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Pterygoplichthys

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Genus of fishes

Pterygoplichthys
Pterygoplichthys multiradiatus
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Siluriformes
Family: Loricariidae
Subfamily: Hypostominae
Tribe: Pterygoplichthyini
Genus: Pterygoplichthys
T. N. Gill, 1858
Type species
Hypostomus duodecimalis
Spix & Agassiz, 1829

Pterygoplichthys, sometimes collectively known as janitor fish, is a genus of South American armored catfishes. These fish are commonly known as sailfin armoured catfish or sailfin plecs, especially in the aquarium trade.

Etymology

Pterygoplichthys is derived from the Greek πτέρυγ- (pteryg-), meaning "wing", (hoplon) - weapon and ἰχθύς (ichthys) meaning "fish".

Taxonomy

Pterygoplichthys has undergone much shifting in the past decades. Previously Liposarcus, Glyptoperichthys and Pterygoplichthys had been named as separate genera. Since then, these genera were recognized as synonyms of Pterygoplichthys by Armbruster, as the few differences between the genera were not deemed great enough to validate Glyptoperichthys and Liposarcus, and that recognizing these separate genera would leave neither Pterygoplichthys nor Glyptoperichthys as monophyletic.

Species

There are currently 16 recognized species in this genus:

Appearance and anatomy

In P. gibbiceps, a crest exists over the back of the skull that was used to distinguish Glyptoperichthys species from Pterygoplichthys species.

Pterygoplichthys can be differentiated from most other loricariids due to their large dorsal fins with 9 or more (usually 10) dorsal fin rays, which gives them their common name "sailfin catfish". These fish have rows of armour plating covering the body; the abdomen is almost completely covered in small plates. Other characteristics of members of this genus include an underslung suckermouth, evertable cheek plates, adipose fin present, and an enlarged stomach connected to the dorsal abdominal wall by a connective tissue sheet. P. anisitsi, P. disjunctivus, P. multiradiatus, and P. pardalis lack cheek odontodes, but still possess the evertible cheek plates; this was previously used as a trait to determine these fish as part of the genus Liposarcus. Species of the P. gibbiceps group (species formerly classified in the genus Glyptoperichthys) are easily recognized by a large crest above the back of their skull.

Color pattern is generally dark brown with either darker spots or lighter spots or vermiculations. The adult size of a member of Pterygoplichthys can range from about 50–70 cm.

The stomach of Pterygoplichthys is greatly expanded with the posterior portion forming a long, thin sac that is highly vascularized.

Distribution and habitat

Pterygoplichthys' habitat is most common in sluggish streams, floodplain lakes, and marshes. They are known from the Orinoco, Amazon, Magdalena, Maracaibo, Paraná, Parnaíba and São Francisco systems.

These fish have been introduced into many locations. Several species of Pterygoplichthys have been established in the United States in Florida, Hawaii, Nevada, and Texas. Established species include P. multiradiatus in Florida and Hawaii, P. disjunctivus in Florida, and P. anisitsi in Texas. Sailfin catfish are one of the more successful established exotic fish in Florida in terms of their range extension and abundance, yet their presence has not had any measurable effect on native fishes, although they have contributed significantly to the carrying capacity of some fish communities. Moreover, none of the 30 professional water managers, engineers, lake management, and shoreline stabilization company owners contacted in 2004 by a particular study considered erosion caused by the burrowing activity of loricariid catfishes a major problem, except in some man-made lakes in the southeastern part of the state.

In Mexico, P. multiradiatus is established in Campeche, Chiapas, and other localities in central and western Mexico, while P. pardalis has been found in southeastern Mexico. In the Philippines, where these fish are known as janitor fish, P. disjunctivus and P. pardalis have been found, these fish are considered a threat to the freshwater fish population; they are found in the Marikina River, Laguna de Bay and the Pasig River. P. multiradiatus has also been established in Puerto Rico and Taiwan.

In 2022 Hungary the species was first discovered in Lake Hévíz. After catching an documenting several more specimens the species could be identified with certainty. It was also established that the species has successfully colonised the lake and has been declared an invasive species.

Ecology

Their primary food is plant matter. Their diet consists of algae, aufwuchs, general plant matter and possibly carrion. They are grazing animals or scavengers as opposed to predator fish.

Pterygoplichthys are known for being kept out of water and sold alive in fish markets, surviving up to 30 hours out of water. Males excavate tunnels into mud banks where eggs are laid.

In the aquarium

Pterygoplichthys multiradiatus, often sold as a common pleco, is an aquarium fish often purchased as an algae eater.

P. gibbiceps has been bred commercially in fish farms in Florida and Malaysia for the aquarium trade. P. multiradiatus and P. pardalis are both known as common plecos and are widely sold as algae eaters. However, most of them grow too large to be housed in an average home aquarium. In fact, in the wild, the Common Pleco can well exceed 2 feet in length, and, as well as growing large, they also produce a lot of waste that can pollute the water.

