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Doraops zuloagai Schultz, 1944

Image contributors to this species:

Mark Henry Sabaj (2)

ScotCat Sources:

Other Sources:

Relevant Information:

Doraops zuloagai is monotypic (the only species) in the genus Doraops of the catfish family Doradidae. Habitat: Found in rivers, preferring muddy bottom of backwaters. Diet: Feeds on insects, worms, small crabs and snails. Etymology: The genus name Doraops: òps, eye or face (i.e., appearance), similar to “other members of the family Doradidae”. The specific name zuloagai: In honour of Venezuelan geologist Guillermo Zuloaga (1904–1984), assistant chief of exploration, Standard Oil Co. of Venezuela, who was largely responsible for inviting Schultz to study the fishes of the Maracaibo Basin.

Common Name:

None

Synonyms:

None

Family:

Doradidae

Distribution:

South America: Lake Maracaibo basin including lake itself and Apon, Santa Ana, Catatumbo, Escalante and de Los Pajaros River basins, Colombia . Type Locality: Río de Los Pajaros, 3 km above Lago Maracaibo.

Size:

50.0cm. (18ins)

Temp:

25-29°C (77-85°F)

p.H.

6.0-7.5.

IUCN Red List

This species occupies a moderately large range within the surrounding areas of the Lake Maracaibo Basin in Colombia and Venezuela. Although this species is currently impacted by heavy fishing pressures, as well as ongoing affects from habitat degradation, it remains relatively abundant within its range, and is likely seeing positive outcomes from regional management plans. As such, this species is currently assessed as Least Concern. Research is required to investigate the exact impact from overfishing (IUCN 2023).

Reference:

Burgess, W.E., 1989. An atlas of freshwater and marine catfishes. A preliminary survey of the Siluriformes. T.F.H. Publications, Inc., Neptune City, New Jersey (USA). 784 p.
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, version (06/2023).
Jimenez-Segura, L., Mojica, J. & Alonso, J. C. 2016. Centrochir crocodili. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016.
Perez, A. 2023. Doraops zuloagai. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2023.
The ETYFish Project Fish Name Etymology Database © Christopher Scharpf.

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

Doraops zuloagai

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