Astroblepus

Naked sucker-mouth catfish
Astroblepus sabalo
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Siluriformes
Family: Astroblepidae
Bleeker, 1862
Genus: Astroblepus
Humboldt, 1805
Type species
Astroblepus grixalvii
Humboldt, 1805

Astroblepus is a genus of catfish. It is the sole genus in the family Astroblepidae, the most species-rich family of a single genus.[1] These fish are known as the naked sucker-mouth catfishes or the climbing catfishes.[1]

Species

There are currently 79 recognized species in this genus:

Distribution and habitat

These catfishes are primarily found in torrential streams in the Andean area of South America and Panama.[1] Two species, A. pholeter and A. riberae, are troglobites adapted to living in subterranean water systems.[12]

Description

Astroblepus catfishes are typically small, less than 15 cm (6 in).[13] The largest species reaches 30 cm (12 in).[1] These fish have suckermouths like those of loricariids. They have two pairs of barbels, maxillary and nasal. The dorsal fin spine lacks a locking mechanism.[1] These fish also have odontodes, tiny teeth on their skin. All species exhibit a conical, pointy type on their fin rays like that found in other loricarioids; three species also exhibit a blunt type that is only found on their skin.[13]

Ecology

Some of these fish are able to live at up to 3500 m altitude and climb the faces of waterfalls.[1] Their climbing ability comes from specially developed pelvic fins, as well as their suckermouths.[13] In their neotropical Andean habitat, dry and wet seasons are quite extreme, and odontodes may help in sensing food, mates, and water flow, as well as help cling to surfaces.[13] They feed upon invertebrates, such as caterpillars and annelids.[13]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Nelson, J.S. (2006). Fishes of the World. John Wiley & Sons, Inc. ISBN 0-471-25031-7.
  2. 1 2 Ardila Rodríguez, C.A. (2011): Astroblepus itae, Astroblepus acostai. Dos nuevas especies del Río Cáchira y Río Sinú, Colombia. Universidad Metropolitana de Barranquilla. Barranquilla, Colombia. 16 pp.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 Ardila Rodríguez, C.A. (2015): Five new species of astroblepid fish for Colombian Andes. Revista de la Asociación Colombiana de Ciencias Biológicas, 27 (1): 124-135.
  4. ↑ Ardila Rodríguez, C.A. (2012): Astroblepus ardilai sp. nov. Una nuevas especie de pez del los Andes del Municipio de Floridablanca, Departamento de Norte de Santander – Colombia. Peces del Departamento de Santander – Colombia. No. 5. 21 pp.
  5. ↑ Ardila Rodríguez, C.A. (2011). "Astroblepus cacharas (Siluriformes, Astroblepidae), nueva especie del rio Cáchira, cuenca del rio Magdalena, Colombia". Dahlia, 11: 23–33.
  6. 1 2 3 4 Ardila Rodríguez, C.A. (2013): Astroblepus hidalgoi – A. floridaensis – A. huallagaensis y A. cajamarcaensis: Cuatro nuevas especies de los Andes del Peru. Universidad Metropolitana de Barranquilla. Barranquilla, Colombia. 22pp.
  7. 1 2 3 Ardila Rodríguez, C.A. (2014): Astroblepus tamboensis – A. chinchaoensis y A. moyanensis: Tres nuevas especies de los Andes del Peru. Universidad Metropolitana de Barranquilla. Barranquilla, Colombia. 22pp.
  8. 1 2 3 4 Ardila Rodríguez, C.A. (2015): Astroblepus verai sp. nov. – A. pradai, A. curitiensis y A. onzagaensis. Cuatro nuevas especies del Departamento de Santander – Colombia. Barranquilla, Departamento del Atlántico, 2015 (7): 24pp.
  9. 1 2 Ardila Rodríguez, C.A. (2013): Astroblepus martinezi y Astroblepus jimenezae: Dos nuevas especies del Río Sinú y Río Atrato, Colombia. Universidad Metropolitana de Barranquilla. Barranquilla, Colombia. 20pp.
  10. ↑ Ardila Rodríguez, C.A. (2014): Astroblepus mendezi sp. nov. una nueva especie de pez de Panamá. Universidad Metropolitana de Barranquilla. Barranquilla, Colombia. 17pp.
  11. 1 2 Ardila Rodríguez, C.A. (2012): Astroblepus ortegai y Astroblepus quispei. Dos nuevas especies des los Andes del Perú. Universidad Metropolitana, Departmento del Atlántico. Barranquilla. 16 pp.
  12. ↑ Romero, A. (2001): The Biology of Hypogean Fishes. Developments in Environmental Biology of Fishes. ISBN 978-1402000768
  13. 1 2 3 4 5 Schaefer, S.A. & Buitrago-Suárez, U.A. (2002). "Odontode morphology and skin surface features of Andean astroblepid catfishes (Siluriformes, Astroblepidae)". Journal of Morphology, 254 (2): 139–148.
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