Callichthyidae
26 species
Callichthyidae is a family of catfishes (order Siluriformes), called armored catfishes due to the two rows of bony plates (or scutes) along the lengths of their bodies. It contains some of the most popular freshwater aquarium fish, such as many species in the genus Corydoras.
The Neotropical family Callichthyidae is found in most South American river drainages (Paraná-Paraguay, São Francisco, Atlantic Coastal basins in Brazil, Amazon, Orinoco, Maracaibo, Magdalena). Hoplosternum punctatum is the only species in Central America, as it occurs in a few rivers in Panama. Callichthyidae present the highest species richness in the headwaters of the Amazonas drainage and those rivers draining the Guiana Shield.
The subfamily Corydoradinae is found east of the Andes and north of the Rio de La Plata system. Representatives of the Corydoradinae are found in several freshwater environments, ranging from fast-flowing piedmont streams with sandy or rocky bottoms to lowland pools with muddy bottoms. A single species, Aspidoras mephisto, is a cavefish.
Callichthyidae is a family of catfishes (order Siluriformes), called armored catfishes due to the two rows of bony plates (or scutes) along the lengths of their bodies. It contains some of the most popular freshwater aquarium fish, such as many species in the genus Corydoras.
The Neotropical family Callichthyidae is found in most South American river drainages (Paraná-Paraguay, São Francisco, Atlantic Coastal basins in Brazil, Amazon, Orinoco, Maracaibo, Magdalena). Hoplosternum punctatum is the only species in Central America, as it occurs in a few rivers in Panama. Callichthyidae present the highest species richness in the headwaters of the Amazonas drainage and those rivers draining the Guiana Shield.
The subfamily Corydoradinae is found east of the Andes and north of the Rio de La Plata system. Representatives of the Corydoradinae are found in several freshwater environments, ranging from fast-flowing piedmont streams with sandy or rocky bottoms to lowland pools with muddy bottoms. A single species, Aspidoras mephisto, is a cavefish.
