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Paracanthopoma cangussu Henschel, Katz & Costa, 2021

Image contributors to this species:

de Pinna, M. C. C., & Dagosta, F. C. P. 2022 (1)

ScotCat Sources:

Other Sources:

Relevant Information:

Description: Paracanthopoma cangussu is a species of vampire catfish from the family Trichomycteridae and is distinguished by having seven opercular odontodes (bony spines), five dentary teeth, five premaxillary teeth, and a specific position of the first dorsal-fin pterygiophore relative to the vertebrae. Habitat: Known so far from the Rio Araguaia basin. Aquarium Care: Not easy to keep and would need to be housed on their own as larger fish would be preyed upon for their blood in the gill chambers. Sand is the best substrate for digging themselves into and floating plants to cut the light down for this light sensitive species. Diet: While the species is primarily hematophagous (blood-feeding), some specimens have been found with Chironomid larvae (insect larvae) in their guts, leading to the hypothesis that it may occasionally feed on insects. Etymology: The genus name Paracanthopoma: pará (Gr.), near, referring to similarity to Acanthopoma (Stegophilinae), both of which possess united gill membranes that are free from the isthmus. The specific name cangussu: Named for the Canguçu Research Centre, managed by the Federal University of Tocantins (Brazil), for their support of the authors’ study.

Common Name:

None

Synonyms:

None

Family:

Trichomycteridae

Distribution:

South America: Middle Araguaia River drainage, central Brazil. Type locality: Brazil: Tocantins State: Pium Municipality: sandbank at a beach in the Bananal Island, Javaés River drainage, Araguaia River basin, 09°59'52"S, 50°06'49"W].

Size:

1.5cm (¾ins)

Temp:

23-26°c (73-79°f.)

p.H.

6.0-7.0.

IUCN Red List

Not evaluated

Reference:

de Pinna, M. C. C., & Dagosta, F. C. P. (2022). A taxonomic review of the vampire catfish genus Paracanthopoma Giltay, 1935 (Siluriformes, Trichomycteridae), with descriptions of nine new species and a revised diagnosis of the genus. Papéis Avulsos De Zoologia, 62, e202262072.
Henschel, E., Katz, A. M., & M. Costa, J. E. (2021). A new candiru of the genus Paracanthopoma (Siluriformes: Trichomycteridae) from the Araguaia River basin, central Brazil. Journal of Fish Biology, 99(6), 1990-1997.
The ETYFish Project Fish Name Etymology Database © Christopher Scharpf.

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

Paracanthopoma cangussu

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