Zootaxa 1462: 1-40 (2007) PDF
  7. ↑ Ribeiro, AC, Lima, FCT & Pereira, EHL (2012): A New Genus and Species of a Minute Suckermouth Armored Catfish (Siluriformes: Loricariidae) from the Rio Tocantins Drainage, Central Brazil: The Smallest Known Loricariid Catfish. Copeia , 2012 (4): 637-647.

Web links

Commons : Armored Catfish  - Collection of images, videos and audio files

further reading