Cetopsidae - Paracetopsis atahualpa Vari, Ferraris & de Pinna 2005 |
 |
| SOURCE FOR OCCURRENCE IN ECUADOR: Vari et al. (2005), Ferraris (2007), Eschmeyer and Fricke (2012). |
| ORIGINAL DESCRIPTION: Vari, R.P., C.J. Ferraris Jr., and M.C.C. de Pinna. 2005. The neotropical whale catfishes (Siluriformes: Cetopsidae: Cetopsinae), a revisionary study. Neotropical Ichthyology 3(2):127-238. |
| TYPE SPECIMENS: Holotype: MUSM-11560 collected in the Rio Tumbes, Cabo Inga, Peru (3 58'00"S, 80 24'59"W). |
| TAXONOMIC STATUS: Valid (Eschmeyer and Fricke, 2012). |
| RANGE ECUADOR: Zarumilla River basin southwestern Ecuador (Vari et al., 2005). |
| RANGE OUTSIDE OF ECUADOR: Tumbes River basin, northwestern Peru (Eschmeyer & Fricke, 2012). |
| COLLECTIONS IN ECUADOR: |
| MAXIMUM SIZE: 24.2 cm standard length (Vari et al., 2005). |
| DISTINGUISHING FEATURES: As whale catfishes (Cetopsidae) species in the genus Paracetopsis are easily distinguished from other catfishes by their small eyes and distinctive shape (see the photograph for the genus in the Guide to Genera). The body is relatively elongated, body depth at dorsal-fin origin approximately 0.26 of SL and approximately equal to distance from anterior margin of orbit to posterior margin of opercle. Dark pigmentation present throughout the body. Caudal fin deeply-forked, symmetrical, tips of lobes slightly rounded (Vari et al., 2005). Paracetopsis atahualpa can be distinguished from all other species in the Cetopsinae except P. bleekeri and P. esmeraldas by the posession of a vomerine tooth patch with more than one row of teeth and a medial separation of the contralateral components of the patch (Vari et al., 2005). Paracetopsis atahualpa can be distinguished from P. bleekeriin the relative length of the pelvic fin, which completely overlaps the vent in P. atahualpa but but falls short of the vent in P. bleekeri. In addition, P. atahualpa possesses a patch of dark pigmentation on the operculum which is not present in P. bleekeri, and is much more darkly pigmented than P. bleekeri. Paracetopsis atahualpa can be distinguished from P. esmeraldas by having the basal portion of the maxillary barbel distinctly dark, while it is pale or has a few scattered, dark chromatophores in P. esmeraldas. Paracetopsis atahualpa also has 50 total vertebrae and 36-38 caudal vertebrae (with 37 being the most common), while P. esmeraldas has 50-53 total vertebrae (with 51 being the most common) and 37-40 caudal vertebrae (with 38 being most common). |
| ECOLOGY: Known as "ciego" (blind) in Ecuador this is a medium-sized, ecologically important carnivorous fish. The cetopsidae in general can be quite voracious and may enter the body cavities of large dead or dying fish to feed (Burgess, 1989). |
| ECONOMIC IMPORTANCE: Not of commercial importance. |
| CONSERVATION STATUS: NA, although the species is not heavily exploited as a food species. |
| LINK TO FISHBASE PAGE: Click here for link |
| SPECIES PROFILE CREATED BY: Enrique Laaz |
| SPECIES PROFILE CONTRIBUTORS: Windsor Aguirre |
|
|
|
|
|