Loach catfish
Encyclopedia
Loach catfishes, Amphiliidae, are a family
of catfish
es (order
Siluriformes). They are widespread in tropical Africa
but are most common in streams at high elevations; most species are able to cling to rocks in fast-flowing streams. There are 12 genera and 66 species.
Amphiliidae consists of three subfamilies, Amphiliinae, Leptoglanidinae (previously misspelled Leptoglaninae), and Doumeinae. The monophyly
of Amphiliidae has been questioned; one author restricts the family to the members of the subfamily Amphiliinae and transferred the other genera to a family Doumeidae. Amphiliidae has been previously thought to be a basal
taxon in the superfamily Loricarioidea
, but some authors place its relationships elsewhere.
and ventral fins are large, and the first ray of each i usually broad, flexible, and filamentous. The eyes are generally small and located in the upper part of the head. The gas bladder
is reduced and divided into two lobes surrounded by bony capsules.
These catfishes have three pairs of barbels (nasal barbels are absent). The dorsal and pectoral spines are absent, or weakly developed (as in Leptoglanidinae and Trachyglanis). They reach 19 centimetres (7.5 in) at a maximum, but most species do not exceed 12 centimetres (4.7 in). The small mouth is located on the underside of the thead, and has thick lips bearing several soft lumps (papilla
e). The lips, together with tentacles, and with minute spines on the fin rays, enable the fish to grip solid surfaces, so that they can hold on in fast moving streams.
The biology and ecology of these fishes is poorly known. They are of little economic value, though they may be of some interest to aquarists
.
Family (biology)
In biological classification, family is* a taxonomic rank. Other well-known ranks are life, domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, genus, and species, with family fitting between order and genus. As for the other well-known ranks, there is the option of an immediately lower rank, indicated by the...
of catfish
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 (order
Order (biology)
In scientific classification used in biology, the order is# a taxonomic rank used in the classification of organisms. Other well-known ranks are life, domain, kingdom, phylum, class, family, genus, and species, with order fitting in between class and family...
Siluriformes). They are widespread in tropical Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
but are most common in streams at high elevations; most species are able to cling to rocks in fast-flowing streams. There are 12 genera and 66 species.
Amphiliidae consists of three subfamilies, Amphiliinae, Leptoglanidinae (previously misspelled Leptoglaninae), and Doumeinae. The monophyly
Monophyly
In common cladistic usage, a monophyletic group is a taxon which forms a clade, meaning that it contains all the descendants of the possibly hypothetical closest common ancestor of the members of the group. The term is synonymous with the uncommon term holophyly...
of Amphiliidae has been questioned; one author restricts the family to the members of the subfamily Amphiliinae and transferred the other genera to a family Doumeidae. Amphiliidae has been previously thought to be a basal
Basal (phylogenetics)
In phylogenetics, a basal clade is the earliest clade to branch in a larger clade; it appears at the base of a cladogram.A basal group forms an outgroup to the rest of the clade, such as in the following example:...
taxon in the superfamily Loricarioidea
Loricarioidea
Loricarioidea is a superfamily of catfishes . It contains the six families Trichomycteridae, Nematogenyiidae, Callichthyidae, Scoloplacidae, Astroblepidae, and Loricariidae. Some schemes also include Amphiliidae...
, but some authors place its relationships elsewhere.
Description
Amphiliids are generally small catfishes with tapering, elongated bodies. The pectoralDorsal fin
A dorsal fin is a fin located on the backs of various unrelated marine and freshwater vertebrates, including most fishes, marine mammals , and the ichthyosaurs...
and ventral fins are large, and the first ray of each i usually broad, flexible, and filamentous. The eyes are generally small and located in the upper part of the head. The gas bladder
Gas bladder
The swim bladder, gas bladder, fish maw or air bladder is an internal gas-filled organ that contributes to the ability of a fish to control its buoyancy, and thus to stay at the current water depth without having to waste energy in swimming...
is reduced and divided into two lobes surrounded by bony capsules.
These catfishes have three pairs of barbels (nasal barbels are absent). The dorsal and pectoral spines are absent, or weakly developed (as in Leptoglanidinae and Trachyglanis). They reach 19 centimetres (7.5 in) at a maximum, but most species do not exceed 12 centimetres (4.7 in). The small mouth is located on the underside of the thead, and has thick lips bearing several soft lumps (papilla
Papilla (fish mouth structure)
The papilla, in certain kinds of fish, particularly rays, sharks, and catfish, are small lumps of dermal tissue found in the mouth, where they are "distributed uniformly on the tongue, palate, and pharynx"...
e). The lips, together with tentacles, and with minute spines on the fin rays, enable the fish to grip solid surfaces, so that they can hold on in fast moving streams.
The biology and ecology of these fishes is poorly known. They are of little economic value, though they may be of some interest to aquarists
Aquarium
An aquarium is a vivarium consisting of at least one transparent side in which water-dwelling plants or animals are kept. Fishkeepers use aquaria to keep fish, invertebrates, amphibians, marine mammals, turtles, and aquatic plants...
.