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Hans-Georg Evers (2) Cheilinus Aquarium Photography (3) Joakim Schön (1)

The Aspidoras genera differ from Corydoras by their different behaviour such as their swimming habits. The eyes are smaller, body smaller and a smaller head shape in Aspidoras compared with Corydoras. Aspidoras posses a duel fontanel bone structure in the skull whereas Corydoras have only the one larger fontanel. Lineage: All Aspidoras belong to Lineage 2 and when there is a revision they will stay as Aspidoras von Ihering, 1907 with the type species of A. rochai Ihering, 1907. As of the latest update (Dias et al 2024), Aspidoras albater has been placed in Lineage 2 and has retained the genus name of Aspidoras. Aquarium Care: Aspidoras albater is fairly uncommon in the hobby but as with all of this genus they are best kept in groups of six or more and are best housed with small fishes that are not aggressive. Provide a planted area in the tank for cover and include a soft substrate such as sand or small rounded gravel. Diet: Flake, tablet foods, small live and frozen foods. Etymology: The specific name alabater: albus (L.), white; ater (L.), black, referring to solid black or dark-brown blotches on pale tan body. Remarks: Many species of Aspidoras are difficult to tell apart unless there is area catchment information available. A. albater and C035 have turned out to be the same species and A. taurus and A. eurycephalus have also turned out to be synonyms of A. albater.

False macropterus, C035

Aspidoras taurus, Aspidoras eurycephalus

Callichthyidae

South America: Brazil, Goiás, Rio Tocantinzinha near São João da Aliança, 14°46’S, 47° 30’W, Rio Tocantins system.

Male: 3.5cm (1¼ins) Female: 4.0cm (1½ins)

22-24°C (71-75°F)

6.5-7.2.

Alexandrou, Markos & Taylor, Martin. (2011). Evolution, ecology and taxonomy of the Corydoradinae revisited.
Angelica C Dias, Luiz F C Tencatt, Fabio F Roxo, Gabriel de Souza da Costa Silva, Sérgio A Santos, Marcelo R Britto, Martin I Taylor, Claudio Oliveira, Phylogenomic analyses in the complex Neotropical subfamily Corydoradinae (Siluriformes: Callichthyidae) with a new classification based on morphological and molecular data, Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2024;, zlae053.
Baensch, H.A. and R. Riehl 1985 Aquarien atlas. Band 2. Mergus, Verlag für Natur- und Heimtierkunde GmbH, Melle, Germany. 1216 p.
Ian A. M. Fuller & Hans-Georg Evers (2011). Identifying Corydoradinae Catfish Supplement 1. Ian Fuller Enterprises.
ScotCat Article: The Genus Aspidoras.
The ETYFish Project Fish Name Etymology Database © Christopher Scharpf.