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Chris Ralph (1) Sandra J. Raredon (3)

Whilst these are magnificent fish to observe they are not ideally suited to life in captivity, unless being looked after in a large Public Aquarium. It is suggested that the scientific name is derived from the local name of ‘bagre perruno’ by the local people of the Maracaibo basin (bagre is the South American name for a catfish). I have kept a number of these catfish over the years (Chris Ralph-factsheet no.166) and have noted that they can fast for periods of time which can be slightly worrying when this happens, and tends to coincide after having a particularly heavy meal. The longest fast lasted 4 weeks. Description: The fact that this catfish has distinctive markings and very long maxillary barbels make it easily identifiable. Leiarius perruno is sometimes confused with Leiarius pictus (Sailfin pimelodid) and Leiarius marmoratus (Marble antenna catfish). Diet: Leiarius perruno is a predatory fish in its natural habitat, feeding upon any unsuspecting fish which happen to get in the way of its relatively large cavernous mouth. Etymology: The specific name perruno: Local name for this catfish in the Lake Maracaibo region of Venezuela. Remarks: Still named in some online sources as Perrunichthys perruno but it is now valid as a synoynm of L. perruno.

Leopard catfish

Perrunichthys perruno

Pimelodidae

South America: Venezuela and Colombia from the Rio Negro system. Type locality: Rio Negro below the mouth of the Rio Yasa, 75km south of Rosario on the west side of Lake Maracaibo, Venezuela.

60.0cm. (24ins)

22-26°C (72-79°F)

6.0-7.2.

Lundberg, J. G., J. P. Sullivan and M. Hardman 2011 (Oct.). Phylogenetics of the South American catfish family Pimelodidae (Teleostei: Siluriformes) using nuclear and mitochondrial gene sequences. Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia v. 161: 153-189.
Orrell T (2020). NMNH Extant Specimen Records. Version 1.35. National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution.
ScotCat Factsheet. no.166. April 2010.
The ETYFish Project Fish Name Etymology Database © Christopher Scharpf.