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Mark Henry Sabaj (1)

Mees (1974) assigned this species to Tatia but Ferraris (2007) reverted it back to the original genera of Centromochlus. Just recently (September 2019) due to earlier work carried out by U.K. aquarist and amateur ichthyologist Steven Grant (2015) a new paper was released by Bárbara B. Calegari et al whereas this species, Tatia carolae Vari & Ferraris, 2013 and C. macracanthus Soares-Porto, 2000 were reclassified to a new genus, Balroglanis. Description: Centromochlus (Balroglanis) akwe differs from other Centromochlinae by having a vermiculated colour pattern on the dorsum (vs. dorsum uniform in all Centromochlinae except Tatia brunnea, T. dunni, and T. meridionalis). The new species is distinguished from these three species by having eye ventrolaterally displaced on head in a way that almost the entire eye is visible in ventral view (vs. eye displaced dorsolaterally and not visible in ventral view). C (B). akwe is diagnosed from other Centromochlus by having the pectoral-fin spine with dark bars, alternating with light bars (vs. pectoral-fin spine with light and uniform colour in all Centromochlus). It is further distinguished from all congeners except C. carolae by the ventral surface of head moderate to largely pigmented (vs. ventral surface of head unpigmented or with few scattered dark chromatophores). It is distinguished from C (B). carolae by the presence of vermiculated colour pattern or scattered chromatophores on lateral surface of the body that extends to the caudal peduncle (vs. lateral surface of the body with distinct demarcation between dark and light areas continuous posteriorly onto the caudal peduncle whereas the dark pigmentation extends nearly to the ventral midline in C (B). carolae), by lacking dark large and rounded blotches over a pale background on head and trunk (vs. present in C (B). schultzi); and by the smaller length of the dorsal-fin spine (18.1-27.1% of SL vs. more than 27% of SL in C (B). macracanthus, C. heckelii, C. existimatus), and pectoral-fin spine (24.2-32.2% of SL vs. more than 33% of SL in C (B). macracanthus, C. heckelii, C. existimatus).Aquarium Care: Keeping this species is not too much of a problem as long as the water is kept clean and not too alkaline with a p.H. of between 6.0 and 7.0. They do like a planted aquarium where they like to hide during the day. Also provide pipework for this genera for a choice of hiding places. Sexual Differences: The sexes can be distinguished best by the shape of the maxillary barbels, these barbels are curved in males, straight in females. Mature males also have a modified anal fin, similar to that of other species in this family. Diet: In its native habitat they feed on small invertebrates and crustaceans and in the aquarium they will eat anything given such as frozen bloodworm, catfish tablets, white worm (sparingly), prawns and shrimp. Etymology: The genus name Balroglanis: Meaning "Balrog Catfish" and is derived from the Maia, a Balrog known as Durin's Bane, who terrorised Durin the Deathless' descendants in Khazad-dûm, in J. R. R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings legendarium. The specific name akwe: Named for the Akwê (Xerente self-denomination) indigenous people who previously inhabited the middle and upper Tocantins River basin (Tocantins, Brazil), where this catfish occurs (today the Akwê-Xerente are restricted to the city of Tocantínia, north of Palmas City). Remarks: Still found on some online searches as Centromochlus akwe.

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Auchenipteridae

South America: Tocantins-Araguaia River basin, Brazil.

7.5cm (3ins)

26-28°c (79-83°f.)

6.0-7.0.

Coelho, F.L., C.C Chamon and L.M. Sarmento-Soares, 2021. A new species of driftwood catfish Centromochlus Kner, 1858 (Siluriformes, Auchenipteridae, Centromochlinae) from Tocantins-Araguaia River drainage. Zootaxa 4950(1):149-165.
Ferraris, C.J. Jr., 2007. Checklist of catfishes, recent and fossil (Osteichthyes: Siluriformes), and catalogue of siluriform primary types. Zootaxa 1418:1-628.
Froese, R. and D. Pauly. Editors. 2024. FishBase. World Wide Web electronic publication. www.fishbase.org, ( 08/2024 ).
The ETYFish Project Fish Name Etymology Database © Christopher Scharpf.