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Harttia merevari Provenzano, Machado-Allison, Chernoff, Willink & Petry, 2005

Image contributors to this species:

Provenzano R.F., et al 2005 (3)

ScotCat Sources:

Other Sources:

Relevant Information:

Description: Harttia merevari is distinguished from similar species by the presence of a naked abdomen, two or three preanal plates, a bony plate before each branchial opening, seven lateral plates between the pectoral and pelvic fins, a short maxillary barbel attached to the oral disk by a fleshy fold. Colouration: The head, dorsal surface and anterior portion of the species' body are light or dark yellow with numerous, round black spots, while the posterior region of the body is light or dark yellow with five black transverse bands, with the dorsal central area of the two anterior bands diffused. Aquarium Care: Not the easiest genera to keep as they will need clean, oxygen rich water and a strong current. Does not do well in imports due to its difficulty in traveling containers. Diet: Dry foods, algae wafers, Spirulina and normal tablet foods. Frozen foods, Artemia nauplii, glass worms and Daphnia. Sexual Differences: Males tend to have odontodes (hair like structures) on the first ray of the pectoral fins and the head in males is broader. Etymology: The genus name Harttia: –ia, belonging to: Charles Frederick Hartt (1840-1878), geologist, paleontologist and naturalist, who collect many specimens that Steindachner studied during the Thayer Expedition (1865-1866) to Brazil. The specific name of merevari: Ye-kuana name for the Caura River, Bolívar State, Venezuela, type locality.

Common Name:

None

Synonyms:

None

Family:

Loricariidae

Distribution:

South America: Upper Caura River, Orinoco River basin, Venezuela. Type locality: Venezuela, Bolívar State, Caura River at the top of Salto Pará waterfalls, among rocks on the eastern side of the river.

Size:

10.0cm. (4ins)

Temp:

25-30°c (75-87°f.)

p.H.

6.0-7.0.

Reference:

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. 2023. FishBase. World Wide Web electronic publication. www.fishbase.org, ( 06/2023 ).
Provenzano, R., F., A. Machado-Allison, B. Chernoff, P. Willink and P. Petry, 2005. Harttia merevari, a new species of catfish (Siluriformes: Loricariidae) from Venezuela. Neotrop. Ichthyol. 3(4):519-524.
The ETYFish Project Fish Name Etymology Database © Christopher Scharpf.

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

Harttia merevari
Holotype-Venezuela, Bolívar State, Caura River at the top of Salto Pará waterfalls, among rocks on the eastern side of the river

Harttia merevari
Dorsal view, Holotype-Venezuela, Bolívar State, Caura River at the top of Salto Pará waterfalls, among rocks on the eastern side of the river

Harttia merevari
Ventral view, Holotype-Venezuela, Bolívar State, Caura River at the top of Salto Pará waterfalls, among rocks on the eastern side of the river

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