Pterygoplichthys anisitsi explained

Pterygoplichthys anisitsi also known as the Paraná sailfin catfish, southern sailfin catfish, is a species of catfish in the family Loricariidae.[1] Its natural range is the middle Paraná and Uruguay River basins of south-central South America,[2] but it has been introduced to North America and South Asia, probably via the pet trade.[3] [4] Like other loricariid catfishes, Pterygoplichthys anisitsi has a ventral mouth modified into a sucking disk and a body covered in bony plates. The species typically has a dark and white spotted body pattern, although some individuals are very dark with few spots. It reaches 55 cm (21.7 inches) in total length and can weigh up to at least 2.3 kg.[5]

Gas exchange and respiration

Pterygoplichthys anisitsi is capable of breathing both air and water. During nighttime or when the fish experiences a low-oxygen environment, it will swim to the surface to gulp in air.[6] When breathing air, the species uses its stomach for the diffusion of oxygen into the blood.[7]

Etymology

The fish is named in honor of Juan Daniel Anisits (1856-1911), who collected the type specimen.[8]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Nico, Fuller, Cannister, Neilson. 4 September 2013. Paraná Sailfin Catfish (Pterygoplichthys anisitsi). 10 September 2021. U.S. Geological Survey, Nonindigenous Aquatic Species Database.
  2. WEBER. C. 1992. Révision du genre Pterygoplichthys sensu lato (Pisces, Siluriformes, Loricariidae). Révision du genre Pterygoplichthys sensu lato (Pisces, Siluriformes, Loricariidae). 19. 1–2. 1–36. 0399-1075.
  3. Nico. Leo G.. Martin. R. Trent. March 2001. The South American Suckermouth Armored Catfish, Pterygoplichthys anisitsi (Pisces: Loricaridae), in Texas, with Comments on Foreign Fish Introductions in the American Southwest. The Southwestern Naturalist. 46. 1. 98. 10.2307/3672381. 3672381.
  4. Orfinger. Alexander Benjamin. Douglas Goodding. Daniel. 2018. The Global Invasion of the Suckermouth Armored Catfish Genus Pterygoplichthys (Siluriformes: Loricariidae): Annotated List of Species, Distributional Summary, and Assessment of Impacts. Zoological Studies. 57. 57 . e7. 10.6620/ZS.2018.57-07. 1810-522X. 6517723. 31966247.
  5. Web site: 2022 . Froese . Rainer . Pauly . Daniel . Pterygoplichthys anisitsi . FishBase.
  6. da Cruz. André Luis. da Silva. Hugo Ribeiro. Lundstedt. Lícia Maria. Schwantes. Arno Rudi. Moraes. Gilberto. Klein. Wilfried. Fernandes. Marisa Narciso. 2012-07-24. Air-breathing behavior and physiological responses to hypoxia and air exposure in the air-breathing loricariid fish, Pterygoplichthys anisitsi. Fish Physiology and Biochemistry. 39. 2. 243–256. 10.1007/s10695-012-9695-0. 22825808 . 254504653 . 0920-1742.
  7. da Cruz. André Luis. Fernandes. Marisa Narciso. December 2016. What is the most efficient respiratory organ for the loricariid air-breathing fish Pterygoplichthys anisitsi, gills or stomach? A quantitative morphological study. Zoology. 119. 6. 526–533. 10.1016/j.zool.2016.08.003. 27618705 . 0944-2006.
  8. Web site: Order SILURIFORMES: Family LORICARIIDAE: Subfamilies HYPOSTOMINAE, RHINELEPINAE and DELTURINAE. 12 February 2024 . Christopher Scharpf . Kenneth J. Lazara . amp . The ETYFish Project Fish Name Etymology Database . Christopher Scharpf and Kenneth J. Lazara . 22 September 2018.

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