Acanthobunocephalus nicoi

Taxobox
name = "Acanthobunocephalus nicoi"
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Chordata
classis = Actinopterygii
ordo = Siluriformes
familia = Aspredinidae
subfamilia = Bunocephalinae
genus = "Acanthobunocephalus"
genus_authority = Friel, 1995
species = "A. nicoi"
binomial = "Acanthobunocephalus nicoi"
binomial_authority = Friel, 1995

"Acanthobunocephalus nicoi" is the only species of catfish (order Siluriformes) in the genus "Acanthobunocephalus" of the family Aspredinidae.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] This species is known from only three localities and appears to be restricted to the upper Orinoco River system of Venezuela and possibly the upper Rio Negro system of Brazil.cite web|url=http://tolweb.org/Acanthobunocephalus/15254|last=Friel|first=John P.|title=Acanthobunocephalus Friel 1995. "Acanthobunocephalus nicoi" Friel 1995|publisher=Tree of Life Web Project|date=2000-04-14|accessdate=2007-08-07]

"Acanthobunocephalus nicoi" can be differentiated from other aspredinids by the presence of a dorsal fin spine locking mechanism and a rigid dorsal fin spine. The lateral line is truncated at about the dorsal fin level.cite paper|url=http://www.cumv.cornell.edu/pdf/Friel_Ph.D._Thesis_1994.pdf|title=A Phylogenetic Study of the Neotropical Banjo Catfishes (Teleostei: Siluriformes: Aspredinidae)|author=Friel, John Patrick|publisher=Duke University, Durham, NC|date=1994-12-13|accessdate=2007-08-07|format=PDF] The head is depressed and the caudal peduncle is slender, tapering to the caudal fin. The mouth is terminal, with the jaws and lips equal. The dorsal and anal fin membranes are not adnate with the body. These fish reach sexual maturity at just over 16 millimetres (.63 in) SL, and have not been observed to exceed 20 mm (.79 in) SL.

This species is found in flooded plants, primarily grasses and sedges, in black water (stained by tannin).

External links

*FishBase species|genus=Acanthobunocephalus|species=nicoi|year=2007|month=Aug

References