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Cetopsis amphiloxa (Eigenmann, 1914)

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Description: Cetopsis amphiloxa can be distinguished from all of its congeners by the combination of the presence of an eye, the conical teeth on the vomer and dentary, the rounded posterior nares which is distinctly separated from the contralateral nares by a distance greater than the width of posterior nares, the absence of a dark humeral spot, the presence of very small rather than eye-sized or larger spots on the lateral and dorsal surfaces of the body, the lack of a concentration of dark pigmentation at the base of the dorsal fin, the lack of a band of dark pigmentation along the distal portion of the anal fin, the possession of 29 to 33 total anal-fin rays, 23 to 28 branched anal-fin rays, 10 to 12 precaudal vertebrae, 31 to 33 caudal vertebrae, 41 to 43 total vertebrae, 8, or rarely, 9 pectoral-fin rays, and the lack of a concentration of dark pigmentation basally on the dorsal fin. Habitat: Known from the northern portions of the Rio San Juan basin and southern sections of the adjoining Rio Atrato basin, both in western Colombia, the Rio Patia basin of southwestern Colombia, and the rivers of northwestern Ecuador. Etymology: The specific name amphiloxa: amphi– (Gr.), on both sides or double; loxós (Gr.), slanting, crosswise or oblique, allusion not explained nor evident.

Common Name:

None

Synonyms:

Hemicetopsis amphiloxus

Family:

Cetopsidae

Distribution:

South America: Patía, upper San Juan and Atrato River basins, Pacific versant, western Colombia, and rivers of northwestern Ecuador. Type locality: Creek near San Lorenzo, [Río] Patía basin, Colombia.

Size:

18.5cm. (7¼ins)

Temp:

22-28°c (71-83°f )

p.H.

6.0-7.0.

IUCN Red List

This species has localised threats that may be causing declines in the extent and quality of its habitat. However, it is widely distributed and is present in at least one protected area. Hence it is listed as Least Concern (IUCN 2016).

Reference:

Arguello, P. & Sanchez-Duarte, P. 2016. Cetopsis amphiloxa. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016.
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. 2021. FishBase. World Wide Web electronic publication. www.fishbase.org, ( 06/2021 ).
The ETYFish Project Fish Name Etymology Database © Christopher Scharpf.
Vari, R. P., C. J. Ferraris Jr. & M. C. C. de Pinna. 2005. The Neotropical whale catfishes (Siluriformes: Cetopsidae: Cetopsinae), a revisionary study. Neotropical Ichthyology 3:127-238.

Family: Cetopsidae Back to Ident-A-Cat Click on Thumbnails

Cetopsis amphiloxa
San Juan River drainage, Choco, Colombia

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