Pseudacanthicus
| Pseudacanthicus | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Pseudacanthicus spinosus | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Siluriformes |
| Family: | Loricariidae |
| Subfamily: | Hypostominae |
| Genus: | Pseudacanthicus Bleeker, 1862 |
| Type species | |
| Hypostomus serratus Valenciennes, 1840 | |
| Synonyms | |
|
Stoneiella Fowler, 1914 | |
Pseudacanthicus is a genus of suckermouth armored catfishes native to South America. Pseudacanthicus is distributed in the Orinoco, the Guyanas, the Rio Negro, and the lower Amazonian tributaries.
Species
There are currently 6 recognized species in this genus:
- Pseudacanthicus fordii (Günther, 1868)
- Pseudacanthicus histrix (Valenciennes, 1840)
- Pseudacanthicus leopardus (Fowler, 1914)
- Pseudacanthicus pitanga Chamon, 2015 [1]
- Pseudacanthicus serratus (Valenciennes, 1840)
- Pseudacanthicus spinosus (Castelnau, 1855)
Description
Species of Pseudacanthicus are large, spiny loricariids with a diverse range of colour patterns. Colour is from light to dark gray, often with black spots. The fins and body may have red sections or a red wash. Colouration varies between rivers and can also change throughout the lifetime of a single individual. The abdomen is covered in small plates in adults. The caudal fin is forked, but without filaments. The jaws are short, forming an acute angle at their union; the teeth are few and stout. The adipose fin is present. In the aquarium, Pseudacanthicus species may be kept in the aquarium. P. leopardus is a large attractive fish known in the aquarium hobby as the leopard cactus pleco. It is a large fish that essentially feeds on dead meat. It is territorial and care should be taken when maintaining it with other large, nocturnal fish.
References
- ↑ Chamon, C.C. (2015): Pseudacanthicus pitanga: a new species of Ancistrini (Siluriformes: Loricariidae: Hypostominae) from rio Tocantins Basin, North Brazil. Zootaxa, 3973 (2): 309–319.