Acanthobunocephalus nicoi

Acanthobunocephalus nicoi
Not evaluated (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Siluriformes
Family: Aspredinidae
Subfamily: Bunocephalinae
Genus: Acanthobunocephalus
Friel, 1995
Species: A. nicoi
Binomial name
Acanthobunocephalus nicoi
Friel, 1995

Acanthobunocephalus nicoi is the only species of catfish (order Siluriformes) in the genus Acanthobunocephalus of the family Aspredinidae.[1] This species is known from only three localities and appears to be restricted to the upper Orinoco River system of Venezuela and possibly the upper Rio Negro system of Brazil.[2]

Acanthobunocephalus nicoi can be differentiated from other aspredinids by the presence of a dorsal fin spine locking mechanism and a rigid dorsal fin spine. The lateral line is truncated at about the dorsal fin level.[3] The head is depressed and the caudal peduncle is slender, tapering to the caudal fin. The mouth is terminal, with the jaws and lips equal. The dorsal and anal fin membranes are not adnate with the body.[3] These fish reach sexual maturity at just over 16 millimetres (.63 in) SL, and have not been observed to exceed 20 mm (.79 in) SL.[2][3]

This species is found in flooded plants, primarily grasses and sedges, in black water (stained by tannin).[3]

External links

References

  1. Ferraris, Carl J., Jr. (2007). "Checklist of catfishes, recent and fossil (Osteichthyes: Siluriformes), and catalogue of siluriform primary types" (PDF). Zootaxa 1418: 1–628.
  2. 1 2 Friel, John P. (2000-04-14). "Acanthobunocephalus Friel 1995. Acanthobunocephalus nicoi Friel 1995". Tree of Life Web Project. Retrieved 2007-08-07.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Friel, John Patrick (1994-12-13). "A Phylogenetic Study of the Neotropical Banjo Catfishes (Teleostei: Siluriformes: Aspredinidae)" (PDF). Duke University, Durham, NC. Archived from the original (PDF) on 28 September 2007. Retrieved 2007-08-07.
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