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Tatia
intermedia (Steindachner, 1877) |
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Image contributors
to this species: |
Chris
Ralph (4) Daniel Blom (4) Yann Fulliquet
(2) Allan James (4) Graham Ramsay
(1) |
ScotCat
Sources: |
 
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Other Sources: |
 
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Relevant Information: |
Dorsal spines (total): 1; Dorsal soft
rays (total): 4 - 5; Anal soft rays: 9 - 10; Vertebrae: 35 - 36.
Differs from other species by having a wide elliptical cranial
fontanel; short postcleithral process not reaching vertical through
origin of dorsal fin; body coloration variable, usually with elliptical
spots along sides of body, large specimens with faint spots; or
color pattern uniformly pale brown; and caudal fin with small
spots or pale brown. The only other Tatia with a variable
coloration is Tatia galaxias, but this species differs
from Tatia galaxias by its short postcleithral process
; its small eye, 21.4-26.3% HL and its long snout 38.8-44.3% HL.
Can be further diagnosed by the following characters: nasal ossified
with wide medial flanges partially sutured to lateral margin of
mesethmoid and caudal-fin lobes of mature females with same length,
but mature males with elongated upper lobe are other distinguishing
features. Description: A iii,6-7; V i5. Post-Weberian vertebrae
35-36. The anal fin is the key to the sexual dimorphism of this
genus, if you think of the male and female of most livebearer
fish (Goodeidae family) and you wil not be too far away
with this assumption. The female has a normal anal fin but the
males are modified into a copulatory organ with the first and
second ray thickened and longer, it is thought that the male uses
this to clasp the female during the spawning embrace. |
Common Name:
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Snowflake Woodcat |
Synonyms: |
Centromochlus intermedius |
Family: |
Auchenipteridae |
Distribution: |
South America: Amazon
River basin and rivers of the Guianas. Type locality:
Marabitanos; Pará, Brazil. |
Size: |
12cm (4¾ins) |
Temp: |
21-24°c (69 -75°f.) |
p.H. |
6.5 -7.5. |
Reference: |
Froese, R. and D. Pauly.
Editors. 2009.FishBase. World Wide Web electronic publication.
www.fishbase.org, version (08/2009).
ScotCat Factsheet no. 048; June 2000. |
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