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Description: Dorsal spines (total): 2; Dorsal soft rays (total): 6; Anal soft rays: 23 - 30; Vertebrae: 39 - 43. Tympanopleura atronasus is distinct from other congeners in having the greatest number of pleural ribs (7-8 pairs vs. 4-6 in all other species). It differs from other congeners by the following combination of characters: a large, dark patch of dense melanophores concentrated on the flank above the anal fin (vs. diffuse pigment or unpigmented), longitudinal black to purplish stripe in each caudal-fin lobe (vs. absent), a broad, black crescent on the chin (vs. diffuse pigment or unpigmented, except T. cryptica ). It is distinguished from T. cryptica in having fewer gill rakers (14-23, mode 16 vs. 21-26, mode 22), more preanal vertebrae (16-19 vs. 14-15), more total vertebrae (39-43, mode 41 vs. 38-41, mode 38), and a shorter distance between pectoral- and dorsal-fin origins (15.7-20.9% SL vs. 21.6- 24.3% SL). It can be diagnosed from T. brevis in having fewer anal-fin rays (23-30 vs. 31- 36), fewer pectoral-fin rays (7-9 vs. 10-12), fewer gill rakers on the first arch (14-23, mode 16 vs. 20-24, mode 23), more preanal vertebrae (16-19 vs. 14-15), and shorter distance between pectoral- and dorsal-fin origins (15.7-20.9% SL vs. 21.4-27.0% SL). It can be distinguished from T. longipinna in having fewer anal-fin rays (23-30 vs. 32-42), fewer pectoral-fin rays (7-9 vs. 10-13), fewer gill rakers (14- 23, mode 16 vs. 19-25, mode 23), more preanal vertebrae (16-19 vs. 13-15), fewer total vertebrae (39-43, mode 41 vs. 40-43, mode 43), greater prepelvic length (49.2-55.2% SL vs. 38.8-48.4% SL), and a shorter anal-fin base (22.1-27.6% SL vs. 33.9-39.9% SL). It can be separated from T. piperata in having fewer anal-fin rays (23-30 vs. 31-38), fewer gill rakers (14-23, mode 16 vs. 16-23, mode 19), more preanal vertebrae (16-19, mode 17 vs. 14-16, mode 15), more total vertebrae (39-43, mode 41 vs. 39-41, mode 40), greater prepelvic length (49.2-55.2% SL vs. 41.3-47.0% SL), shorter anal-fin base (22.1-27.6% SL vs. 30.9-39.3% SL), presence of paired posterior diverticula on the gas bladder (vs. absent), and absence of a transverse, hourglass-shaped bar of pigment on the base of the caudal fin (vs. usually present). It can be diagnosed from T. rondoni in having fewer anal-fin rays (23-30, mode 27 vs. 28-37, mode 31), fewer pectoral-fin rays (7-9 vs. 10-13), fewer gill rakers (14-23 vs. 24-33), more preanal vertebrae (16-19, mode 17 vs. 14-16, mode 15), more total vertebrae (39-43, mode 41 vs. 38-42, mode 40), shorter, non-recurved posterior diverticula on gas bladder (Fig. 6a, b), larger eye diameter (16.0-27.8% HL vs. 8.4-17.0% HL), and absence of prominent, irregular spots distributed extensively on the head and body (vs. present). It attains a considerably larger maximum size (about 116 mm SL) than T. cryptica, T. longipinna, and T. piperata (all less than about 80 mm SL) (Walsh, Stephen J. et al). Aquarium Care: Although of a smaller size to its close relative, Ageneiosus, they could still prove to be predatory as per this genera, so would need to be kept with fish that are not too small. Diet: Presumably meat based. Etymology: The genus name Tympanopleura: tympano-, tympanum; pleuro, side, referring to prominent pseudotympanum consisting of an area on side of body devoid of epaxial musculature where gas bladder contacts internal coelomic wall. The specific name atronasus: atrum, black; nasus, nose, referring to intense black pigmentation on tip of snout in live and freshly preserved specimens.

None

Ageneiosus atronasus

Auchenipteridae

South America: Middle and upper Amazon River basin.

15.0cm (6ins)

22-24°c (71-75°f.)

6.5-7.5

Ferraris, C.J. Jr., 2003. Auchenipteridae (Driftwood catfishes). p. 470-482. In R.E. Reis, S.O. Kullander and C.J. Ferraris, Jr. (eds.) Checklist of the Freshwater Fishes of South and Central America. Porto Alegre: EDIPUCRS, Brasil.
Froese, R. and D. Pauly. Editors. 2019. FishBase. World Wide Web electronic publication. www.fishbase.org, ( 04/2019 ).
The ETYFish Project Fish Name Etymology Database © Christopher Scharpf.
Walsh, S.J., F.R.V. Ribeiro and L.H.R. Py-Daniel, 2015. Revision of Tympanopleura Eigenmann (Siluriformes: Auchenipteridae) with description of two new species. Neotrop. Ichthyol. 13(1):1-46.