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Haraldo Bishop (5) Johnny Jensen's Photographic Library (2)

The work carried out by Covain et.al. 2016 confines the Sturisoma genera to west of the Andes (cis-Andean), and the Sturisomatichthys genera restricted to the east of the Andes (trans-Andean). The first 5 thumbnail images the specimen was captured in Feb. 2003 in the Paraná River basin in Argentina in an area with many floating plants and larger plants known locally as "camalotes". This species is also well known from the La Plata River basin further to the south. The Sturisoma genera is sometimes not eay to identify to species as there has probably been quite a few aquarium crossings in the past. Aquarium Care: Happier in a aquarium with a high oxygen content. Large planted aquarium with non aggressive tank mates. Regular water changes must be adhered to, to keep this animal in good health. Sexual Differences: Mature males will grow odontodes along the sides of the head and rostrum (snout). Diet: Mostly vegetarian with cucumber, spinach, and algae wafers. Meaty foods such as frozen blood worms and live foods such as white worms and brine shrimp can be fed sporadically. Reproduction: As per this genus, will lay eggs usually on the tank walls and the male will guard and fan the eggs. Remarks: On the latest paper by Cardoso, Y. et al (2023) this species is now considered a junior synonym of Sturisoma barbatum. Abstract: Researchers ask, how many species of Sturisoma catfishes inhabit the La Plata Basin? Uptil now, there are two recognised species, S. barbatum and S. robustum, however this study indicates these two species are part of an intraspecific variation within a single species, with S. barbatum (the valid species) as the senior synonym of S. robustum (Cardoso, Y. et al 2023), Therefore S. barbatum and S. robustum are the same species.

Paraguay whiptail

Oxyloricaria robusta

Loricariidae

South America: La Plata River basin: Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia and Paraguay. Type locality: Rio Paraguay.

25.0cm. (10ins)

23-27°c (73-81°f)

6.0-7.5.

Bishop, Haraldo & Bishop, Noemí de; Paraná, Argentina, pers comm., August 2004.
Covain, R., S. Fisch-Muller, C. Oliveira, J.H. Mol, J.I. Montoya-Burgos and S. Dray, 2015. Molecular phylogeny of the highly diversified catfish subfamily Loricariinae (Siluriformes, Loricariidae) reveals incongruences with morphological classification. Mol. Phylogenet. Evol. 94:492-517.
ScotCat Article: Collecting in the Paraná River Basin, Argentina (Part 1)