Calophysus macropterus (also known as the Piracatinga, Vulture Catfish, or Zamurito) is a species of catfish (order Siluriformes) of the monotypic genus Calophysus of the family Pimelodidae.[1]
| Calophysus macropterus | |
|---|---|
| |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Siluriformes |
| Family: | Pimelodidae |
| Genus: | Calophysus Müller & Troschel in Müller, 1843 |
| Species: | C. macropterus
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| Binomial name | |
| Calophysus macropterus (Lichtenstein, 1819)
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| Synonyms | |
This fish has also been placed in its own family, Calophysidae.[2]
This species reaches 40 centimetres (16 in) SL and originates from the Amazon and Orinoco basins.[3] This species is reported to commonly attack the fishes caught in fishermen's nets and seines as well as those hooked on trotlines or gaffed.[3]
This fish species is a smaller Pimelodid, and may be appropriate for a large aquarium. It is an adaptable and hardy species. Tankmates should be chosen with great care as this fish has the ability to bite and tear off pieces of flesh,[2][4] although many who have actually kept the fish report no apparent signs of aggression.[5]
References edit
- ^ "Calophysus macropterus". Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Retrieved May 23, 2007.
- ^ a b "PlanetCatfish::Catfish of the Month::May 2006". 2006-05-10. Retrieved 2007-06-08.
- ^ a b Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.) (2012). "Calophysus macropterus" in FishBase. February 2012 version.
- ^ Black, Richard (2008-03-26). "Dolphin woos with wood and grass". BBC News. Retrieved 2008-03-26.
- ^ "Calophysus macropterus (Vulture Catfish) Questions". 2011-06-08. Retrieved 2011-12-12.
- Ros, Wolfgang and Schmidt, Jakob (2008): "Calophysus macropterus: Ein 'Hai' im Süßwasseraquarium", D. Aqu. u. Terr. Z. (Datz) 61 (4): 16-18.
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