| Family: |
Auchenipteridae (Driftwood catfishes), subfamily: Auchenipterinae |
| Max. size: |
16 cm SL (male/unsexed) |
| Environment: |
pelagic; freshwater; depth range - 3 m |
| Distribution: |
South America: Brazil and Venezuela. |
| Diagnosis: |
Dorsal soft rays (total): 6-6; Anal soft rays: 32-38; Vertebrae: 44-47. This species can be distinguished from its congeners (except A. magoi, A. pardalis and A. vittatus) by the presence of prominent dark stripes on the sides of the body (vs. uniform color or with irregular dark specks or blocthes on sides of body). It can further be distinguished from other congeners by the following set of characters: deeply forked caudal fin (vs. caudal fin emarginate to truncate in A. inermis, A. magoi, A. polystictus and A. vittatus); shorter anal fin 32-38 (vs. 39-49 in A. apiaka, A. dentatus, A. ucayalensis and A. uranophthalmus); reduced and ossified gas bladder (vs. large, non-ossified gas bladder) and epaxial musculature covering the tympanic region (vs. tympanic region translucent, not concealed by epaxial musculature) in A. pardalis; fewer gill rakers on the first branchial arch 11-18, mode 13 (vs. 18-30, mode 22 in A. inermis and A. ucayalensis); longer pectoral-fin spine 15.4-21.8% SL (vs. 10.5-14.6% SL) and longer pelvic fin 13.1-17.1% SL (vs. 9.6-13.6% SL) in A. militaris (Ref. 124585). |
| Biology: |
This species is popular in aquarium trade (Ref. 124585). |
| IUCN Red List Status: |
Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 18 November 2020 Ref. (130435)
|
| Threat to humans: |
harmless |
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