| Scoloplacidae (Spiny dwarf catfishes) |
| 1.99 cm SL (male/unsexed) |
|
demersal; freshwater |
| South America: Amazon and Paraguay/Paraná River basins. |
|
Dorsal soft rays (total): 4-4; Anal soft rays: 6-6. Paired bilateral barbels. |
| An air-breather, inhabiting clear water streams with sandy to muddy bottom, up to 2.5 m deep with water flow up to 30 cm/sec. Forages at twilight and night, moving little and preying mostly on chironomid larvae and tiny oligochaetes. When disturbed may bury itself in the sand, diving quickly headfirst and making lateral movements with body. Hides during the day amidst the exposed root tangle and basal portions of submersed aquatic vegetation, and among plant debris on the bottom. A sample of 874 individuals (7.7-16.4 mm SL) taken at the end of the rainy season contains six sexually dimorphic males (14.0-14.6 mm SL) and several presumably adult females (12.8-16.4 mm SL) with up to 300 immature oocytes in each ovary. Sexual ratio of 28 adults (11.9-14.1 mm SL) taken at random is 0.86 males to 1.14 females (Ref. 39865). |
|
Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 09 November 2020 Ref. (130435)
|
| harmless |
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