- Armored catfish (Pterygoplithes mulliradrateis) are part of the scientific class Actinoptergii, and the superclass Osteichthyse.
- Armored catfish are found in freshwater streams in Brazil, as well as the Orinoco river, and the Maricaibo and Magdalena shields near Venezuela.
(Shown in green)
- An armored catfish has to have special adaptions to its enviroment such as
- a secondary breathing system that takes oxegen into a vast network of capillaries.
- a very strong sucker mouth used to feed off of rocks in fast-moving water.
- spines on their pectoral and dorsal fins to "walk" on the river bottom.
- Armored catfish can be up to 2 feet long with barbels on the sides of their mouth.
- Armored catfish can weigh up to 100 lbs.
- Armored catfish prey on algae or small fish.
- Armored catfish are ectothermic.
- Armored catfish are typically flight animals. By using their strong pectoral fins and tail, Armored catfish can escape danger quickly.
- A group of armored catfish are called a school.
- Their young are called fry.
- They are related to bullhead
, and
.Blue-spotted coredoras. - Armored catfsh communicate by ratteling the spines on their dorsal and pectoral fins.
- The first armored catfish fossil was found in Salta, Argentina.
- Armored catfish are not endangered.
- An unusual behavior is that armored catfish will pull themselves along on land with their pectoral spines for long distances.
- Armored catfish share a commensial relationship with midge larvae. The midge larvae will attatch themselves onto the armored catfish, and will feed feed while the armored catfish are down in the sediment.
Bibliography
Salmon and Other Bony Fish by M. Goldish c 2002
www.thejump.net/id/armoredcatfish.htm - 5k
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Armored_catfish - 18k
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