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ur first factsheet of 2022 brings us to a member of the Corydoradinae sub-family and a group of small catfish that have always been a popular addition to our aquaria for many years, namely the genera of Aspidoras and to a not too well known but nicely marked member in Aspidoras albater.

Aspidoras albater

The Aspidoras genera differ from Corydoras by their different behaviour such as their swimming habits. The eyes are smaller (see image below), body smaller and a smaller head shape in Aspidoras compared with Corydoras. Aspidoras posses a duel fontanel bone structure in the skull whereas Corydoras have only the one larger fontanel.

Aspidoras albater - head view

Many species of Aspidoras are difficult to tell apart unless there is area catchment information available. A. albater and C035 have turned out to be the same species and A. taurus and A. eurycephalus have also turned out to be synonyms of A. albater.

In the year 2011 two cave populations of what was thought of as Aspidoras albater with reduced eyes and pigmentation were found near the city of Posse, São Domingos karst area, Goiás State, representing the first known case of a troglomorphic callichthyid catfish. At the time there were not enough morphometric differences between this cave population and A. albater and were named as such by Secutti, Sandro et. al., but in 2017 they were again looked at by Tencatt and Bichuette and later given a new description and renamed as a completely new species, Aspidoras mephisto Tencatt, Bichuette 2017.

Lineage: All Aspidoras belong to Lineage 2 with the exception of A. pauciradiatus which will prove to be a Corydoras and if a revision is carried out will be Gastrodermus (Cope, 1878) and a member of Lineage 5 alongside members of the "elegans group".

Information on the Lineage system: In 2005 the book Identifying Corydoradinae Catfish by Ian A. M. Fuller and Hans-Georg Evers (2005) was published and at that time little was known about the relationships among different species in the Callichthyidae as a whole and even less was known about the relationships among the Corydoradinae. This was changed in 2011 with the publication of the molecular phylogeny of the group: Evolution, Ecology and Taxonomy of the Corydoradinae revisited: Markos A Alexandrou & Martin I Taylor (2011), which was published in the follow up book in 2011, Identifying Corydoradinae Catfish Supplement 1. Our factsheet species resides in Lineage 2.

Distrbution: Brazil, Goiás, Rio Tocantinzinha near São João da Aliança, 14°46’S, 47° 30’W, Rio Tocantins system.

False macropterus, C035

Aspidoras taurus, Aspidoras eurycephalus

Corydoradinae

South America: Brazil, Goiás, Rio Tocantinzinha near São João da Aliança, 14°46’S, 47° 30’W, Rio Tocantins system.

Male: 3.5cm (1¼ins) Female: 4.0cm (1½ins)

22-24°C (71-75°F)

Dorsal and pectoral fins spines distinctly shorter than adjacent rays. Snout in front of nostrils naked. Two short mental barbels, two pairs of rictal barbels, the longest (dorsal) reaching to or little beyond a vertical from the posterior margin of eye. Inner edge of pectoral fin spine finely serrated. Anterior fontanel round. Skin of intercoracoid area with numerous isolated minute ossifications.

Aspidoras albater is fairly uncommon in the hobby but as with all of this genus they are best kept in groups of six or more and are best housed with small fishes that are not aggressive. Provide a planted area in the tank for cover and include a soft substrate such as sand or small rounded gravel. They are fairly active during the day.

Has been bred in the normal t-mating Corydoradinae fashion. Provide a small species only tank with a sand substrate, a good water current, java moss and possibly spawning mops could be an advantage. Cool water changes of 50% once or twice a week. Small live foods is a good recipe for a spawning success. A group of at least 4/6 individuals is a good bet for any achievement.

May be difficult with newly purchased individuals but females will be more rotund just after the pectoral fin insertion when sexually active. Best idea is to look from above to see these similarities.

Flake, tablet foods, small live and frozen foods.

Cleithrum: The major bone of the pectoral girdle, extending upward from the pectoral fin base and forming the rear margin of the gill cavity, also: the principal bow-shaped bone of the prectoral girlde, dermal in origin, forming the rear margin of the gill cavity. It articulates dorsally with the supracleithrum and ventrally with the scapula and coracoid.
Coracoid: Middle and lower section of the pectoral girdle.
Fontanel: The space(s) between the bones on top of the skull covered by skin.
Maxillary: Pertaining to the upper jaw. (maxillary barbels).
Mental barbels: Pertaining to the chin, on the lower jaw. (mental barbels).
Pectoral fin: The paired fins just behind the head.
Rictal barbels: Pertaining to the barbels on the corners of the mouth (Corydoras).
Synonym: Different name for the same fish.

Aspidoras: Aspidos = shield; doras = cuirass.
albater: albus = white; ater = black.

Ian A. M. Fuller & Hans-Georg Evers (2011). Identifying Corydoradinae Catfish Supplement 1. Ian Fuller Enterprises.
Alexandrou, Markos & Taylor, Martin. (2011). Evolution, ecology and taxonomy of the Corydoradinae revisited.
Baensch, H.A. and R. Riehl 1985 Aquarien atlas. Band 2. Mergus, Verlag für Natur- und Heimtierkunde GmbH, Melle, Germany. 1216 p.
ScotCat Article: The Genus Aspidoras.
www.corydorasworld.com
Wikimedia Commons 2021.
Nijssen & Isbrücker; 1976, Key to the Species of Aspidoras.
Secutti, Sandro, Reis, Roberto E and Trajano, (2011) Eleonora Differentiating cave Aspidoras catfish from a karst area of Central Brazil, upper rio Tocantins basin (Siluriformes: Callichthyidae).
Tencatt LFC, Bichuette ME (2017) Aspidoras mephisto, new species: The first troglobitic Callichthyidae (Teleostei: Siluriformes) from South America. PLoS ONE 12(3).

Photo Credits

© Chris Ralph
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Map: Wikimedia Commons 2021