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John G. Lundberg (1) Quintana, Barrientos, & Rodiles-Hernandez (3)

Description: Dorsal spines (total): 2; Dorsal soft rays (total): 8-10; Anal spines: 0. This species is distinguished from all other siluriforms by the following uniquely derived and anatomically complex characteristics: fifth infraorbital bone relatively wide and thick-walled, boomerang-shaped and anteriorly convex, and remote from a markedly prominent sphenotic process; the lateral margin of skull thickened along frontal bone and adjacent parts of lateral ethmoid and sphenotic bones at origins of much enlarged adductor mandibulae and levator arcus palatini muscles, otherwise the skull roof medial to muscle origins severely constricted, flat, lacking crests and fossae; a pair of cone-shaped "pseudo-pharyngobranchial" bones at anterior tips of enlarged accessory cartilages medial to first and second epibranchials; a hypertrophied, axe-shaped uncinate process on third epibranchial; gas bladder with paired spherical, unencapsulated diverticulae protruding from anterodorsal wall. Habitat: Inhabits deep river channels and pools with rocks and strong eddy currents. sometimes taken in stream mouths; collected in both high and low water seasons, and generally during the night. Diet: Food include fishes, crabs, prawns, and large and tough seeds. Etymology: Lacantunia Named for Rio Lacantún in Chiapas, the tributary river of Rio Usumacinta inhabited by the new catfish. enigmatica: From the Latin name 'enigmatica' = baffling or inexplicable, for the unexpected discovery, obscure relationships and origin. Aquarium Care: Not likely to be offered to the aquarium trade due to its vulnerability in its native habitat. It is threatened by habitat alteration (deforestation), proposed dam constructions, and invasive species (Rodiles-Hernández et al. 2005) which could cause it to become Critically Endangered or Extinct within a short space of time. This, in addition to the very low number of locations (1), means there is rationale to assess the species as Vulnerable D2 (IUCN 2018).

Chiapas catfish

None

Lacantuniidae

Mexico & Guatemala: Usumacinta River basin, Chiapas (Mexico) and Quiché (Guatemala).

43.0cm (17¼ins)

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Rodiles-Hernández, R., D.A. Hendrickson, J.G. Lundberg and J.M. Humphries, 2005. Lacantunia enigmatica (Teleostei: Siluriformes) a new and phylogenetically puzzling freshwater fish from Mesoamerica. Zootaxa 1000:1-24.
Schmitter-Soto, J. 2019. Lacantunia enigmatica. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2019.
Quintana Y, Christian Barrientos C, Rodiles-Hernández R (2019) Range extension for Lacantunia enigmatica Rodiles-Hernández, Hendrickson & Lundberg, 2005 (Siluriformes, Lacantuniidae) in the Usumacinta river basin, Guatemala.
Froese, R. and D. Pauly. Editors. 2019.FishBase. World Wide Web electronic publication. www.fishbase.org, ( 12/2019 )