SCOTCAT.COM

your internet guide to all things catfish

Malacoglanis gelatinosus Myers & Weitzman, 1966

Image contributors to this species:

Universidad del Tolima (3 = BY-NC-SA/4.0)

ScotCat Sources:

Other Sources:

Relevant Information:

Abstract: Malacoglanis gelatinosus, a species of miniature catfish of the family Trichomycteridae, is only known from 4 specimens from the Amazon basin. Recently, we collected 3 specimens from the upper basin of the Meta River, a tributary of the Orinoco. This is the first record of M. gelatinosus from the Orinoco river basin, which significantly expands the known geographic distribution of this species, making it one of the most broadly distributed species within the subfamily Sarcoglanidinae. High-resolution photographs of specimens, remarks on character variation, and an updated distribution in Colombia are provided (Montoya-Ospina et al. 2018). This species in monotypic (having only one type or representative, especially (of a genus) containing only one species). Habitat: Caquetá River basin in Colombia. Etymology: The genus name Malacoglanis: malaco-, from malakós, soft, referring to its “soft, gelatinous consistency” in life; glánis, ancient name for a silurid catfish (probably Silurus aristotelis) dating to Aristotle, often used as a general term for catfish. The specific name gelatinosus: From gelatus (L.), frozen or congealed, referring to its soft, gelatinous consistency and pale, translucent colour; “not good classical Latin,” the authors write, “but the adjective has been applied by other taxonomists to translucent creatures”.

Common Name:

None

Synonyms:

None

Family:

Trichomycteridae

Distribution:

South America: Río Orteguasa drainage, Colombia and Ecuador. Type locality: Small caño of the Río Orteguaza, a short distance above its junction with the Rio Caquetá, Caquetá Province, Colombia.

Size:

2.0cm. (¾ins)

Temp:

22-26°c (71-79°f.)

p.H.

6.0-7.0.

IUCN Red List

Although this species has a relatively restricted distribution, there are no known major threats currently affecting its population and is present in a protected area. Therefore, it is listed as Least Concern (LC). Needs updating (IUCN 2016).

Reference:

Burgess, W.E., 1989. An atlas of freshwater and marine catfishes. A preliminary survey of the Siluriformes. T.F.H. Publications, Inc., Neptune City, New Jersey (USA). 784 p.
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, ( 11/2025 ).
Jimenez-Prado, P. 2016. Malacoglanis gelatinosus. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016.
Montoya-Ospina DC, Albornoz-Garzón JG, García-Melo JE, Villa-Navarro FA, DoNascimiento C (2018) First record of the miniature catfish Malacoglanis gelatinosus Myers & Weitzman, 1966 (Siluriformes, Trichomycteridae) in the Orinoco river basin. Check List 14(1): 101-106.
The ETYFish Project Fish Name Etymology Database © Christopher Scharpf.

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

Malacoglanis gelatinosus
Lateral view-Ariporo River

Malacoglanis gelatinosus
Dorsal view-Ariporo River

Malacoglanis gelatinosus
Ventral view-Ariporo River

If you would like to contribute to the monthly factsheets with an article, information or photos, please e-mail me. You will of course be credited for your work.

If you would like to donate any denomination of monies to the site just click the above link button. All proceeds will go to running the site and hopefully to keep it going for a few years yet.