Habitat: This
species is common along the Pacific slope of Ecuador
from Esmeraldas to Huaquillas and there are many references
for its occurrence in the area.It
lives in streams with clear, fast-running water, that
have rocks or gravel on the bottom. Often it occurs
in shallow waters less than 30cm in depth (Barriga,
1989). Description: Ituglanis
laticeps is distinguished from other species
ocurring in western Ecuador by its elongate body shape
and having a body is that is uniformly covered by
very numerous close-set light brown spots. Teeth are
conical only in young specimens, otherwise teeth are
incisiform (Glodek, 1978). Colouration:
Glodek (1978) indicates that dark brown median stripes
are absent although smaller individuals collected
by Aguirre and collaborators had a mix of stripes
and spots suggesting that colour may change during
ontongey (development and maturation). Aquarium
Care: Even although this species is termed,
along with other members of this family, as parasitic
catfishes it is well behaved in the aquarium but is
seldom seen until feeding time. Provide caves/pipes
for this species.
Common
Name:
None
Synonyms:
Trichomycterus laticeps
Family:
Trichomycteridae
Distribution:
South America:Ecuador. Type locality:
Western slopes of the Andes in the state of Ecuador.
Size:
9.0cm. (3½ins)
Temp:
25-28°c (77-83°f.)
p.H.
6.0-7.0.
Reference:
de Pínna, M.C.C.
and W. Wosiacki, 2003. Trichomycteridae (pencil
or parasitic catfishes). p. 270-290. In R.E. Reis,
S.O. Kullander and C.J. Ferraris, Jr. (eds.) Checklist
of the Freshwater Fishes of South and Central America.
Porto Alegre: EDIPUCRS, Brasil Froese, R. and D. Pauly.
Editors. 2021. FishBase. World Wide Web electronic
publication. www.fishbase.org, version (05/2021).
Laaz, Enrique; Windsor,
Aquirre. Freshwater
Fishes of Western Ecuador.
(05/2021). Ferraris, C.J. Jr.,
2007. Checklist of catfishes, recent and fossil (Osteichthyes:
Siluriformes), and catalogue of siluriform primary
types. Zootaxa 1418:1-628.
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