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Hemisorubim platyrhynchos (Valenciennes, 1840)

Image contributors to this species:

Robin Warne (1) Johnny Jensen's Photographic Library (3) Enrico Richter (1) Erlend D Bertelsen (1)

ScotCat Sources:

Other Sources:

Relevant Information:

Description: Head strongly depressed and the jaw prominently inferior. Dorsal 1-6 rays, Pectoral 1-7; Pelvics 6; Anal fin; 9. Maxillary barbells reach back to the adipose fin. The occipital process is united to the nucal plate, and the humeral process is small. Habitat: Rather rare, and is confined to the deeper and slow-moving parts of large rivers together with some Loricaria and Potamotrygon. Its body shape and colour pattern are perfectly adapted to the muddy bottom where they stay. Colouration: Adults have a greyish colouration, with a series of brown spots of which those on the flanks have a black center. Juveniles are heavier spotted than the adults. Diet: Feeds on benthic organisms and fish. The position of the eyes and the shape of the mouth of this piscivorous fish give to its stalking mode of hunting. Etymology: The specific name platyrhynchos: platýs, flat; rhýnchos, snout, referring to its strongly depressed head, said to resemble a duckbill.

Common Name:

Spotted Shovelnose Catfish, Porthole Shovelnose Catfish

Synonyms:

Platystoma platyrhynchos, Silurus gerupoca

Family:

Pimelodidae

Distribution:

South America: Amazon, Maroni, Orinoco, Paraná River basins.

Size:

50.0cm. (20ins)

Temp:

20-22°C (68-72°F)

p.H.

6.0-7.5.

IUCN Red List

Despite the little information available on this species, it has a wide range and no apparent threats. Therefore, it is assessed as Least Concern (LC), (IUCN 2023).

Reference:

Conservación Internacional; seris de Guías Tropicales De Campo. Pecos del medio Amazonas Región de Leticia. 546 p.
Froese, R. and D. Pauly. Editors. 2009. FishBase. World Wide Web electronic publication. www.fishbase.org, version (02/2010).
Le Bail, P.-Y., P. Keith and P. Planquette 2000 Atlas des poissons d'eau douce de Guyane (tome 2, fascicule II). Publications scientifiques du Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle, Paris: 307 p.
Salvador, G.N. 2023. Hemisorubim platyrhynchos. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2023.
The ETYFish Project Fish Name Etymology Database © Christopher Scharpf.

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

Hemisorubim platyrhynchos
Juvenile

Hemisorubim platyrhynchos

Hemisorubim platyrhynchos
Head View

Hemisorubim platyrhynchos

Hemisorubim platyrhynchos

Hemisorubim platyrhynchos
Rio Tapiche, Peru

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