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  • Aphanotorulus ammophilus
  • Aphanotorulus ammophilusClose-up of head
  • Aphanotorulus ammophilusClose-up of head
  • Aphanotorulus ammophilus
  • Aphanotorulus ammophilusHabitat: Shallow, flowing water over small rocks
  • Aphanotorulus ammophilusJuveniles
  • Aphanotorulus ammophilusDorsal view
  • Aphanotorulus ammophilusClose-up of dorsal fin
  • Aphanotorulus ammophilus
  • Aphanotorulus ammophilus
Down Cat-eLog Data Sheet
Scientific Name Aphanotorulus ammophilus  Armbruster & Page, 1996
Common Names L094, Cute Pleco
L123, Sød Sugemalle (Denmark), Venezuela-Aphanotorulus (Germany)
Type Locality Río San Carlos, River Portuguesa drainage at Caño Hondo, 9°31'51''N, 68°39'39''W, Cojedes State, Venezuela.
Pronunciation ah FAN oh to RULE uss - ah moe fee luss
Etymology Greek, aphanes = hidden + Latin, torulus, -i = muscle, little string. Ammo from the Latin for sand and philus Latin for loving.
Down Species Information
Size 161mm or 6.3" SL. Find near, nearer or same sized spp.
Identification In Aphanotorulus, all species show clear sexual dimorphism and have a generally flatter appearance than other hypostomine genera. The posterior edge of the oral disc is jagged rather than smooth. Aphanotoroulus can be distinguished from Isorineloricaria by having caudal peduncles that do not become greatly lengthened with size and that are oval in cross section (vs. caudal peduncle proportions that get proportionately longer with size and that become round in cross-section), and by having small dark spots (less than half plate diameter) on a light tan background (vs. spots almost as large as lateral plates on a nearly white background.

L094=L123, DATZ erroneously initially published a Hypostomus (then Cochliodon) as L094. All Aphanotorulus show clear sexual dimorphism and have a generally flatter appearance than other similar genera.
Sexing Males in breeding condition posses extremely elongate, bristle-like odontodes. These cover the entire back and sides behind the dorsal fin.
General Remarks L123 was introduced in DATZ 5/1993 pp280-281.
Down Habitat Information
Distribution South America: Portuguesa River basin.
Orinoco, Middle Orinoco, Apure, Portoguesa (click on these areas to find other species found there)

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IUCN Red List Category Least Concern, range map and more is available on the IUCN species page. Last assessed 2020.
Other Parameters This species is most commonly found over sand substrates in the wild.
Down Husbandry Information
Breeding Unreported.
Breeding Reports There is no breeding report.
Down Further Information
Reference Copeia 1996 (no. 2), pp 385, Figs. 2, 3c, 4.
Registered Keepers There are 16 registered keepers, view all "my cats" data.
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There are 8 wishes to keep this species, see who wants what.
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There are 11 records of this fish being seen, view them all.
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Last Update 2022 Jan 14 12:10 (species record created: 2001 Apr 21 00:00)