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Rhinodoras thomersoni Taphorn & Lilyestrom, 1984

Image contributors to this species:

Mark Henry Sabaj (1)

ScotCat Sources:

Other Sources:

Relevant Information:

Description: Differs from Rhynchodoras by 28-32 midlateral scutes versus 33-37; and upper and lower jaw not modified versus upper and lower jaw strongly modified into a downwards facing proboscis-like bill (Grant, S. 2021). Aquarium Care: Provide a soft substrate such as sand as this will be better as sharp gravel can be detrimental to the fishes barbels and its health. Provide caves or pipework so they can hide up during the day. Diet: As they can be very nocturnal they can be best fed at lights out with tablet foods and frozen foods such as bloodworms. If left to their own devices they will actively seek out food remains during the night. Etymology: The specific name thomersoni: In honour of American ichthyologist Jamie E. Thomerson (1935–2015), Southern Illinois University, who introduced the senior author to the study of fishes and led his first trip to South America (he also led expedition during which holotype was collected).

Common Name:

None

Synonyms:

None

Family:

Doradidae

Distribution:

South America: Santa Ana, Catatumbo and Escalante river basins, along southwest shore of Lake Maracaibo. Type locality: Venezuela noroccidental. Cuenca del Lago Maracaibo, Estado Zulia, desembocadura del Río Catatumbo, cerca de El Congo.

Size:

20.0cm. (8ins)

Temp:

23-26°C (73-79°F)

p.H.

6.0-7.5.

IUCN Red List

Despite ongoing threats throughout the Maracaibo basin, this species occupies a wide distribution, with parts of the range occurring in national parks. As such, it is listed as Least Concern. However, there is little ecological information available and the species remains rare in some areas within its range. As a result, further research on this species would be beneficial (IUCN 2023).

Reference:

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. 2025. FishBase. World Wide Web electronic publication. www.fishbase.org, version.
Galvis, G., J.I. Mojica and M. Camargo, 1997. Peces del Catatumbo. Asociación Cravo Norte, Santafé de Bogotá, D.C., 188 p.
Grant, S. (2021): Banjos, Dorads and Woodcats. Aspredinidae, Doradidae and Auchenipteridae Catfishes. ATS-Aquashop, Neustadt am Rübenberge: 1-300.
Perez, A. 2023. Rhinodoras thomersoni. 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

Rhinodoras thomersoni
Rio Escalante-Venezuela

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