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Karsten Schönherr (2) Drake Shaw (1)

Mees (1974) assigned this species to Tatia but Ferraris (2007) reverted it back to the original genera of Centromochlus. Just recently (September 2019) a new paper was released by Bárbara B. Calegari et. al. whereas this species was reclassified back to Tatia again. Description: nuchal plate with blunt horns, moderately bent outwards; usually 10 anal fin rays; posterior border of adpressed anal fin falling behind hind-border of adipose fin or almost opposite pectoral fin rays I.7-12; body colour densley mottled and dotteded with drak grey on a pale (unpigmented) background, ventrally white, unpigmented. 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 6.5 and 7.0. They do like a planted aquarium where they like to hide during the day. They also make a good show fish if showing your fish at shows is your forte, as they usually deport well in a show tank. Diet: In its native habitat they feed on insects, mostly ants, beetles, and mayflies and in the aquarium they will eat anything given such as frozen bloodworm which they will come out of hiding to feed on, catfish tablets, daphnia, white worm (sparingly) and any other worm-like foods. Etymology: The specific epithet punctata is from the Latin punctatus = 'spotted'. Remarks: Still listed in some online sources as Centromochlus punctatus (Mees, 1974).

Spotted Tatia

Centromochlus punctata

Auchenipteridae

South America: Coastal rivers of northern South America, above Amazon River mouth. Type locality: Creeks between Kabel and Lombé [Suriname]

4.5cm (1¾ins)

26-28°c (79-83°f.)

6.5-7.5.

Bárbara B Calegari, Richard P Vari, Roberto E Reis, 2019. Phylogenetic systematics of the driftwood catfishes (Siluriformes: Auchenipteridae): a combined morphological and molecular analysis, Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, , zlz036.
Ferraris, C.J. Jr., 2003. Auchenipteridae (Driftwood catfishes). p. 470-482. In R.E. Reis, S.O. Kullander and C.J. Ferraris, Jr. (eds.) Checklist of the Freshwater Fishes of South and Central America. Porto Alegre: EDIPUCRS, Brasil.
Froese, R. and D. Pauly. Editors. 2018. FishBase. World Wide Web electronic publication. www.fishbase.org, ( 10/2018 ).
Mol, H.A. Jan, The Freshwater Fishes of Suriname. BRILL, Leiden Boston, 2012. 889 p.
Soares-Porto, L.M., 1998. Monophyly and interrelationships of the Centromochlinae (Siluriformes: Auchenipteridae). p. 331-350. In L.R. Malabarba, R.E. Reis, R.P. Vari, Z.M.S. Lucena and C.A.S. Lucena (eds.) Phylogeny and classification of neotropical fishes. Porto Alegre: EDIPUCRS.
Sarmento-Soares, Luisa Maria; Martins-Pinheiro, Ronaldo Fernando A systematic revision of Tatia (Siluriformes: Auchenipteridae: Centromochlinae) Neotropical Ichthyology, 6(3):495-542, 2008.