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Mark Henry Sabaj (1) Karsten Schönherr (1)

Description: Dorsal spines (total): 2; Dorsal soft rays (total): 6. Can be diagnosed from Ossancora punctata by having maxillary barbel with elongate fimbriae inserted in two distinct rows along anterior margin, one dorsally and one ventrally, mental barbels with elongate fimbriae, and anterior nuchal plate reduced, diamond shaped, not sutured to epioccipital. Can be distinguished from Ossancora eigenmanni and Ossancora fimbriata by having the unique combination of gas bladder with numerous diverticula that are thin, moderately elongate (often branched), and grouped in roughly paired, small fascicles along the periphery of anterior face, shoulder and lateral walls of anterior chamber as well as lateral walls and posterior face of posterior chambers (vs. peripheral diverticula absent or few, restricted to anterolateral shoulder and sometimes anterior face of the anterior chamber in Ossancora eigenmanni; terminal diverticula lacking or indistinguishable from other peripheral diverticula (vs. short terminal diverticula present in Ossancora fimbriata; infranuchal plate not greatly expanded ventrally (vs. greatly expanded ventrally, reaching level of posterior coracoid process in adults in Ossancora fimbriata); nuchal foramina absent (vs. usually present, except in some large adults, in Ossancora fimbriata); less than 20 teeth per ramus on premaxilla and dentary (vs. 25-50 in Ossancora fimbriata); mental barbel with elongate fimbriae in single row (vs. two rows in Ossancora fimbriata). Aquarium Care: Very peaceful addition to a large community aquarium. This is another doradid that prefers safety in numbers assuming that you can purchase them. Recommended that you keep at least 4 specimens together. Good water quality is required. Diet: Finely shredded shrimp and bloodworm. Etymology: The specific name asterophysa: astêr (Gr.), star; phÿsa (Gr.), bladder, referring to proliferation of diverticula along periphery of swim bladder.

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Doradidae

South America: Amazonas basin in Bolivia, Brazil and Peru; Ilha do Marajó near the mouth of the rio Amazonas to laguna Yarinacocha, an oxbow lake connected to the río Ucayali; río Mamoré and upper Guaporé, Madeira drainage.

16.0cm. (6¼ins)

22-25°C (71-77°F)

6.0-7.0.

Birindelli, JLO and MH Sabaj Pérez (2011) Ossancora, new genus of thorny catfish (Teleostei: Siluriformes: Doradidae) with description of one new species. Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia 161, pp. 117–152.
Froese, R. and D. Pauly. Editors. 2018. FishBase. World Wide Web electronic publication. www.fishbase.org, ( 06/2018 ).
Sabaj, M.H. and C.J. Ferraris, Jr. 2003 Doradidae (Thorny catfishes). p. 456-469. 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.
The ETYFish Project Fish Name Etymology Database © Christopher Scharpf.