Driftwood catfish
Encyclopedia
The driftwood catfishes are catfish
es of the family Auchenipteridae.
The two genera of the family Ageneiosidae have been placed here, resulting in a grouping of about 60 species in about 19 genera.
These fish are found in river
s from Panama
to Argentina
. They are commonly found in river flood plains.
All but one species have three pairs of barbel
s, with the nasal barbels absent. Most species have a very small adipose fin. While Ageneiosus inermis is known to reach 59 centimetres (23.2 in) in length, most are small, with some species not known at any longer than 3 centimetres (1.2 in). The eggs are fertilised internally.
Driftwood catfishes are nocturnal. Some of the smaller species are known to hide in logs and crevices during the day and come out to feed during the night. Some larger species can consume fruits and insects and are probably omnivorous
. Fish of this family seem to feed primarily on insects, but will also eat fish, shrimp, fruit, and even filamentous algae
and other plant material, at least occasionally.
Catfish
Catfishes are a diverse group of ray-finned fish. Named for their prominent barbels, which resemble a cat's whiskers, catfish range in size and behavior from the heaviest and longest, the Mekong giant catfish from Southeast Asia and the second longest, the wels catfish of Eurasia, to detritivores...
es of the family Auchenipteridae.
The two genera of the family Ageneiosidae have been placed here, resulting in a grouping of about 60 species in about 19 genera.
These fish are found in river
River
A river is a natural watercourse, usually freshwater, flowing towards an ocean, a lake, a sea, or another river. In a few cases, a river simply flows into the ground or dries up completely before reaching another body of water. Small rivers may also be called by several other names, including...
s from Panama
Panama
Panama , officially the Republic of Panama , is the southernmost country of Central America. Situated on the isthmus connecting North and South America, it is bordered by Costa Rica to the northwest, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south. The...
to Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
. They are commonly found in river flood plains.
All but one species have three pairs of barbel
Barbel (anatomy)
A barbel on a fish is a slender, whiskerlike tactile organ near the mouth. Fish that have barbels include the catfish, the carp, the goatfish, sturgeon, the zebrafish and some species of shark...
s, with the nasal barbels absent. Most species have a very small adipose fin. While Ageneiosus inermis is known to reach 59 centimetres (23.2 in) in length, most are small, with some species not known at any longer than 3 centimetres (1.2 in). The eggs are fertilised internally.
Driftwood catfishes are nocturnal. Some of the smaller species are known to hide in logs and crevices during the day and come out to feed during the night. Some larger species can consume fruits and insects and are probably omnivorous
Omnivore
Omnivores are species that eat both plants and animals as their primary food source...
. Fish of this family seem to feed primarily on insects, but will also eat fish, shrimp, fruit, and even filamentous algae
Algae
Algae are a large and diverse group of simple, typically autotrophic organisms, ranging from unicellular to multicellular forms, such as the giant kelps that grow to 65 meters in length. They are photosynthetic like plants, and "simple" because their tissues are not organized into the many...
and other plant material, at least occasionally.