Description:
This species is distinguished by its hooked, long
dentary teeth. Habitat: Paracanthopoma
capeta has been recorded from a single locality
in the middle Rio Negro, Northern Brazil.
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:
Very difficult as all reports seem to intimate that
they need larger fish to feed on. 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 capeta: Portuguese vernacular (probably
a combination of capa, cape, and -eta, a diminutive
suffix) meaning the devil (i.e., an evil fish from
a human standpoint).
Common
Name:
None
Synonyms:
None
Family:
Trichomycteridae
Distribution:
South America: Middle Rio Negro drainage, northern Brazil.
Type locality: Brazil, Amazonas,
Rio Negro, praia Mari-Mari, upstream from Barcelos
and slightly above mouth of Rio Cuiuni (approximately
00°32'S, 63°24'W).
Paracanthopoma
capeta Holotype-Brazil,
Amazonas, Rio Negro
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