Atopochilus

Taxobox
name = "Atopochilus"
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Chordata
classis = Actinopterygii
ordo = Siluriformes
familia = Mochokidae
genus = "Atopochilus"
genus_authority = Sauvage, 1879
type_species = "Atopochilus savorgnani"
type_species_authority = Sauvage, 1879
subdivision_ranks = Binomial name
subdivision =
"Atopochilus chabanaudi"
Pellegrin, 1938
"Atopochilus christyi"
Boulenger, 1920
"Atopochilus macrocephalus"
Boulenger, 1906
"Atopochilus mandevillei"
Poll, 1959
"Atopochilus pachychilus"
Pellegrin, 1924
"Atopochilus savorgnani"
Sauvage, 1879
"Atopochilus vogti"
Pellegrin, 1922

"Atopochilus" is a genus of catfishes (order Siluriformes) of the family Mochokidae. It includes seven species, "A. chabanaudi", "A. christyi", "A. macrocephalus", "A. mandevillei", "A. pachychilus", "A. savorgnani", and "A. vogti".cite journal|url=http://silurus.acnatsci.org/ACSI/library/biblios/2007_Ferraris_Catfish_Checklist.pdf|title=Checklist of catfishes, recent and fossil (Osteichthyes: Siluriformes), and catalogue of siluriform primary types|first=Carl J., Jr.|last=Ferraris|journal=Zootaxa|volume=1418|pages=1–628|year=2007|format=PDF]

"A. christyi" and "A. macrocephalus" are known from the Congo River. "A. chabanaudi" and "A. mandevillei" originate from the Congo River at Stanley Pool. "A. pachychilus" is known only from the type locality in the Kasai River of the Congo basin. "A. savorgnani" inhabits the Upper Ogowe River of the Muni River Basin in Equatorial Guinea, and the Ntem River in southern Cameroon. "A. vogti" is distributed in the Wami River of Tanzania.

"Atopochilus" species have their lips and barbels modified into a suckermouth.cite book|title=Fishes of the World|last=Nelson|first=Joseph S.|publisher=John Wiley & Sons, Inc|year=2006|isbn=0-471-25031-7] "Atopochilus" species range in size from 6.0–14.1 centimetres (2.4–5.6 in) in length.FishBase species|genus=Atopochilus|species=chabanaudi|year=2007|month=Aug] FishBase species|genus=Atopochilus|species=christyi|year=2007|month=Aug] FishBase species|genus=Atopochilus|species=macrocephalus|year=2007|month=Aug] FishBase species|genus=Atopochilus|species=mandevillei|year=2007|month=Aug] FishBase species|genus=Atopochilus|species=pachychilus|year=2007|month=Aug] FishBase species|genus=Atopochilus|species=savorgnani|year=2007|month=Aug] FishBase species|genus=Atopochilus|species=vogti|year=2007|month=Aug]

"A. vogti" inhabits small fast streams. It is of possible aquarium value. "A. vogti" is listed as Data Deficient on the IUCN Red List.IUCN2006|assessors=Hanssens, M & Snoeks, J.|year=2005|title=Atopochilus vogti|id=61236|downloaded=03 August 2007]

References