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Paralithoxus planquettei (Boeseman, 1982)

Image contributors to this species:

Yann Fulliquet (3) Mark Henry Sabaj (1)

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Other Sources:

Relevant Information:

Description: The genera Paralithoxus has been reserected in a new paper (2018) by Lujan et al. Paralithoxus can be diagnosed from other members of Lithoxini by having at most low hemispherical papillae around the oral disc margin (vs. digitate papillae in Exastilithoxus), 14 (rarely 13) branched caudal-fin rays (vs. 12 in Avalithoxus), five branched anal-fin rays (vs. four in Avalithoxus and Lithoxus), seven to nine interdorsal plates (vs. five in Avalithoxus and Lithoxus), and five rows of plates on the caudal peduncle (vs. three in Avalithoxus and Lithoxus). Similar to P. surinemensis from the same locations but P. pallidimaculatus has more operecular odontodes and is lighter coloured. Does not possess an adipose fin. Habitat: Inhabits stony rivulets and has been collected in little forest tributaries (3 to 4m wide) with shallow depth, rocky bottom, strong current, often with cascades. Likewise, during the dry season, it has been found in a split brook with very little water input, where only 2 species of Rivulus (R. igneus and R. cladophorus were present, thus suggesting that Paralithoxus is a pioneer species which is capable of colonising difficult environments which are nutritionally poor. Aquarium Care: Quite a demanding genera which need pure, oxygen rich water. They need plenty of hiding places and the aquarium to be very strongly filtered. Diet: Insectivores that feed in their natural habitat from insect larvae on rocks. Feed Frozen mosquito larvae, brine shrimp and Daphnia. They will also except tablet foods. Etymology: The specific name planquettei: In honour of Paul Planquette (1940–1996), Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (Kourou, French Guiana), who collected type. Remarks: Still found on some online sources as Lithoxus planquettei.

Common Name:

L044, Planquette's rapids pleco.

Synonyms:

Lithoxus planquettei

Family:

Loricariidae

Distribution:

South America: Atlantic coastal drainages from Maroni to Kaw River basins, French Guiana. Type locality: Crique Boulenger, Comté system, French Guyana.

Size:

7.0cm. (2¾ins)

Temp:

23-27°c (73-81°f)

p.H.

6.0-7.5.

IUCN Red List

Paralithoxus planquettei is one of the more common species of the genus. It is found in potentially all rivers in French Guiana (although the subpopulations in the Oyapok, including in neighbouring Brazil must be examined further) as well as the Maroni on the French Guiana/Suriname border. Although there is extensive gold mining within the range of the species and the Nassau Plateau of Suriname has been explored for bauxite mining, the species is a pioneer and likely not strongly impacted by poor environmental conditions. Much of the range in French Guiana is in the Guiana Amazonian Park, which offers strong protection to the species. Thus, the species is assessed as Least Concern (IUCN 2023).

Reference:

Armbruster, J.W. 2023. Paralithoxus planquettei. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2023.
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. 2021. FishBase. World Wide Web electronic publication. www.fishbase.org, ( 06/2021 ).
Le Bail, P.-Y., P. Keith and P. Planquette, 2000. Atlas des poissons d'eau douce de Guyane. Tome 2, Fascicule II: Siluriformes. Collection Patrimoines Naturels 43(II): 307p. Paris: Publications scientifiques du Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle.
Lujan, NK; Armbruster, JW & Lovejoy, NR, 2018 "Multilocus phylogeny, diagnosis and generic revision of the Guiana Shield endemic suckermouth armored catfish tribe Lithoxini (Loricariidae: Hypostominae)" (Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, Vol. 20).
Seidel, I. 2008. Back to Nature guide to L-catfishes, Ettlingen, Germany 208 p.
The ETYFish Project Fish Name Etymology Database © Christopher Scharpf.

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

Paralithoxus planquettei

Paralithoxus planquettei
Ventral view

Paralithoxus planquettei
Dorsal view

Paralithoxus planquettei

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