SCOTCAT.COM

your internet guide to all things catfish

Loricaria lata Eigenmann & Eigenmann, 1889

Image contributors to this species:

Ingo Seidel (1) Hans-Georg Evers (1) Haakon Haagensen (1)

ScotCat Sources:

Other Sources:

Relevant Information:

Description: This genera is identified by the teeth of the upper mandible being twice as long as the lower mandible. The upper lip is short, its edge covered by numerous thin, simple, bifurcate or, more rarely, trifurcate barbels. The lower lip has small papillae with long filaments along the edge. The leading ray of the pectoral fins are longer and the upper first spine of the caudal fin is extended. This species is very similar to Loricaria cataphracta from the Guyana highlands and Loricaria simillima. Breeding is similar (read more in Evers, H.-G. & I.Seidel in reference). Not the easiest of genera to identify to species. Aquarium Care: Not quite as sensitive to poor water quality as L. cataphracta but still should be acclimatised slowly for the home aquarium. Diet: Carnivore: feed with tablets, pellets, insect larvae, zooplankton and shrimps. A varied diet is important to this species and genus. Etymology: The specific name lata: Latin for wide or broad, presumably referring to its greatly depressed body, wider than it is high.

Common Name:

None

Synonyms:

None

Family:

Loricariidae

Distribution:

South America: Brazil, Araguaia River basin. Type locality: Goyaz, Brazil.

Size:

25.0cm. (10ins)

Temp:

26-30°c (79-87°f.)

p.H.

6.5-7.2.

IUCN Red List

Loricaria lata is endemic to Brazil, described in 1889 for the Araguaia River, Goiás state. Between the 1980s and 1990s, the species was recorded for other locations in the Tocantins River basin. After this period, L. lata was no longer recorded, although the area is well sampled. However, there is difficulty in identifying specific populations of this species, which may be confused with other taxa. There are several hydroelectric projects in operation and planned along the Tocantins River. Although Loricaria species are relatively tolerant to the effects of damming, the sensitivity of L. lata to this type of impact is unknown. Considering the extensive environmental changes underway in the Tocantins River and the uncertainties related to the species distribution in the basin, it is not possible to reliably assess its conservation status. Therefore, Loricaria lata was categorised as Data Deficient (DD), (IUCN 2022).

Reference:

All L-Numbers Datz Special: Habitat, Care & Diet.
Chico Mendes Institute for Biodiversity Conservation (ICMBio). 2022. Loricaria lata. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2022.
Evers, H.-G. & I.Seidel: Mergus, Baensch Catfish Atlas Volume 1, 1st English edn., 2005. Pp.944.
The ETYFish Project Fish Name Etymology Database © Christopher Scharpf.

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

Loricaria lata

Loricaria lata

Loricaria lata
Rio Tocantins, Brazil

If you would like to contribute to the monthly factsheets with an article, information or photos, please e-mail me. You will of course be credited for your work.

If you would like to donate any denomination of monies to the site just click the above link button. All proceeds will go to running the site and hopefully to keep it going for a few years yet.