Brachyplatystoma platynema

Brachyplatystoma platynema
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Actinopterygii
Order:	Siluriformes
Family:	Pimelodidae
Genus:	Brachyplatystoma
Species:	B. platynema
Binomial name
Brachyplatystoma platynema Boulenger, 1898
Synonyms
Brachyplatystoma platynemum (emended to feminine) Goslinea platynema (Boulenger, 1898) Taenionema steeri Eigenmann & Bean, 1907

Brachyplatystoma platynema, the slobbering catfish, is a species of catfish of the family Pimelodidae that ranges from Brazil, Colombia and Venezuela.[1][2]

Distribution

It is native to Amazon, Orinoco, Meta, Caqueta, Putumayo, Guaviare, Guayabero, and Metica basins of Puerto Carreno, Inirida, Rio Meta and Pará, northwestern Brazil. It also founds in llanos of Colombia and Venezuela.[2][3]

Description

It grows to a length of 1,170 millimetres (46 in), where male is about 65 cm and females is 75 cm.[1] Head compressed and elongate. Barbels long, large and flattened. Dorsal surface light grey or brown with lighter below with no spots or stripes on body. Caudal-fin deeply-forked with narrow lobes in adults.[2]

Ecology

It is a potamodromous demersal fish that inhabits deepest channels of rivers with a sand substrate and stones and driftwood.[4]

It is entirely piscivorous, preying on Prochilodus, Anodus, and Astyanax characins.[4]

Like other members of its genus, it is migratory, although it does not undertake the same journey as some other species of Brachyplatystoma.[5]

References

1. Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.). "Brachyplatystoma platynemum". FishBase. June 2020 version.
2. "Cat-eLog - Pimelodidae - Brachyplatystoma platynemum". Planet Catfish. Retrieved 2020-06-02.
3. "Genetic structure and historical diversification of catfish Brachyplatystoma platynemum (Siluriformes: Pimelodidae) in the Amazon basin with implications for its conservation". onlinelibrary.wiley.com. Ecology and Evolution. Retrieved 10 November 2024.
4. "Brachyplatystoma platynemum BOULENGER, 1898 - Slobbering Catfish". Seriously Fish. Retrieved 2020-06-02.
5. "Shedding light on the migratory patterns of the Amazonian goliath catfish, Brachyplatystoma platynemum, using otolith 87Sr/86Sr analyses". onlinelibrary.wiley.com. Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems. Retrieved 10 November 2024.