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Hans-Georg Evers (3) Drake Shaw (1)

Habitat: Wertheimeria maculata, is endemic to the Jequitinhonha and Pardo rivers in eastern Brazil. Specimens were captured mostly during the rainy season, in the main channel and larger tributaries only, specifically in deep pools at running or backwater sites, and most efficiently by artisanal fishermen traps made with bamboo and lianas. Reproduction: Partial spawning is suggested for the species based on the capture of individuals in advanced maturation and totally spawned in distinct temporal periods. Diet: The diet is diversified and includes mainly allochthonous resources, especially fruits and terrestrial insects derived from the riparian vegetation. Colouration: Its unique life colour pattern, described for the first time, consist of reddish to olivaceous ground colour with large whitish vermiculations in small specimens, and sparse dots in larger ones (Vono et.al.). Wertheimeria maculata is the only species in the genus Wertheimeria from the catfish family Doradidae. Within its restricted range, W. maculata faces strong human habitat disturbances such as siltation, habitat fragmentation, pollution, and introduced species. This fish has been placed as the sister taxon to all other doradids. Aquarium Care: Not a lot is known about the husbandry of this large Dorad but it is being bred successfully in Brazil by the Brazilian exporter Hudson Crizanto Gonçalves. Remarks: All Doradidae examined have retrorse thorns on their midlateral scutes, except for Wertheimeria, which lacks thorns. Wertheimeria maculata Steindachner, 1877 generally has three scutes on the anterior portion of the body, and the remaining portion of the lateral line is tubule shaped and unossified, similar to those found in auchenipterids (Calegari, B. Barbara et.al. 2019).

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Doradidae

South America: Jequitinhonha River basin, Brazil. Type locality: Rio Jequitinhonha [Brazil].

30.0cm. (12ins)

22-26°C (71-79°F)

6.5-7.2.

Bárbara B Calegari, Richard P Vari, Roberto E Reis, 2019. Phylogenetic systematics of the driftwood catfishes (Siluriformes: Auchenipteridae): a combined morphological and molecular analysis, Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, zlz036.
Burgess, W.E. 1989 An atlas of freshwater and marine catfishes. A preliminary survey of the Siluriformes. T.F.H. Publications, Inc., Neptune City, New Jersey (USA). 784 p.
Ferraris, C.J. Jr., 2007. Checklist of catfishes, recent and fossil (Osteichthyes: Siluriformes), and catalogue of siluriform primary types. Zootaxa 1418:1-628.
Froese, R. and D. Pauly. Editors. 2019. FishBase. World Wide Web electronic publication. www.fishbase.org, ( 02/2019 ).
Sabaj, M.H. and C.J. Ferraris Jr., 2003. Doradidae (Thorny catfishes). p. 456-469. 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.
Vono, Volney & Birindelli, Jose. (2007). Natural history of Wertheimeria maculata, a basal doradid catfish endemic to eastern Brazil (Siluriformes: Doradidae). Ichthyological Exploration of Freshwaters. 18.
Wikipedia contributors. "Wertheimeria maculata." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 27 Jul. 2018. Web. 23 Apr. 2019.