Tatia intermedia (Steindachner, 1877)
Tatia intermedia
photo by Sneegas, G.W.

Family:  Auchenipteridae (Driftwood catfishes), subfamily: Centromochlinae
Max. size:  12 cm SL (male/unsexed)
Environment:  benthopelagic; freshwater
Distribution:  South America: Araguaia, Tocantins, Xingu and Capim rivers, tributaries of the lower Amazon of Brazil, northwards to the Suriname coastal rivers and the Essequibo River in Guyana.
Diagnosis:  Dorsal spines (total): 1-1; Dorsal soft rays (total): 4-5; Anal soft rays: 9-10; Vertebrae: 35-36. Differs from other species by having a wide elliptical cranial fontanel; short postcleithral process not reaching vertical through origin of dorsal fin; body coloration variable, usually with elliptical spots along sides of body, large specimens with faint spots; or color pattern uniformly pale brown; and caudal fin with small spots or pale brown. The only other Tatia with a variable coloration is Tatia galaxias, but this species differs from Tatia galaxias by its short postcleithral process ; its small eye, 21.4-26.3% HL and its long snout 38.8-44.3% HL. Can be further diagnosed by the following characters: nasal ossified with wide medial flanges partially sutured to lateral margin of mesethmoid and caudal-fin lobes of mature females with same length, but mature males with elongated upper lobe are other distinguishing features (Ref. 79512). Description: A iii,6-7; V i5. Post-Weberian vertebrae 35-36 (Ref. 79512).
Biology:  Inhabits rivers (Ref. 27188). Reaches sexual maturity above 5.04 cm SL (Ref. 79512).
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 07 November 2018 Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless


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