Trivia

  • Pterygoplichthys is an exact anagram of Glyptoperichthys.

References

  1. Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.). "Species in genus Pterygoplichthys". FishBase. December 2011 version.
  2. C. Weber (1991). "Nouveaux taxa dans Pterygoplichthys sensu lato (Pisces, Siluriformes, Loricariidae)". Revue Suisse de Zoologie (in French). 98 (3): 637–643. doi:10.5962/bhl.part.82074.
  3. C. Weber (1992). "Révision du genre Pterygoplichthys sensu lato (Pisces, Siluriformes, Loricariidae)". Revue Française d'Aquariologie-Herpétologie (in French). 19 (1–2): 1–36. OCLC 716895511. S2CID 86875933.
  4. Jonathan W. Armbruster (2004). "Phylogenetic relationships of the suckermouth armoured catfishes (Loricariidae) with emphasis on the Hypostominae and the Ancistrinae (abstract)" (PDF). Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society. 141: 1–80. doi:10.1111/j.1096-3642.2004.00109.x.
  5. ^ Armbruster, Jonathan W. "Pterygoplichthys (Gill, 1858)".
  6. Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.). "Species in genus XXXXX". FishBase. December 2011 version.
  7. Armbruster, Jonathan W.; Page, Lawrence M. (2006). "Redescription of Pterygoplichthys punctatus and description of a new species of Pterygoplichthys (Siluriformes: Loricariidae)" (PDF). Neotropical Ichthyology. 4 (4): 401–409. doi:10.1590/S1679-62252006000400003.
  8. ^ Armbruster, Jonathan W. (1998). "Modifications of the Digestive Tract for Holding Air in Loricariid and Scoloplacid Catfishes" (PDF). Copeia. 1998 (3): 663–675. doi:10.2307/1447796. JSTOR 1447796. Retrieved 2009-06-25.
  9. Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.). "Pterygoplichthys parnaibae". FishBase. May 2013 version.
  10. ^ Chavez, Joel M.; de la Paz, Reynaldo M.; Manohar, Surya Krishna; Pagulayan, Roberto C.; Carandang Vi; Jose R. (2006). "New Philippine record of South American sailfin catfishes (Pisces: Loricariidae)" (PDF). Zootaxa. 1109: 57–68. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.1109.1.6. Retrieved 2009-06-25.
  11. Nico, Leo G.; Martin, R. Trent (March 2001). "The South American Suckermouth Armored Catfish, Pterygoplichthys anisitsi (Pisces: Loricaridae), in Texas, with Comments on Foreign Fish Introductions in the American Southwest". The Southwestern Naturalist. 46 (1): 98–104. doi:10.2307/3672381. JSTOR 3672381.
  12. Gestring, Kelly; Shafland, Paul; Stanford, Murray (2006). "The status of loricariid catfishes in Florida with emphasis on sailfin catfish (Pterygoplichthys multiradiatus) (abstract)". Merida, Mexico. Retrieved 2007-06-04.
  13. Wakida-Kusunokia, Armando T.; Ruiz-Carusb, Ramon; Amador-del-Angelc, Enrique (March 2007). "Amazon Sailfin Catfish, Pterygoplichthys pardalis (Castelnau, 1855) (Loricariidae), Another Exotic Species Established in Southeastern Mexico". The Southwestern Naturalist. 52 (1): 141–144. doi:10.1894/0038-4909(2007)52[141:ASCPPC]2.0.CO;2. S2CID 86847378.
  14. Bunkley-Williams, Lucy; Williams, Ernest H. Jr.; Lilystrom, Craig G.; Corujo-Flores, Iris; Zerbi, Alfonso J.; Aliaume, Catherine; Churchill, Timothy N. (1994). "The South American Sailfin Armored Catfish, Liposarcus multiradiatus (Hancock), a New Exotic Established in Puerto Rican Fresh Waters" (PDF). Caribbean Journal of Science. 30 (1–2): 90–94. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2007-09-26. Retrieved 2009-06-25.
  15. Liang, Shih-Hsiung; Wu, Hsiao-Ping; Shieh, Bao-Sen (2005). "Size Structure, Reproductive Phenology, and Sex Ratio of an Exotic Armored Catfish (Liposarcus multiradiatus) in the Kaoping River of Southern Taiwan" (PDF). Zoological Studies. 44 (2): 252–259. Retrieved 2009-06-25.
  16. berek (5 May 2023). "Új halfaj bukkant fel a Hévízi-tóban". berek (in Hungarian). Retrieved 23 October 2024.
Taxon identifiers
Pterygoplichthys
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