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ormerly known by its common name of Spinipterus sp. "Otorongo" as coming from the Río Otorongo in Peru, this species finely got described to go alongside Spinipterus acsi Akama & Ferraris, 2011 from the upper Amazon River basin in Peru and Brazil in 2019 by Rocha et al. There are only these two described species in the genera with possibly another undescribed species from Guyana.

  Spinipterus moijiri - adult male

The genus name of Spinipterus was derived from Latin 'spina' for spine and Greek 'pterus' meaning wing, referring to the serrated nature of the fin spines. The specific epithet moijiri comes from Moijiri; this species is known among the Paumari Indians that inhabit the Río Tapauá, Purus basin. The meaning of the word Moijiri is unknown so far. The Paumari language belongs to the Arawa linguistic group.

  Spinipterus moijiri - juvenile

Spinipterus moijiri - serrations to pectoral spines

An expedition to the middle Río Purus basin uncovered a remarkable new species of the genus Spinipterus. The new species has a very distinct and conspicuous colour pattern resembling a jaguar and it is almost four times larger than Spinipterus acsi, a small specimen (32mm LS) from Caño Santa Rita, a right bank tributary of Río Nanay in Peru and a second specimen was reported from Río Juruá, Amazonas State, Brazil. Although the new species is more similar in size and colour pattern to Liosomadoras, it shares the synapomorphies for Spinipterus (Rocha et al. 2019).

Otorongo woodcat, Novia Otorongo

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South America: Peru, Río Otorongo

10.5cm. (4¼ins)

20-26°C (67-79°F)

Posterior process of cleithrum short, never reaching vertical through the dorsal-fin origin. Seven soft pectoral-fin rays. Caudal fin truncated.

Keep in groups. Very nocturnal so provide caves and structures for hiding during the day. Will be okay with most other fish in the aquarium as long as they are not too small.

This family practice internal fertilisation with the female scattering the eggs in the aquarium with no parental care. It has been noted (Grant, S.) that S. acsi normally lays its eggs in caves or pipes and guards them. Not the easiest from this family to spawn and raise fry.

As in most Auchenipterids the males have a modified anal fin and a dorsal fin with larger anterior serrations. The females are deeper bodied.

Most aquarium frozen foods such as bloodworm and blackworm. Tablet and pellet foods.

Anal fin: The median, unpaired, ventrally located fin that lies behind the anus, usually on the posterior half of the fish.
Caudal fin: The tail.
Cleithrum: The major bone of the pectoral girdle, extending upward from the pectoral fin base and forming the rear margin of the gill cavity, also: the principal bow-shaped bone of the prectoral girlde, dermal in origin, forming the rear margin of the gill cavity. It articulates dorsally with the supracleithrum and ventrally with the scapula and coracoid.
Coracoid: Middle and lower section of the pectoral girdle.
Dorsal fin: The primary rayed fin(s) on top of the body.
Pectoral fins: The paired fins just behind the head.

Spinipterus: Derived from Latin 'spina' for spine and Greek 'pterus' meaning wing, referring to the serrated nature of the fin spines.
moijiri: The specific epithet moijiri comes from Moijiri; this species is known among the Paumari Indians that inhabit the Río Tapauá, Purus basin.

Photo Credits

© Erlend D. Bertelsen
© Johnny Jensen @  

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