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FACTSHEETS: August 2022 - no. 314

Hypancistrus furunculus Armbruster, Lujan & Taphorn, 2007


 ay back in the year 1995 a very nice striped Hypancistrus emerged from Venezuela and was given the L-number of 199 in the September edition of the Datz magazine in Germany. Fast forward 12 years to 2007 and this Hypancistrus species was described by Armbruster, Lujan & Taphorn as H. furunculus. It is one of the more rare Hypancistrus species from the Orinoco delta. It has a quite distinct body and head shape that makes it fairly easy to identify, and young individuals can especially show a very beautiful zebra pattern. Compared to other striped Orinoco-based Hypancistrus species, Hypancistrus furunculus has wider stripes.



Hypancistrus furunculus

Hypancistrus furunculus

 

in their paper of 2007, Armbruster, Lujan & Taphorn described Hypancistrus furunculus (L199) along with three other species, H. contradens, (L201 which was first thought to be H. inspector and is now a different species), H. lunaorum (L339) and H. debilittera (L129).

 

Hypancistrus furunculus - the specific name for a petty thief or pilferer, and is in reference to the dark band between the eyes that is similar to a bandits mask

Hypancistrus furunculus - The specific name for a petty thief or pilferer, and is in reference to the dark band between the eyes that is similar to a bandit’s mask

 

Hypancistrus furunculus can be distinguished from H. contradens, H. inspector, and H. lunaorum by having oblique bars on the anterior part of the body and horizontal bands in the dorsal fin (vs. white spots); from H. debilittera by having complete bands in the dorsal fin (vs. incomplete bands), dark E on snout distinct (vs. absent or indistinct), anterior dark bars complete, straight, and distinct (vs. incomplete, vermiculate, and/or indistinct) and by having the light bands in the caudal about equal in width with dark bands (vs. light bands less than half the width of the dark bands); from H. zebra by having a tan background colour (vs. almost white), by having only one oblique stripe on the body and dorsal saddles posteriorly (vs. sides completely with oblique stripes).

Similar to the Panaque/Panaqolus and Peckoltia genera but have fewer and larger teeth in the lower and upper jaw.

 

Hypancistrus furunculus - Showing the complete bands in the dorsal fin

Hypancistrus furunculus - Showing the complete bands in the dorsal fin

 



Distrbution: Venezuela: Upper Orinoco drainage. Type Locality: Venezuela, Amazonas, Cucue Amerindian village on Rio Orinoco, 60 km E of San Juan de Atabapo.


An update on the L-number system
:

The German DATZ magazine was at the forefront of introducing the L-number code due to the many undescribed species that were entering the hobby without any name. It was the December edition of 1988 that Rainer Stawikowski first introduced the L-numbers, L of course standing for Loricariidae.

As of August 2022 the number stands at an incredible 519. When any L-number is described the corresponding number will be retired.

 

Common Name

L199

Synonyms

None

Family

Loricariidae

Subfamily

Hypostominae

Distribution

Venezuela: Upper Orinoco drainage. Type Locality: Venezuela, Amazonas, Cucue Amerindian village on Rio Orinoco, 60 km E of San Juan de Atabapo.

Size

12.0cm. (4¾ins)

Temp.

24-27°c (75-81°f.)

p.H.

6.0-7.5.

Characteristics

Oblique bars on the anterior part of the body and horizontal bands in the dorsal fin. Complete bands in the dorsal fin. dark E on snout. Anterior dark bars complete and straight, Light bands in the caudal about equal in width with dark bands.

Colouration

Tan background colour. One oblique stripe on the body and dorsal saddles posteriorly. Mature specimens tend to sport yellow in the head area.

Aquarium Care & Compatibility

No problem with keeping in groups but only one Hypancistrus species to a tank as there has been reports of hybridisation. Provide some water movement in the aquarium with a sandy substrate, caves and rockwork to provide hiding places. No problem with other non-aggresive fish in a community tank. They prefer water that is on the warm side (27-30°c), soft and slightly acidic.

Reproduction

Has been bred successfully in the hobby. Will lay 20 to 30 large eggs. Leaving their cave the youngsters can be around the 1.5cm.(¾ins) length. The male is responsible for the brood care.

Sexual differences

Males posses a broader and longer head and odontodes on the posterior part of the body, behind the gill covers and on the pectoral fin spines. The latter two are a lot shorter in the females.

Diet

Omnivores, juveniles are keen on vegetable foods whereas adults are less so. Frozen foods such as brine shrimp, mosquito larvae and mussels as well as tablet foods.

Glossary of Terms

Caudal fin: The tail.
Dorsal fin: The primary rayed fin(s) on top of the body.
Gills: The organs utilized to obtain oxygen from the water.
Odontodes: Hair-like stuctures on the body.

Etymology

Hypancistrus: Greek, hypo = under + Greek, agkistron = hook.
furunculus: Latin for a petty thief or pilferer, and is in reference to the dark band between the eyes that is similar to a bandit’s mask. Treated as a noun in apposition.

References

Armbruster, J.W., N.K. Lujan and D.C. Taphorn, 2007 Four new Hypancistrus (Siluriformes: Loricariidae) from Amazonas, Veneuzela. Copeia (1):62-79.
loricariidae.info
Seidel, I. 2008. Back to Nature guide to L-catfishes, Ettlingen, Germany 208 p.

Photo Credits

© Haakon Haagensen @  loricariidae.info
© Andrew Campbell
Map: commons.wikimedia.org CC BY-SA 4.0

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ScotCat Sources

Etymology = Genus Etymology-genera

Etymology = Species Etymology-specific name

 

Other Sources

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Loricariidae.info loricariidae.info

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